Great Success for the BCC Riviera Summer Party

The BCC Riviera had a great summer party on Saturday 27th June. The event was held at the Royal Beach in Antibes which is a great restaurant offering good quality Italian food just on the water’s edge.
The music was great, however the local Antibes Police did pop in at around 11 pm, instructing the party goers to reduce the decibels a bit.

Around a hundred 'international minds' with bodies dressed entirely in white - representing over 10 nationalities - enjoyed a non-stop flow of great food, drinks, dancing and conversation.
An important part of the evening was also a successful and fun charity draw which raised 800 euros for Association Rêves. It is a soul-touching cause, exemplified by our own donation which is ear-marked to help realize the dream of an eight year old boy from Cannes who has a terminal illness. So in a way we helped maintain a balance between the important realities of life and the need to fully enjoy that same life.

Mission accomplished, the BCC Riviera goes into a summer break and returns in September! All pictures of the Summer party can be found on http://picasaweb.google.com/bccriviera/BCCSummer2009WhiteNightBeachParty.

jml-training.com and jml Property Services are members of the BCC Riviera. The organisation is constantly looking for new members in the business community in the south of France. They have monthly meetings and our website cotedazurrental.com has devoted a page to this organisation. Although original called the "British Chamber of Commerce" as there more and more "international" members (including the French of course) it is now the BCC Riviera.

Find our more here

Change Management Services from jml Training and Consultancy

In an ever changing landscape, it is crucial that organisations are able to adapt and respond to the challenges put in front of them.

Organisations most likely to survive and thrive in the modern environment are those that are able to identify and respond quickly to the need for change, thereby increasing their competitive edge and taking advantage of the opportunities for success.

However, the various skills, processes and competencies required to implement change management are often not part of the organisation's core business competencies and with successful change being dependant on expert implementation, many organisations look to outside consultancies for help

jml Training offer two key services to help your organisation with successful change management:

Change Management Consultancy - Provision of Change Management Consultants to work with your team to identify change requirements and develop & implement strategies for change

Change Management Training and Coaching - Provision of training programmes to enable your management team and staff to become more successful change managers in the longer-term

Please contact jml Training and Consultancy to discuss your training requirements

jml Training and Consultancy Recommends First Class Customer Service Training

As a result of the worldwide economic downturn it is even more important that businesses maintain a very high standard of customer service care. If customers are not being looked after properly, they will be lost, whereas with proper customer service there will be repeat business.
Philip Suter of jml Training and Consultancy said, "Last week I had to sort out a problem with some audio visual equipment we use as part of our training programmes. I had to visit two retailers; one a large UK electrical retailer and the other a company selling own brand Japanese merchandise.

In both of these establishments I experienced a very high calibre of customer service, with the sales assistants spending a lot of time trying to solve my problem and not pushing for a new sale. The end result was that I returned to one of the two retailers a day later to buy a new product and again because of some technical problems setting it up, the sales assistant spent plenty of time to explain how to connect it up and make it work as it should."

In both cases these companies had trained their staff well. It means customers will return again and again. However the market is getting much tougher and in many cases there will be no second chance.

jml Training and Consultancy have designed in-house Customer Service Courses

Providing Excellence in Customer Service - that will cover:

Top down approach to customer service
Attitudes to service delivery
Motivating staff to give good customer service
Backroom tasks that improve service to the customer
Organisational systems and procedures to support Customer Service

Communicating with Your Customers - This will develop the essential communication skills necessary for success and covers:
Self-awareness and the impact of behaviour on others
Roles, relationships and communication
Creating a positive impression - using an appropriate behaviour style
Assertive verbal skills for dealing with difficult situations
Using active listening skills
Providing good service in anybody's language
As there are so many people now reliant on using the phone to solve a problem with a product or service, then the correct telephone manner is essential.

The jml Training Improving Telephone Skills in house course will cover:

Initial impressions and building rapport
Effective voice skills
Asking the right questions
Listening for tone
Practical telephone techniques

Philip Suter said "Our training courses are in fact tailor made for an individual client's requirements and if companies are making some employees redundant then the remaining ones have to work very efficiently and keep their customers satisfied and one way to ensure this is by proper customer service training."

jml Training and Consultancy is now an Organisational Member of The Association for Coaching

27th February 2009: More and more people are requiring coaching skills when they to apply for jobs .jml Training & Consultancy who have been offering coaching services for many years have recently become Organisational Members of The Association for Coaching.

jml Training and Consultancy have recently become Organisational Members the Association of Coaching.

The Association for Coaching was launched in 2002 with the objective of being the leading membership association for Professional Coaches and Organisations involved in Coaching or related Training and to enable individuals and businesses to develop, expand and achieve their goals.

Gráinne Suter of jml Training and Consultancy said ” We have been coaching individuals working for local Government, politicians, business executives for several years and jml Training Interview Coaching service is designed specifically to help you iron out any current interview concerns whether it be job progression or even entry to University. “

Gráinne went on to say “As a long established training company it is most important that our company is a member of a professional coaching association like the Association for Coaching and we will be able to develop further our coaching products.”

jml Training and Consultancy offers Executive Coaching for people seeking one to one coaching at different stages in their careers. Some people use coaching to help them address challenges in their work. Others because they feel they are not accomplishing all they are capable of, or wish to feel more confident in their work role.

As the company has been involved in a lot of Women’s Development Programmes for local Government, Coaching for Women has been part of the course. It is a particularly useful way for women to identify their particular development needs and increase their confidence.

jml Training and Consultancy uses a structured method to maximise the effectiveness of the coaching. It starts with an introductory session where you identify with the coach the areas you wish to explore. Expectations are clarified and goals and objectives are established. The coach will then work with you to analyse the current position on issues, generate options for change and develop an action plan.

