Colebrook Bosson Saunders who recently gained our Investor in Sales award say their focus on professional development and ethical selling is a priority to build strong customer relationships in a competitive and changing market.
The award is achieved when at least 75% of a sales team passes the Institute of Sales Professionals (ISP) registration exam which tests selling skills and knowledge, professional ethics and decision making. In practice, many of our corporate partners, like Colebrook Bosson Saunders, make sure their entire team passes the exam.
Trust, honesty and integrity
Chris Dixon, head of sales Europe, who was presented with the award alongside his sales colleagues, said: “Wow! What a fantastic team we are building. So proud we have achieved the Investor in Sales Award.
“Customers can have confidence and trust that we will deliver only what is best for them and we will do that with honesty and integrity.”
Colebrook Bosson Saunders, who design, manufacture and supply high-tech IT screen supports, achieved the award in November.
Chris Dixon’s partnership with the ISP fits perfectly with his focus on growth opportunities for his team to support their professional sales development which in turn enhances their customers’ experience.
He said: “My fulfilment comes from helping salespeople see the customer’s commercial perspective and creating a dual experience of simple-to-sell and brilliant-to-buy. This results in a win-win outcome and allows the team to focus on guiding customers effectively and ethically.”
Increase in sales
Patrick Joiner, managing director of the Institute of Sales Professional, said: “We are delighted by our partnership with Colebrook Bosson Saunders and are so pleased to celebrate their success. Very well done to Chris and his team.
“Our Investor in Sales award is an external validation of professional and ethical standards and a significant differentiator in the way customers view potential suppliers and their salespeople.
“Many sales teams who have achieved this accreditation find that it helps them build trusting relationships much more quickly, leading to increased sales and improved customer retention.
“This is particularly true since the start of the pandemic when many contacts begin online. With this award, plus our partnership to support continuous professional development, customers can see at a distance that they are doing business with salespeople whose skills and credentials are backed by the Institute of Sales Professionals – a respected, independent, professional body.”
Vital to success
Other corporate members who have gained our Investor in Sales award agree that working with the Institute has been key to their growing achievements.
Gary Pickering, chief commercial officer at Safestyle UK, the windows and doors company, said: “The Institute of Sales Professionals has been vital to our success.
“Introducing a better way to sell creates a better experience for customers and wins more business. It also creates more voluntary referrals and a more positive word of mouth, or positive chatter on social media.”
Customer experience
Ben Dorks, the CEO of Ideagen, a leading provider of software solutions to businesses in highly-regulated industries, said: “Trusted, ethical sales colleagues are one of the most valuable assets we can have as a business and our membership of the ISP is a fundamental part of our long-term, customer and employee-centric growth plans.
“Customer experience is key and treating our leads, prospects and customers with fairness, honesty and integrity is absolutely crucial.”
Chris Lett, sales director at Arco, the experts in workplace safety, said: “Arco is committed to being ethical in what we sell and how we sell and was proud to become the first business in our sector to secure the prestigious Investor in Sales Award from the ISP.
“The work we are undertaking with the ISP will ensure that our sales colleagues can provide expert knowledge and advice to customers and that they sell products and services in an ethical way.”
Code of conduct
The ISP’s professional ethics exam is based on the Institute’s Fair programme. Salespeople who are members of the Institute sign up to our code of conduct, pledging to Follow the rules; provide Appropriate solutions in the best interests of their customers, stakeholders and the organisations they work for; act with Integrity; and Raise the bar with continuing professional development.
Once a salesperson has passed the exam, they appear on the Institute’s professional register of competent, ethical salespeople.
The exam is not a simple test. To pass, candidates must score at least 85% and a new exam has to be taken every two years, so salespeople need to keep their skills and knowledge up to date to remain on the register.
To learn more about our Fair programme please follow the link, because customers and businesses depend on sales professionals and organisations they can trust.