Gillies

We'd identified a need for more standardised sales training, both to bring newer team members up to speed and to sharpen our longer-serving people. We'd tried a few other providers over the years without finding the right fit for our people and our customers, and first spoke to Adam at FSS in June 2021.

Adam built a bespoke programme around our teams, stores and values and rolled it out across the whole business. It was informative, engaging and genuinely fun, with his energy coming through from the very first meeting. He then spent time over the following year with our management teams, building their coaching and leadership skills too.

Over the last five years we've seen both sales and KPIs increase, and just as importantly, a real shift in our people's attitude, confidence and capability. The days of not knowing how to handle a "browser," or being reluctant to ask for the sale, are behind us.

Support doesn't stop after the training days. Whether it's one-to-one coaching, a Teams call, or just a quick question about how someone's performing, Adam and the team are always on hand, and our people know they can ask for advice at any time. Customers benefit too — by asking better questions and really listening, our teams can pin down exactly what a customer needs and make sure their purchase is an enjoyable one.

To anyone considering FSS: don't hesitate. You'll see improvements from the very first training day, and the skills Adam teaches are hugely relevant in a tough trading climate.