TRAINING experts based in Royal Wootton Bassett are putting together a major development programme for the UK's largest crane hire operator.

Intelligent Dialogue impressed Ainscough Crane Hire with a customer engagement programme at its depots around the country last year, so now the company is hiring them to help train staff during the pandemic's lockdowns.

The virtual sessions on Zoom helped more than 100 people understand how the crane hire company would adapt to the impact of the international health crisis.

Managing director Diane Banister said: “When Covid and lockdown hit, the senior leadership team at Ainscough Crane Hire knew that keeping their people connected with the business while they were on furlough was fundamental to the business.

"We were asked to design and deliver a four-month training programme to maintain the momentum of the work they had been doing, and keep employees connected to the business.

“We carried out a sales and service training across the business including to people who were furloughed.

"Ainscough were very forward thinking because they recognised it was an opportunity to train people and keep them connected to the business, so when they were back in work they were able to start back stronger.”

Intelligent Dialogue will be working with leaders and managers at Ainscough’s 30 depots and its head office until this July.

The company's boss said the training has made a big difference to his staff during a turbulent 12 months.

Ainscough CEO Peter Gibbs said: “The impact of the programme I wasn’t necessarily expecting has been the morale and buy-in from colleagues who see a business that’s got the courage to invest in its people and its future.

“The early indicators are it has already impacted positively on what is a very tough time for UK business.

"We’ve seen improvement in customer engagement and confidence in our value proposition. The relationship with Intelligent Dialogue has been a pleasure, that’s been the feedback I’ve had from my team.”

Ms Banister added: “I’m delighted that we’ve been appointed by a company that has such an excellent reputation as Ainscough. A lot of hard work has paid off. I worked with the company over 20 years ago when they were family-owned and growing. It is fascinating to be back now and see how they’ve developed.

“Ainscough is a company with a proud heritage, and the work that we are doing with them, the commitment from their senior team, and the sheer will and determination from their people, makes me think that they have an amazing future ahead of them too.

“With our experience in the hire sector, particularly the lifting industry, we know a lot of what is needed to be successful. But now we really understand Ainscough Crane Hire and its culture, so I think we were the natural choice to go on working with their leaders and managers."

Wiltshire-based Intelligent Dialogue has 28 years’ experience of running programmes for businesses of all sizes in sales, customer experience and management development, with several clients in the hire industry.