Members only

What will we learn?

This workshop will boost participants’ knowledge and confidence when negotiating with customers, external agencies and colleagues, covering the following areas:

• Initiating and managing positive conversations
• Instilling a payment culture with empathy
• Handling objections assertively and engaging customers in finding solutions
• Negotiating payment plans and motivating changes in payment behaviours
• Helping customers to pay on time and to manage their accounts successfully.

For more experienced officers, the workshop is a chance to reflect and share their skills and knowledge with colleagues.

How will we benefit?

At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Apply a motivational, solution-based negotiation framework
• Know their preferred negotiating style and how each style influences outcomes
• Prepare effectively for discussing debt with customers
• Gain confidence in initiating a discussion regarding debt
• Apply practical frameworks and core skills to handle calls effectively and efficiently
• Handle payment objections empathetically but assertively
• Guide customers through sensitive and challenging discussions
• Manage situations where customers present mental health issues, based on the latest expert guidance, including the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Quite simply, applying these skills in practice will help your customers, boost your income and reduce homelessness.

How is the course delivered?

This online workshop is delivered online using Zoom or MS Teams, over two half-days.

The timings for each day are as follows: –

10:00 am to 13:00 (break 11:20 am to 11:40 am)

Delegates must attend both days to benefit from the workshop.

As this is a highly participative workshop, places are limited to a maximum of twelve participants.

What do we need to do as participants?

This training is delivered in a relaxed and engaging style.

To make the course a success, we ask participants to:

• Read the pre-course info
• Join the course with an open mind
• Be prepared to join in the exercises
• Connect by 9:45 each day so that we can address any connection issues
• Enable your video as this maximises participation and interaction.

What support do we get?

A full resource pack, including further learning materials will be provided after the training.

Afterwards, Tony will welcome any questions to support the implementation of the learning.

Tony Newman is an independent project manager, consultant and trainer, Tony has over 40 years’ experience, in both the private and public sectors, including extensive practical experience in social housing.

Tony studied psychology and philosophy at the University of Stirling and maintains an active interest in communication and behavioural science, which he incorporates into his work.

He has extensive experience in designing and delivering highly effective negotiation training workshops and development programmes, across a range of sectors and in a variety of contexts. These include specialist workshops focused on housing income management and tenancy sustainment.

Since 2004, Tony’s practice has included helping clients to maximise income and improve services to customers, especially to support the financial wellbeing and independence of vulnerable people.

Tony designed Housing Quality Network’s income management and financial inclusion toolkits and helped to develop HQN’s accreditation service for income management.

He has a track record of supporting clients to improve performance in challenging environments and has practical experience of managing complex projects that have delivered improved social and financial outcomes.

Tony has written a number of papers and presented at many conferences on the subject of income maximisation, debt recovery and financial inclusion. He has a keen interest in the opportunities to improve quality and value for money through better integration of housing, social care and health services and more effective engagement with customers and communities.

Tony is a member of numerous professional and representative organisations. These include the Chartered Institute of Housing, Chartered Institute of Credit Management, the British Institute of Learning Disabilities, the Project Management Institute, the Housing Studies Association and the Financial Health Exchange.

Since 2011, Tony has been an associate lecturer and tutor at the University of Salford.

Tony is a member of numerous professional and representative organisations. These include the Chartered Institute of Housing, Chartered Institute of Credit Management, the British Institute of Learning Disabilities, the Project Management Institute, the Housing Studies Association and the Financial Health Exchange.

Since 2011, Tony has been a visiting lecturer and tutor at the University of Salford and is an associate of the University’s Sustainable Housing and Urban Studies Unit.

If you are unable to attend an event or public training course, please let us know in writing (email is fine) at least 48 hours before. Please email [email protected] Otherwise, a cancellation fee of £60 plus VAT will be chargeable. If you are using a package place to attend and do not inform us within the agreed time frame, then a place will be taken to cover your non-attendance. Cancellations must be made in writing, and will be acknowledged by HQN Limited.