With so many universities now holding difficult interviews prior to entry for specialist subjects and with the downturn of the economy more people are chasing fewer jobs than before. To assist applicants jml training and consultancy has developed an Interview Coaching service specifically designed for a first job, students interviewing for university places or career move or change of job. The two hour, one to one coaching session will be designed specifically to help the applicant iron out any current interview concerns and enable them to make a strong impression at an interview

Company Information:
jml Training and Consultancy is a specialist training company offering "in-house" training courses to Local Government. Universities, Councils and Companies - both small & multi-national. It has been established over ten years and apart from providing training services in the UK, its' trainers also train in France, Ireland & worldwide.
The specialist areas include Training development for women, Diversity and Inclusion, customer service training, Diagnostic Assessment, Leadership, Coaching and Team building and Management Development Programmes more information at http://www.jml-training.com/coaching.htm

Interview Coaching

First job, students interviewing for university places or just want to brush up on rusty interview skills - then speak to us.

Let us help you develop the poise and confidence to present your skills, experience and personality in the best light.

The two hour one to one coaching session will be designed specifically to help you iron out any current interview concerns and enable you to make a strong impression at an interview.

Increasingly more and more people are seeking one to one coaching at different stages in their careers. Some people use coaching to help them address challenges in their work. Others because they feel they are not accomplishing all they are capable of, or wish to feel more confident in their work role.

Why not call us on 01494 488787 for a chat or email us for more information.

Put Your Self in the Driving Seat - Tips to Help You Take Control

Management Tips

Start by accepting that your opinions and needs are important and you have the right to express them.

Use an assertive style of behaviour - Standing up for your own rights without violating those of others. Expressing your own needs, wants, feelings and beliefs in a direct, honest and appropriate way.

Assertive behaviour is based on the belief that:

• You have needs as have others
• You have rights as have others
• You have something to contribute as have others

The aim of assertive behaviour is to satisfy the needs and wants of both parties, in other words a 'win-win' situation.

Accept responsibility for your own actions and use 'I' statements - I feel (emotion) when you (behaviour). I would prefer that you (alternate behaviour).

Use assertive verbal skills such as

• Broken record - In a calm voice quietly repeat what it is you want until the other person listens and responds to your need. Stick to your point and keep it short. This will avoid the need to rehearse arguments until you run out of steam and give in.
• Fogging - This skill allows you to accept manipulative criticism without becoming anxious or defensive. By acknowledging to the critic the possibility that there may be some truth in what s/he says you can disarm them. Yet, you remain your own judge of what you do. It involves you staying calm in the face of criticism and agreeing what ever may be fair and useful in it. By refusing to be provoked and upset by criticism, you remove its destructive power

Make the most of your listening skills. Ask open questions and check out your assumptions and understanding.

Take control of your inner voice. Listen to the positive enabling voice and turn off the critic.

Think about the language you use. Move from 'I should' 'I must' to 'I choose'.

Think about how you manage your time. If you are constantly responding to other people's crisis then learn to say 'no' without feeling guilty.

Practice a couple of quick stress management techniques that you can use when you are feeling challenged.

Identify your strengths and promote them. Identify your learning needs and make a SMART plan to address them.

… And SMART objectives are those that are

• Specific - is the objective clear
• Measurable - can I measure the success or failure of my objective?
• Achievable - realistically, do I have enough resources and time to carry out this objective successfully?
• Relevant - does this objective help me achieve progress for my project?
• Time-bounded and trackable - do I have a firm end date for my project and milestones along the way to help me check on progress?

Get used to change by challenging your self with small changes that place you outside your comfort zone.

When seeking to influence others prepare well. First put yourself in their shoes and think about:

• What they might need from you?
• What agenda they might have?
• What are the weaknesses in your idea they'll try to exploit
• What are the strengths they'll try to avoid?

Then prepare your response. Consequently, you will feel much more confident going into a negotiation or influencing situation. When you feel confident you will behave in a confident manner and people will see a confident person.

Management Tips


Understand the demands of your manager's role, see it from their perspective.

Identify the personal 'added value' they contribute.

Understand the differences between you and then ensure you compliment one another - play to each other's strengths.

Be pro-active with your ideas and show your manager you can deliver tailored solutions to a problem.

Manage change - see it as opportunity and be the first to explore what you can do.

Review your performance with your manager regularly to ensure you are on track.

Let your manager know your career goals.

Develop your Emotional Intelligence. It is a feature of senior management that people with good interpersonal skills rise through the ranks more quickly than someone with little self-awareness and awareness of their impact on others.

Develop a sense of humour about yourself as a part of your growing Emotional Intelligence!

Top sportsman and woman train every day to stay ahead. Don't get complacent about your skills. It is too easy to lose your competitive edge.

Regularly undertake a personal skills audit, if you are not increasing your skills base do something about it.

Get some honest feedback about your presentation skills; how influential and persuasive are you? Do people listen and take heed of what you have to say?

Get used to change by challenging your self with changes that place you outside your comfort zone.

See mistakes as a learning opportunity, and ensure that learning informs your future work practice.

Learn to think on your feet. Here are some ideas to help you.

• Remember, you don't have to give an instant response
• Use active listening skills
• Ask open questions to encourage the other person to speak
• Wait until the other person has finished making their point before you speak
• Gain time by reflecting back "so what you are saying is.."

Find a mentor. Being mentored:

• Builds confidence
• Offers a non-judgemental relationship
• Develops problem solving abilities o Widens your networks of contacts

Use the skills of an Executive Coach as part of your development. It will increase your confidence and generally improve your performance

Support and develop your staff. A confident and effective team can only reflect well on you.

Lift your eyes up from day to day detail. Look ahead, lift you eyes above their immediate horizons, and look around corners.