Innovative Learning & Development Solutions Provider
Ref.CC036 Location South East Asking Price £800,000Confidential offered for sale
Finance available to buy this business subject to status. All regulated business is passed to independent financial advisors who are regulated by the FSA | |
Asking price includes:
Projected turnover of £665,000
Net Profie for year 2005/2006 is £300,000
Highly valuable and very reputable brand
Accredited Centre for a number of UK Awarding bodies
Specialists in Primary Care Training & Development
Accredited development programmes in Health Care and Local Government
Broad range of Distance Learning programmes in partnership with KnowledgePool
Supervisory and Management skills programmes for the Public Sector
Wide ranging portfolio of training materials, videos and presentations
Computer based Appraisal and Performance Management system
Track record of repeat business spanning five to ten years
Very desirable Public and Private sector Client base
Advance bookings throughout 2005 and 2006
Enviable track record of winning tenders
Superb growth opportunities
Very positive cashflow
Excellent profits record
Training and handover
Goodwill | Business profile: | Established originally as a sole trader, this business, now a Partnership, has grown significantly since 1989 to become one of the UK’s leading providers of innovative Learning and Development solutions across a wide range of Public and Private sector organisations.
As an accredited centre for a number of awarding bodies including The Institute for Leadership and Management, AMSPAR, Southampton Institute this business has an enviable Client list for which it delivers training and development programmes for front line staff through to senior management.
This business is perhaps best known for its on-site accredited development programmes in the Health Care and Local Government sectors. Clients in this sector include Primary Care Trusts, Social Services Departments, a number of Borough Councils, Housing Associations and national charities.
The business is just as active, however, in the Private sector having trained hundreds of Managers in Supervisory & Management Skills for leading blue chip organisations. Specifically designed to meet the training and development requirements of each individual organisation these programmes offer full accreditation by nationally recognised lead bodies in General Management.
Limiting time away from the workplace, its fully accredited distance learning programmes, developed in partnership with KnowledgePool, part of the ICL/Fujitsu group and a major supplier to Learn Direct are becoming increasingly popular, fully supported as they are with specially developed workbooks and interactive CD-ROM materials.
This business also offers a highly developed and successful computer based appraisal and performance management system as well as a wide range of innovative and tailored management services including psychometric testing, customer satisfaction and employment motivation surveys, competency development and strategy development for senior management as well as a range of programmes dedicated to the all important areas of Customer Services training and HR. They also offer Outplacement Consultancy.
Not surprisingly with such a wide range of learning and development programmes available, this business includes amongst its assets a phenomenal portfolio of training materials, workbooks, information packs, videos and PowerPoint presentations covering management and other subjects which could possibly be developed as a separate business.
This business can boast an extensive Client list that has been providing repeat bookings for the last five to ten years. It already has substantial forward bookings for the next two to three years. Run by just three partners supported by six ‘Client Service Managers’, some assignments exceed £100,000 in fees. With a large proportion of Public sector Clients in Local Government and the NHS, cash flow is very positive with many courses paid for in advance. Consequently this is a very profitable business.
The product range:
The Health Care sector: This business has been established in Primary Care training and development for over 15 years with courses designed for all staff working in Health and Social Care organisations, ranging from GP receptionists to PCT senior management. This business has trained more managers in Primary Care than any other single training provider. Consistently at the forefront of training and development in this sector, the business’s senior tutors are highly experienced specialists with unrivalled Primary Care experience.
Building on this experience this business has also developed a simple and reliable piece of software addressing the need for regular annual appraisal for all staff in a G.P. practice. Paperless, the process accommodates inputs from those who manage appraisees as well as staff that work for the appraisee and groups to whom the appraisee provides service such as other colleagues and patients using input from patient surveys.
Local Government and the Public sector: This business has developed any number of versatile and adaptable solutions to meet local government assessment, training and development needs. Packages for all levels from front line staff to senior managers are deliberately developed to be as flexible as possible to meet individual requirements. All or any part can be provided separately or linked with other elements to give a unique and tailored solution.
Packages can include creating competencies, assessing development needs, installing & managing online appraisal, delivering one off workshops or complete management qualifications via Fastrack, Blended Learning or conventional means. Training materials are also designed and customised. All competencies and training and development are benchmarked to National Standards.
E-Learning: Developed in partnership with KnowledgePool, these programmes are undertaken as self-study through interactive computer based training CD-ROMS at work or home. With the learning reviewed in face-to-face workshops or residential sessions, the result is effective learning and less time away from the workplace. Web based solutions are also available.
On-line Appraisals: All organisations require appraisal systems that are effective, flexible and easy to understand and which provide managers with practical performance management tools. This business offers a fully automated online appraisal and performance management system that is cost effective, fully customisable, easy to use and fully integrates with other Performance Management tools such as Training Needs Analysis, Competence Development, Recruitment, Selection, PDP and Pay.
Psychometric TestingCustomised Web Based AssessmentAssessment CentresNVQ Assessment CentresCompetency DevelopmentCustomer Satisfaction Surveys Customer Relations & Tracking System design and installationDownsizing Project ManagementMarketing and Sales Process ConsultancyTraining Needs AnalysisElectronic training needs analysisCustomised Web Based AssessmentStrategy Development for Senior ManagementEmployee Motivation Surveys
Private Sector: Established in private sector learning & development for over 14 years this business runs a wide range of development programmes for staff in the private sector having trained hundreds of managers in Supervisory & Management Skills for leading blue chip organisations. These programmes are specifically designed to fulfil the training and development requirements of the organisation and in addition offer full accreditation by nationally recognised lead bodies in General Management.
One programme is a range of externally accredited management skills development pathways. Offering Clients all the benefits of an internal college the framework can include programmes, qualifications and single subject workshops.
