London Based training specialists launch new business Ruff Trade Training
Ruff Trade Training, the new and experienced training provider for visitor attractions, launched on 7th November 2018. The company, built on the combined experience and expertise of Boo Consultancy Training and Stephen Spencer & Associates, prides itself on crafting tailored solutions to combat the ‘soft skills’ shortage in the UK. Ruff Trade is headed by business partners Bala McAlinn and Stephen Spencer, and was unveiled at the Family Attraction Expo at the NEC Birmingham to an enthusiastic welcome from decision-makers representing many of the UK’s leading attractions.
“We’re thrilled to be launching a business committed entirely to helping people be the best they can be and achieve their potential. We named it Ruff Trade Training because our workshops are delivered by actors (our troupe of Ruffians): storytelling, audience engagement, empathy and creating magical moments come naturally to them. So by using actors who understand what makes businesses tick, we inspire people to give great performances in every customer interaction”, says First Ruffian (Director) of Ruff Trade Training, Bala McAlinn.
The new endeavour was conceived as an extension of Boo Consultancy (part of Boo Productions) currently providing staffing teams for companies in the events, attractions and leisure industries using trained Boo actors. With an increasing demand to train clients’ front of house teams to enhance customer experience and increase sales, a bespoke training service was developed.
Stephen Spencer, First Ruffian (Director) of Ruff Trade Training adds, “It’s long frustrated us that the UK ranks in the Top Three destinations people from around the world aspire to visit, but when they get here, quality of welcome is rated only 13th best. Yet we have so much to be proud of – and that pride should infect every single person working in the front line – and their managers too!”
Building on that foundation, and giving the training business its own distinctive identity, Ruff Trade aims to disrupt the tourism, retail and hospitality training sectors by offering training that reflects how contemporary audiences want to learn and be engaged, and delivers tangible performance enhancements for business.
Susanna Freitag, Director of Boo Productions and Ruff Trade Training sums up: “We are delighted with our partnership with Ruff Trade Training and look forward to introducing its sparkling services to the industry. Adding Stephen Spencer & Associates to the mix brings an additional 30 years’ experience of strategy and operations in some of the UK’s most famous customer-facing businesses.”
Now fully launched, Ruff Trade is initially focused on providing transformational training solutions for businesses in the run-up to the busy Easter 2019 trading period.
