Milford Research.

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In 2019 Milford Research, a specialised training provider for collaborative business management and leadership, became ‘Institute Approved’, and this was the starting point of a whole new chapter for the company.

Robert Milford, Managing Director, was looking for professional recognition of its ‘Collaborative Business Management Programme’, to confer equal status for collaboration with other professional skills. Robert explained: “As a small business promoting a specialised programme, competing with big training providers was always challenging’’

Robert found that aligning with other accreditation systems was almost impossible because of the unique nature of its own programme.

 ‘’Institute Approved has levelled the playing field with the big training providers as we now offer training in a unique skill set that is professionally accredited.” Says Robert  “Learners are delighted when they meet the high standards required; it gives them the recognition they deserve in one of the more challenging areas of leadership,’’.

The challenge

However, maximising the newfound status was key to growing the business. Just simply using the new “institute Approved” status for training seemed to be a waste. Therefore Robert looked to exploit the status in various ways.

The approach

Robert comments “We looked to see what other aspects of the business could now be developed given the professional status of the training. This resulted in new collaborations and new unique services. The impact of the “Institute Approved” status was remarkable and opened four new elements to the business.

  1. It helped to trigger a new strategic partnership with a collaboration that went through the “Institute Approved” training programme.

  2. It helped to underpin the new unique co-created UK collaboration accreditation review (CAR) scheme, with our new strategic partner; Ensured the professional status of those conducting the CAR assessments as each assessor is required to complete the “institute Approved” training programme first;

  3. Ensured our research and consultancy work was professionally recognised and gave our clients confidence in our advice.

  4. Also provided the company with the confidence to develop other unique programmes for mentoring in schools.

The results

‘’Institute Approved has boosted our company offer to a whole new level. We still offer training in a unique skill set that is professionally accredited, but also now support those running collaborations to improve and continue to help protect the public purse” says Robert  “Clients are delighted when they meet the high professional standards required by CAR; they also appreciate the professional status they gain from the training programmes’’.

One of Milford Research’s clients commented: ''Milford Research has supported us in reviewing the existing operations of our shared service, and through their training and expertise has helped us articulate how we can improve the existing shared service to ensure we are sustainable and fully prepared for future growth. One client reported a £230,000 saving in the first few months.”

Since becoming Institute Approved, Milford Research has been approached to work on other projects, of which Robert said: “I firmly believe that I’ve gained business that I may not have, without Institute Approved.”

 

Solutions deployed.

Institute Approved, our programme accreditation scheme

 

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