Buying a holiday home is one of the biggest financial decisions many families make, and one holiday park operator says earning customers’ trust should come before closing a sale after becoming the first in its sector to receive a national ethical sales endorsement.
Hoburne has become the first holiday park operator in the UK to be accredited as an Endorsed Training Provider by the Institute of Sales Professionals (ISP), with every member of its sales team completing and passing the organisation’s Sales Ethics examination.
The company has also developed its own sales process, known as “The Hoburne Way”, which has been endorsed by the ISP. The process is designed to ensure sales staff understand the importance of viewing the buying journey from the customer’s perspective and allowing customers to make informed decisions at their own pace.
Emma Beattie, director of sales and marketing at Hoburne, said: “We have worked long and hard to gain a reputation for fairness, and the opportunity to study for and take the ISP exams was too good to miss, as a way of proving that we really are as straight with potential owners as we have always claimed to be.
“‘The Hoburne Way’ is the next step in allowing us to have a consistent process to help owners buy that is aligned with our values. An endorsement from ISP highlights the high standards we set for our team.”
The Institute of Sales Professionals is a global not-for-profit organisation that promotes professional standards, qualifications and ethical selling.
Rob Marklove, managing director of the Institute of Sales Professionals, said: “Hoburne’s achievement demonstrates the value of investing in professional sales standards, and we are delighted to see their team embracing the skills, knowledge and ethical behaviours that build trust, enhance customer experiences and elevate the reputation of the sales profession.”
Sallyann Baldry, who reviewed Hoburne’s submission for endorsement, said: “What impressed about the Hoburne application was the attention to detail in demonstrating how they fully met the ISP endorsement criteria. A standout feature was the extensive research and analysis that went into the training design phase, ensuring that the learning programme was aligned to organisational goals as well as meeting the training needs of the people working in the sales team.”
Jennie Harnaman, head of operations at the Institute of Sales Professionals, added: “We are really delighted that Hoburne has become the first holiday park operator to receive ISP endorsement, and that their team has been so successful in passing our Sales Ethics Exam.
“Good salespeople help and support their customers; our accreditation is designed to give people confidence that they are buying from people who will treat them honestly. As customers, that is what we all want after all.”
The ethical sales accreditation forms part of the company’s “Hoburne Promise”, which includes a five-year “Peace of Mind+” warranty on new holiday caravans and lodges, a 60-day cancellation option for eligible purchasers, independent management meetings to answer buyers’ questions, no fees for introductions to approved finance providers and no pitch fees during a customer’s first season.
Emma added: “We hope very much that people who are in the market for a caravan or lodge will look carefully at what Hoburne has to offer, not just because we think we provide really lovely locations and facilities, but also because they feel they can trust us to look after their interests.”
More information is available at www.hoburne.com.
