2006 winners unveiled!
Be inspired by previous winners´ success stories, and imagine what you too could soon achieve. Each week we highlight a different story, and for even more inspiration you can access a wide range case studies on the training databank. The Training Databank, unique to the National Training Awards is a business tool to help you learn from the very best UK training has to offer. Our winners share their stories and secrets of their success. The Training Data bank can be searched by sector to help you learn more about training lessons that really work.
CairnGorm Mountain Ltd
National Training Awards winner 2005
Struggling to counter the threat of cheap foreign flights and the impact of climate change, CairnGorm Mountain Ltd (CML) needed to widen their commercial appeal beyond skiing. In 2001 the construction of a funicular railway to replace their aging chairlift, marked an important step towards making the mountain resort a year-round attraction.
However, in order to cater for the needs of new kinds of holidaymakers - who wanted something other than skiing - CML would have to boost significantly the service levels provided to customers. Moreover, it would also need a new array of technical, health and safety and other skills in order to meet the requirements of the public authorities in the operation of the railway. The urgency of this was underlined by the financial difficulties the business faced following a period of consistent deficits.
CML invested in a substantial cross-company training strategy and took the decision to link training to vocational qualifications. Through a systematic and all-inclusive approach, negative attitudes and mediocre standards soon became a thing of the past and turned around the company´s fortunes. Customers receive a high standard of service, by friendly and knowledgeable staff and the company is strongly focused on health and safety and environmental care, all of which makes for a highly rewarding experience.
The business has been transformed, with a significant increase in non-skiing visitors and new opportunities such as weddings, business events and conferences. CML experienced a 50% increase in turnover and went from consistent loss-making in to profit.
