“The management at Optimum have been working with Jo for almost two years, during which time the business has trebled in size and we are operating on a completely different level. She has helped us to recognise our strengths (both individually and as a team), and truly play to them.

With Jo’s guidance we are building a culture of high performance, mutual support, openness, honesty and innovation. We have been challenged to step out of our comfort zone and we now feel that we are the masters of our own destiny rather than at the whim of market forces

We are unrecognizable as a business compared to when we started on this journey and are looking forward to the next phase of our development with Jo.”

Paul Bailey
Managing Director, Optimum Coatings

“We have been working with Jo since 2012.  We initially planned to train new members of the Corporate Business Team as we pride ourselves on employing keen and driven individuals who may not necessarily have previous sales experience.

Over the past 4 years Jo has played a major part in the development of not only our new account managers  but our existing Senior Account Managers and Account Directors.  We have introduced a professional development programme for the whole team and we have had some fantastic success stories and can see and measure the difference in the teams sales results.  Anyone who thinks training isn’t important simply needs to spend a day with Jo !”

Kate Child
Commercial Director, ICT Reverse Asset Management

“We first started working with Jo Wilson of Ignite Business Training in 2015 as we had identified a need for customer service training for our staff. Jo and I worked together to design a customer service excellence workshop relevant to the needs of the team and the business. Being a retail shop which opens 7-days per week, Jo agreed to deliver the training over two evenings from 6.00pm – 9.00pm to accommodate our trading hours. The outcome of the customer service workshops were that the team was clear on the vision of the business, retail best practice, our customers journey and as a team we designed our ‘Customer Charter’ which detailed our commitment to our customers, their experience and their needs.

We contacted Jo again in 2016 when we identified a training need for the Supervisory team, Jo worked with us to design a three day workshop focusing on developing the skills set of our Supervisory Team. The aim of the training was for the Supervisory team to drive the sales and service performance within the shop. From the first day of the workshop the team came back with a structured plan for implementing some changes which included setting some standards for the team to be measured against. The plan also included running effective monthly team meetings, daily team huddles; looking back at the performance of the previous day, allocating responsibilities for the current day and also set sales and service targets. As a business we feel that training has supported the growth in our business and we enjoy working with Jo in the design and delivery of our business training needs.”

Tom Powney
Managing Director, Briggs Shoes

“Jo has delivered a number of training programmes for Lancaster and Morecambe College and has been working with us since 2010. These workshops range from customer service and sales to various management development programmes. Our customers complete evaluation forms after each workshop and the feedback is always that our customers find the training days highly motivational, inspiring, engaging and energising. We get businesses sending their staff and management teams back regularly to attend further workshops that Jo is delivering. She brings private and public sector business and management experience which enables Jo to include real life example and ‘tools’ for the group to discuss and take away with them. Jo’s passion for training shows in her delivery which is very enthusiastic positive and this makes Jo very approachable.

Feedback from our customers:

• The bespoke sales training that you devised and delivered really ‘hit the mark’ with our teams
• The management team have reported increased motivation with in their team and the all-important increase in sales from their sales team
• We have introduced a structured performance management approach within our business and the benefits are already being seen
• Thank you for giving me ideas and sharing best practice that will benefit our business growth
• I will be back for the Leadership and Management Programme in January
• There has been a step up from our Supervisory team and I am looking forward to the continued growth and development”

Janet Boardman
Business and Development Manager, LMC Business, Lancaster and Morecambe College

“Jo is an ultimate professional, she is passionate about delivering the highest quality of training, and does this every single time. Jo is extremely enthusiastic and manages to bring on board even the most reluctant of delegate, meaning that they leave the training enthused and engaged.
Jo recently delivered a bespoke training course for our Customer Support team at Ascentis. One of the team said “ I thought the Customer Service training was FUN! Jo has a lovely personality and I was laughing throughout which made the whole day more engaging. The day had a relaxed and open feel to it so everyone could express themselves freely. As a whole group we came up with lots of positive and constructive ideas to improve Customer Service in our own role and as a company as a whole. Jo was fantastic throughout the day and made us look at all different aspects of Customer Service which you might not think about on a day to day basis.”

Louise Thompson
Quality Assurance Manager, Ascentis – Awarding Organisation

I want to thank you for the management development sessions that I have attended, I have found them exhilarating and awakening.  Although I have attended many training sessions similar to this I have to say you are the most motivated and inspiring presenter I have experienced, and you keep the sessions interesting and promote discussion well.

Julie Pearson

Head of Operations and Customer Support

Ascentis