Recent Engagements

Over the past 25 years, Professional Development Associates has worked with some of the largest and most successful firms in the USA. These firms are leaders in the fields of telecommunications, financial services, information systems, consumer products, insurance, banking, manufacturing, government and health care.

The following are summaries of just some of the projects and clients with whom we have been associated.

• A banking organization located in the Northeast. We provided consulting to the board of directors and senior management team and conducted an organizational climate and performance assessment. As a result of the survey we consulted a Quality Customer Service training program for the tellers, loan offices, managers and directors. All performance indicators showed marked improvement.
  
  
• The sales division of one of the largest telecommunications firms in the world. We implemented a customer quality management process, which involves surveying customers, creating a baseline of performance, providing training and resurveying customers. We established a process in which employee development was tied to customer evaluation of their performance. Data was collected from nearly 800 customers. This data was used to establish a trend analysis on customer perception of performance. Result: All thirteen areas of customer satisfaction showed improvement. 80% of the customers rated the service delivery as 'significantly improved' and those ranking services delivery as best doubled.
  
  
• The Management and Supervisory Team of a high tech manufacturer. We were contracted to deliver a Teambuilding through Leadership program to the entire middle management team (125 people). Program was delivered weekly over an eight month period. As a result of the training effort several task related teams were established to address organizational issues. We continued to consult to these teams which resulted in major improvement in organizational communication and information dissemination. In another effort at this location we designed and delivered an outdoor team building program to the entire supervisory-management team.
  
  
• The Eastern division of a large United States agency. After careful review our Interpersonal Relations and Negotiation Skills program was selected as a central part of their leadership development program. Since the program is designed to strengthen vital communication skills it was offered to a broad spectrum of participants, including; inspectors, directors, administrators, department heads, engineers and scientists.
  
  
• Major manufacturing location near Boston(est. 8000 employees). We were contracted to create and administer a program to develop a pool of supervisory candidates from a union population in a production environment. This plant-wide project was delivered in two main sections: selection and assessment, and training and development. After the assessment process, we conducted a year long training program delivered on a half day a week basis. We installed a coaching-mentoring process to support candidate's transition from a union to management positions. Result: 90% of the candidates (45) were placed and are currently functioning success fully as supervisors. Process for selection and training of potential supervisory pool is now an established procedure with the management and union at this factory location.