Empowering Searcys’ Sales Team through Tailored Training and Mystery Shopping

Searcys is a prestigious name in hospitality with a strong reputation for luxurious events and venues. They embarked on a journey in 2024 to invest in their people and equip them with essential skills for client interactions. With many new team members joining Searcys, and several of them fresh into the hospitality industry, Searcys made an inspired decision to establish a “Searcys Sales Academy.” Their monthly training program aims to provide continuous growth opportunities and practical skills to its team members.

As part of this investment in professional development, Searcys approached Selling Savvy with a specific focus – to conduct sales training that would complement their internal schedule. The goal was to boost the team’s confidence in handling client interactions, improve their consultative selling skills, and ultimately enhance the business’s sales success rate.

We began our collaboration with Searcys by conducting an initial round of mystery shopping to understand the existing strengths and areas for development within their sales teams. This first wave of mystery shopping provided invaluable insights that informed our approach to the upcoming training.

The initial results highlighted that while the Searcys team was already proficient in data gathering, they lacked core sales skills in several critical areas. Most notably, the main opportunity identified was ensuring follow-ups were completed regularly. In today’s competitive market, consistent and timely follow-ups are crucial to converting leads into clients. We were then able to focus our training on essential sales processes, follow-up techniques, and rapport-building strategies.

Based on the insights from the initial mystery shopping, we designed a session based around “The 7 Steps to Consultative Selling.” This program aimed to build a comprehensive skill set within the Searcys sales team, focusing on the entire sales process from initial enquiry to contract. We carefully structured the session to include interactive components that would engage participants and help them internalise the techniques discussed.

Given the diversity within Searcys’ sales teams – comprising representatives from various venues and the central sales team – the training was crafted to cater to different roles and customer interactions. Throughout the training, we emphasised three key areas:

1. Building Rapport – Creating authentic connections with clients and understanding their needs.
2. Effective Call Handling – Ensuring smooth, professional, and solution-oriented conversations with potential clients.
3. Negotiation Skills – Equipping the team with techniques to negotiate effectively, ultimately aiming for mutually beneficial outcomes.

Our trainers delivered the content through an engaging, hands-on approach, encouraging the participants to practice these skills in real-time scenarios. The Searcys team responded with enthusiasm, actively participating in role-playing exercises and group discussions. This lively interaction helped create a memorable experience for all involved and facilitated the integration of new skills into daily routines.

After the training, we conducted a second wave of mystery shopping to evaluate the impact of the training on Searcys’ sales performance. The results were outstanding and highlighted the positive change that Searcys’ investment in their team was achieving.

Key improvements were seen across multiple areas:

• Improved Follow-up Rates: The second round of mystery shopping saw 50% more follow-ups being done within an appropriate timeframe compared to the first set of mystery shops. This shift demonstrates how the training succeeded in instilling a mindset of accountability and consistency in the team.
• Increased Overall Scores: Half of the venues scored over 70% in their assessments. The highest scores were achieved through phone based interactions, where team members had applied consultative conversation skills learned during the training.
• Excellence in Consultative Selling and Rapport Building: Consultative selling, rapport building, and data gathering emerged as the strongest skills post-training. Three team members even scored over 90% on consultative sales calls, demonstrating their ability to engage clients meaningfully, ask relevant questions, and deliver personalised service.

The accountability loop created by mystery shopping after the training offered tangible evidence of progress, and confirmed the effectiveness of the training from Selling Savvy.

The structured approach of combining mystery shopping with hands-on training and then reassessing through additional mystery shopping provided Searcys with a clear, data-backed picture of the training’s impact. The results proved that Searcys’ investment in its team, combined with Selling Savvy’s tailored training program, directly contributed to a stronger, more confident sales team.

Team members are now equipped not only with enhanced skills but also a renewed sense of confidence and enthusiasm for their roles. This project has played a critical role in setting Searcys’ team up for ongoing success as they continue to strengthen client relationships. The noticeable improvement in follow-up rates and consultative sales approaches have enabled Searcys to win new business and sustain its reputation for exceptional service.

Searcys’ forward-thinking approach to employee development, as demonstrated by their commitment to the Searcys Academy, will serve as a foundation for ongoing success. The confidence and skills instilled in the team through Selling Savvy’s training have created a team culture of customer-focused selling practices.

We look forward to seeing Searcys’ continued growth as they build on these achievements, and we are thrilled to have been part of their journey toward a more empowered, skilled, and successful sales force.

Read more about our mystery shopping here, and contact us to enquire about tailored training below.