The O2 Partner Academy, which is based in Northampton, marks a promising development for O2’s Centre of Excellence partners allowing O2 to deliver extensive skills training to its partners’ sales teams, delivering product, sales and management training in the same venue.
O2 is working with sales development consultancy, Space2, to deliver a full range of training courses addressing all aspects of the sales process – from sales opportunity generation and qualification to account development. The programme has evolved to include a wider range of sales behaviours for all its key partners following a successful pilot solution selling training for sales consultants and account managers.
David Plumb, head of SME Sales, explained: “We want to give our key partners the edge in winning and retaining business in this difficult economic climate. Building on the hugely successful internal O2 Sales Academy, the O2 Partner Academy extends our expertise to our partners. We hope that being involved in the Academy will help our partners win profitable new business and ensure they are strong leaders in the market place.”
“The training we offer partners has been a key ingredient of O2’s recent success in penetrating the SME market. We have already had some very positive feedback from our partners around the Partner Academy initiative. We are confident that we will continue to attract the best partners in the business through our sustained commitment to improving our partners’ training programmes and facilities,” continued Plumb.
In 2008, O2 SME channel partners delivered 25% year on year growth in connections whilst reducing churn to single digits for the first time.