Recognising that Customer Service increasingly makes the difference between success and failure this business offers a range of customer service training programmes as well as a full range of HR consultancy management services.
Workshops and short courses: This business also offers a range of interactive workshop style courses in various aspects of Self Management, Managing People, Finance, Operations and Information. Courses are designed to be highly participative, using practical exercises, group discussion and video where relevant. All workshops are supported by comprehensive course notes. | Premises:
The business is currently run from small leasehold premises with a comprehensive networked office IT support system. All learning and development courses are carried out on-site across all parts of the UK and as such the business is therefore fully re-locatable. | <>Key strengths:
This business has worked hard in recent years at developing a highly valuable and very reputable brand within the sectors in which it operates. Although bearing the name of its founding partner, the business now stands alone and is synonymous with high quality, competitively priced, tailored learning and development. This reputation coupled with the experience gained over a number of years means that it has become adept at preparing and winning Local Authority, other Public sector and Education sector tenders, so much so that it wins more than its fair share even when competing with cheaper Colleges and Universities who already have facilities in place.
This business also has a well established franchise agreement with a University which affords access to valuable Higher Education funding for certain Health and Social Care Diploma programmes enabling it to be very price competitive with other training or education providers.
This business ensures it follows up its ‘brand’ promise, delivering at an equal if not higher level than that of other highly regarded but premium priced, international organisations.
Unlike many of its competitors it has a number of branded products - ‘properties’ – products and packages which form the backbone of its learning and development programmes, but which could be just as easily sold as stand alone products. Coupled with its marketing outlook is an entrepreneurial flair. This business is constantly looking for new directions and new ways of product delivery harnessing all that technology has to offer.
Key opportunities:
The ‘Not for profit’ sector in which it operates is constantly changing. Successive Governments are keen to mould the Public sector to their own ideals. As such requirements of the Public sector change with a consequent effect on the training and development requirements of the individuals within Public sector organisations. There will always be demand within these sectors for the programmes developed by this business.
Notwithstanding the requirements arising from future organisational change, this business has barely scratched the surface in its current markets. The Public sector is far and away the largest employer in the UK and with the reputation this business has already established in this sector there is considerable scope not only to service more employees within the organisations it currently works with but also to extend its market penetration bringing in many more Clients. The Housing Association market, in which this business has just one current Client is just one example. The same could certainly be said of the commercial sector – many more commercial organisations and in particular the bigger names within the recruitment sector have already been identified as significant future growth areas.
There is no doubt that this business delivers its programmes at a level equivalent to much higher priced organisations and therefore there is some leeway for increasing prices to similar levels.
This business also believes there is significant potential in its distance learning products. Already identified as a possible stand alone business for the sale of its materials, the potential offered by the Internet and associated IT, with webinars, web-
site tutorials and chat room facilities either augmenting existing courses or as the core to new modules could open up a whole new dimension.
Quality Assurance:
This business is an accredited centre for a number of awarding bodies including The Institute for Leadership and Management, AMSPAR and Southampton Institute. All long qualification-based programmes are accredited to national standards and any short or tailored programme can optionally attract national accreditation.
The accreditation involves regular observation of learning sessions by the awarding body, college or university, audits of attendance, marking and administration standards. | | | Financial profile: | | The business is being offered for sale as a going concern. All financial discussions will take place directly between the vendor and all interested parties under the auspices of Turner Butler. | Employees:
As well as the three current Partners who are all very actively involved in the business there are five full time graduate level staff acting in a Client Services capacity plus four part time staff. | Support and Training:
The owners will provide full business familiarisation, training and handover and will be pleased to work with the new owners for a period of one month to two years on a flexible contract to suit. | | | Turner Butler Disclosure Statement: This statement applies to information relating to any company or other undertaking or business advertised for sale by Turner Butler (a 'Business') The information supplied by Turner Butler on its website or in any other promotional material ('the Information') is not and is not intended to constitute an offer for sale of the Business or any assets of the Business or of the shares of any company which owns the Business. For the avoidance of doubt there is no intention to create a legal relationship which will only come into existence when a written contract for sale and purchase of the shares in or the Business has been entered into The Information provided is not intended to address your particular requirements. Further the Information does not constitute any form of advice recommendation representation endorsement or arrangement by Turner Butler and is not intended to be relied upon in making (or refraining from making) any specific decisions. Any agreements transactions or other arrangements made between you and any client of Turner Butler are at your sole risk and responsibility. The prospective sellers of the Business have provided the Information to Turner Butler. The Information has not been verified by Turner Butler. You must carry out your own due diligence and satisfy yourself as to the accuracy of all matters. In the case of the sale of shares in a Business the Information has been prepared on the basis that the shares will consist of or include more than 50% of the voting shares and that both the seller and the buyer is either a body corporate, a partnership, a single individual or a group of connected individuals so as to fall outside the scope of regulated activities as defined by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. If you are considering a transaction which falls within the scope of such regulated activities you cannot do so through Turner Butler. Appropriate professional, legal and accountancy advice should be obtained before making or refraining to make any decision. Turner Butler does not accept any responsibility or liability for loss or damage of any nature that may occur by reliance on the Information. Neither Turner Butler nor any of our employees or agents makes any representation as to the completeness or accuracy of the Information nor do we accept any liability for any losses, costs, liabilities or expenses which may arise directly or indirectly from your use of, or reliance on the Information. This document is governed by and shall be construed in accordance with English Law and any dispute arising in connection with it shall be subject to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts Turner & Co (GB) Limited registered in England and Wales under company no. 2477988 of registered office Savoy House Savoy Circus London W3 7DA, trading as Turner Butler © Shaun Sweeney October 2006 |
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