The world was already moving away from classroom training toward a more ‘blended’ approach — a mix of face-to-face instruction with technology-mediated activities — becoming the preferred model for sales training among today’s organizations. According to Training Magazine’s 2018 Training Industry Report, 69.3% of training hours were delivered with blended learning techniques in 2018, up significantly from 34.7% the year before. But now, having a virtual training option is no longer optional, it’s mandatory. With its cloud-based Sales Readiness platform, Mindtickle is integral to organizations’ virtual and blended learning initiatives, and, together with partners like Halifax Consulting, we’re driving the future of learning and readiness in markets around the world.
Based in Paris, Halifax has been offering consulting and training services to organizations since 2003. Halifax’s Best-Sellers programs include the DEAL® method (business negotiation skills), the LEAD® method (mastering sales skills), the PAC$® method (skills for accelerating growth of large, key accounts), the 5i 5o® method (inside sales) and the BOSS® method (management skills). The company offers its training content in six European languages — English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese — as well as Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese. Halifax has historically worked with a range of vendors to provide its online sales training through various point solutions that provide video role playing, coaching, among others. However, its partnership with Mindtickle represents the first holistic solution that addresses all of these capabilities and more to create a unified user experience to true sales capability.
Specifically, Halifax is using Mindtickle as its digital delivery platform for its DEAL® method. The scope of the training includes understanding the balance of power in negotiations, preparing and structuring a negotiation, and how to perform in face-to-face negotiations. To help DEAL® method participants become proficient in negotiation skills, sellers engage with materials through the Mindtickle platform to review before the live class. (Interestingly, Halifax has noted that 80% of its business in the past 10 years has been for pre-class training.) Post-class, Mindtickle provides spaced reinforcement, microlearning, certifications, coaching and role play to deliver a prescriptive and personalized readiness path for each DEAL® student. Combined with Halifax’s in-person training, customers get an all-in-one, unified, blended-learning experience.
Mindtickle’s partnership with Halifax has the added benefit of cultural feet on the ground in markets where culture and language can often be barriers to success. As you know — in addition to its U.S. and India offices — Mindtickle has a U.K.-based office to serve customers in Europe, Middle East and Africa. With help from Halifax’s multi-lingual reps, Mindtickle now has partners to help us serve the French and German markets — and later, the Spain, Italy and Portugal markets (languages that, combined, represent 80% of Halifax’s current content).
Our partnership with Halifax is a real win for Mindtickle, as it unites two leaders committed to bringing blended learning to the next level for customer-facing reps around the world. Not only do users benefit, so do each of us — Halifax, with an all-in-one solution for unified sales enablement and readiness; and Mindtickle, with opportunities to tap into a larger market abroad. We look forward to many more years working with Halifax. We welcome Halifax Consulting to our partner ecosystem!
By Helen Waite
By Rahul Mathew