BSW Timber Training Course Major Success
October 30, 2006
Almost 230 Merchants have completed BSW Timber's Constructive Timber Training Course in the past year.
The course enables Merchants staff to improve their knowledge of timber and provide customers with expert advice and suggestions.
The day-long training session focuses on hard and softwoods, the properties of wood and the effect of different added value processes.
The success follows a decision by BSW Timber to offer hundreds of additional merchants the opportunity to sign-up for the training over the next 12 months.
The sessions are designed to explode many of the myths surrounding timber by giving staff a better understanding of its uses.
Candidates sit a short test at the end of the day with the successful participants given a certificate of completion and a qualification approved by the Institute of Wood Science.
Bryan Crennell, Marketing Manager at BSW, says: “BSW Timber believes it has a duty and responsibility to train stockists on the basics and characteristics of timber. We have had great feedback and through our customer relationships, we understand what is required. These are issues which need to be tackled.
“We believe that through this type of training, we will motivate and excite about timber products. We are also aware that investing in staff is also the key to retaining them so in that respect we really are giving them added value.”
He added: “We believe that by training staff on the fundamentals of wood we will motivate and excite them about timber products, therefore help to increase sales in the long term”.
"The accreditation from the Institute of Wood Science and the Builder’s Merchant Federation illustrates the high standard of the training that we are offering and we are pleased to be working with them to deliver this innovative scheme.”
Steve Wilson, category manager for timber at Wolseley UK, took part in the training programme.
“I found the training programme extremely rewarding and relevant to our business. It gave our staff the tools and knowledge to sell timber with confidence to customers.”
Geoff Taylor, President of the Institute of Wood Science adds: ‘Our role is to promote a better understanding of timber and associated processes, we work with a number of colleges and training centres to do this. We were impressed by the standard of training that BSW Timber were offering and wholeheartedly support the scheme – it is vital that merchant staff are educated about wood as they are the customers first port of call. BSW Timber is setting the industry standard in training with this course by bridging a gap of knowledge that often exists for merchant staff.”