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Based at Trentham Lakes, Stoke on Trent, Jigsaw Finance is a growing finance company employing 75 people and offering a variety of financial services including vehicle financing and insurance.

Having successfully completed a number of Apprenticeship programmes at the Company, we were approached by the office manager interested in finding out what training provision was available for their over 25s. The Adult Apprenticeship programme seemed ideal as it provided an element of training alongside a vocational qualification at level 3.

The Organisational Needs Analysis was completed in February 2007 with the management of Jigsaw and revealed the need to improve the level of customer service knowledge across key members of the workforce. A Customer Service training package was developed based the newly-issued standards from the Financial Services Authority (FSA), the regulatory body to which employers in the sector are responsible. The standard focuses on 'Treating Customers Fairly' and the FSA has set deadlines for authorised firms from March 2008 for 'Management Information' and December 2008 for 'Evidence'. Jigsaw is expected to demonstrate that they have met these deadlines. The FSA looks to ensure that businesses in the sector have effective implementation strategies and that consumers can be confident that they are dealing with companies where the fair treatment of customers is central to corporate culture.

Keen to develop their staff and improve performance, staff at Jigsaw helped us at Axia Solutions develop an appropriate training programme which was delivered in bite-sized sessions to small groups providing valuable underpinning knowledge to support the vocational award.

A training session attended by members of the Jigsaw Finance team and Company Directors Ian Bullough and James Tew.

Some twenty-five learners enrolled on the Adult Apprenticeship programme from across all areas of the business and at all levels. As Lynda Clarke, the Group Insurance/Compliance Manager wrote, 'We are very excited about the training and this really is a huge step forward for Jigsaw to meet the FSA standards in line with the 'Treating Customers Fairly Programme', staff motivation, company growth target and staff knowledge and enthusiasm.'

The training sessions were interactive and lively discussion was encouraged. The training objectives were to get the learners to understand the principles of treating customers fairly and to be able to recognise and close current gaps.

Company Directors, Kurt Bradbury and Nigel Hawkins; join in on one of the interactive training sessions.

The training programme included the principles of customer service including 'the golden rules', body language, communication and product knowledge. Linked closely to the Customer Service NVQ3, it provided key information for candidates.

The aims were to...

• Improve customer service and satisfaction
• Improve staff performance
• Agree the 'Golden Rules' based on best practice and staff ownership
• Improve internal communication
• Build the TEAM

Learner feedback rated the training as excellent and staff felt that the company was wholly committed to the programme as training sessions were attended by company directors. Learners commented on how enjoyable they had found the training and some said that it had been thought provoking.

February 2008 saw the successful completion of the Customer Service training programme and the achievement of the NVQ3s. The staff and management of Jigsaw Finance are happy that the aims and objectives of the programme have been met and that their newly-qualified staff are better prepared to meet the challenges of the future.

Jigsaw Directors Ian Bullough and Nigel Hawkins celebrate with successful learners at Jigsaw Finance!