As bathroom companies downsize to reduce overheads training for the remaining staff becomes increasingly important.

For the company, good quality training can improve its customer service, reduce complaints and improve the overall offering. For employees, training can improve and motivate them. For all concerned, the very latest in product and customer service training uplifts morale and promotes the 'feel good factor'.

We have seen before that companies with a well motivated and well trained workforce ride out difficult economic times better than those without. Those companies which keep ahead of the game and keep investing in their staff will be better placed when the upturn comes. We know from the feedback we get that members of the BMA (which represents 76 major bathroom brands operating in the UK) will be looking to do just that.

SummitSkills, which is the Sector Skills Council for building services engineering, has been calling for businesses to maintain or even increase their investment in training during the economic slowdown. The council says it makes sense to train and re-train existing staff than to have to recruit when business picks up.

John Denham, secretary of state for innovation, universities and skills concurs and said, recently: "Now, more than ever, it is important that we give people the real help they need to get and keep jobs. It is our determination to give people the chance to get the practical training they need to ensure the country has the skilled workers it needs to benefit from the upturn."

BMA Courses

Staff training in bathroom product features and customer service can take a number of forms.
'On the job' training, sometimes called 'Sit with Nelly,' has certain advantages since it is relevant, one-to-one and immediate. However there is the major danger that bad practices can be passed on.

Current thinking for bathrooms suggests that a mixture of both eLearning and formal day courses are a better solution. With this in mind the BMA's own Bathroom Academy was established two years ago and is now more relevant than ever.

The Bathroom Academy has its own website at www.bathroom-academy.co.uk and is run by a dedicated team of staff from the Academy offices in Stoke.

Students can enrol onto eLearning courses online with the ultimate goal of achieving, through modules and staged learning, the Certificate in Bathroom Studies, which is recognised throughout the industry. In addition one day classroom style courses are being planned during 2009 in Bathroom Design. Over 400 students are currently studying with the Bathroom Academy and more are expected to enrol during 2009.

BMA member companies also run comprehensive training courses for their customers. One and two-day training events are available and customers' staff eagerly attend the courses staged often at manufacturers' premises.

Many of these courses are approved by the Bathroom Acadamy and attract BA CPD points. Training is the key to a successful future and companies who don't invest now will lose out.