|
OUR SALES AND AFTER SALES PROFESSIONALS LEAD THE WORLD [September 2006]
Two Barloworld Equipment sales representatives are the world’s first graduates from Cat University’s Sales Certification Programme. This is just one way in which the Common Goals agreement signed in 2005 by Barloworld Equipment and Caterpillar, also a world first for a Cat dealer, is translating into practice.
Kevin Burger of the KwaZulu-Natal facility was the first sales rep and Fifi (Francois) Venter of our flagship Isando facility the first after sales rep to graduate after completing around 70 hours of job-specific e-learning modules on sales skills and product knowledge.
Kevin and Fifi received their certificates at the Cat training centre in Malaga, Spain, in September 2006, making them the first ever Caterpillar Certified Sales Professionals. This has obvious benefits for customers, who can be assured of the professionalism and knowledge that our certified sales staff will bring to the table.
Cat aims to improve sales effectiveness among its dealers through this global training initiative and hopes to eventually certify the entire Cat sales force world wide.
Following Kevin and Fifi’s lead, Charmain Mowat, sales co-ordinator at Barloworld Equipment’s Isando Construction facility, became the world’s first female graduate of this Cat programme. By mid-November 2006 we had 170 people enrolled, of whom 28 had already qualified.
The KZN sales team deserves a special mention as the first complete sales team in Southern Africa, together with operations manager Rakesh Seetal, to obtain certification.
Barloworld Equipment shows the world what it takes (from left): Shane Fitzpatrick, group marketing director; Peter Bulterman, chief operating officer; Kevin Burger; Kish Mesthrie, group product support manager; Fifi Venter; and Gary Menzies, senior general manager, Equipment Management Support Group
|
