Apogee, the experts in workplace IT and print services, are celebrating a major award from the Institute of Sales Professionals (ISP) in recognition of their commitment to customer service and ethical selling.
The Investor in Sales award is gained when at least 75% of a sales team passes the ISP’s professional registration exam which tests their selling skills, knowledge, professional ethics and decision-making. An impressive 90% of salespeople at Apogee have passed the exam, based on the ISP’s Fair ethics programme, and more will follow.
The award marks another significant step in the sales transformation and development which has been taking place at Apogee under chief sales officer, Carl Day. Carl has put customer trust and a healthy sales culture at the heart of his operation because he recognises that simply chasing revenue targets leads to stress for both salespeople and their customers and, he says: “Where you have unhappy salespeople you generally have unhappy customers.”
To make sure Apogee’s customers are happy and business relationships flourish, Carl, who has worked in professional selling for more than 20 years and gained a masters in sales transformation from Middlesex University, has focused on cultivating the skills of his salespeople. He said: “Investing in our people and building their sales knowledge in partnership with Institute of Sales Professionals has strengthened our customer relationships. We are delighted to have gained the Investor in Sales award in recognition of the hard work of the whole team.
“Trust is vital for good selling, and that comes from a sales team that is valued and supported, and has the skills to get the best results for their customers and their company.”
The sales transformation at Apogee has also been reflected in the company’s increased market share despite overall declines across the sector brought on by covid.
The company’s Glassdoor rating, where current and former employees anonymously review their workplaces, also increased by an outstanding 63%, taking their score from 2.3 to 4.6 out of five.
At present, Apogee’s partnership with the ISP covers the company’s 130-strong sales team in its corporate and commercial sectors, but the company is planning to widen its membership to include its public sector operation.
Patrick Joiner, ISP managing director, said: “The investment in learning and development at Apogee is incredibly impressive and winning our Investor in Sales award is a clear indication of the company’s dedication to building skills and knowledge and cultivating strong customer relationships.
“Devoting time to training and coaching has built a positive culture which has proved its worth, encouraging employees to stay, leading to career progression whilst growing business and productivity. Well done to the whole team.”
Ethical code of conduct
The ISP’s professional registration and ethics exam is based on the Institute’s Fair programme. Salespeople who are members of the Institute sign up to our code of conduct, pledging to Follow the rules; provide Appropriate solutions in the best interests of their customers, stakeholders and the organisations they work for; act with Integrity; and Raise the bar with continuing professional development.
Once a salesperson has passed the exam, they appear on the Institute’s professional register of competent, ethical salespeople.
The exam is not a simple test. To pass, candidates must score at least 85% and a new exam has to be taken every two years so salespeople need to keep their skills and knowledge up to date to remain on the register.