What gives property sales managers the edge? At Colliers International, it's a combination of all the usual attributes - plus 'the time and resources that the company puts into training', says Piers Brunner, chief executive officer of Colliers International Asia.
The global real-estate agency conducts off-site training three times a year - in Sydney, Prague and Brentwood in Canada - as part of its Colliers University (CU) programme.
At the time of its launch in 2002, the programme was a novel concept in the industry. But today, CU has grown to include more than 1,000 classes, and Colliers International claims it has helped accelerate the professional and personal success of Colliers executives. More than this, it has become a competitive recruitment tool by attracting recruits eager to be trained.
The curriculum offers courses in commercial real estate, business and personal development.
'This expertise directly benefits our clients and their success through better results and memorable experiences,' says a CU spokesperson, commenting on the programme. 'We provide a layered course that develops business skills, while also focusing on behavioural coaching and human interaction. We believe personal development is also a form of professional development,' the spokesperson adds.
CU offers participants three class types within its 'core' class structure: product knowledge, business skills, and behavioural coaching. The primary areas of focus differ for each of the class types.