The training is carried out by international specialist instructors along with support staff and operators from Volvo worldwide. The launch includes product seminars, demonstrations and hands-on learning activities in a real field setting.

Typical activities included:

Showcasing and demonstrating the latest series Volvo products and their applications to customers.
Technical training to dealer service personnel to enable them to deliver outstanding product support to customers owning Volvo machines.
Sales training to help staff and dealers improve their sales effectiveness and provide optimum solutions to customers.

Training in “best practices” related to equipment maintenance management and machine operation.
 

The main objectives of the training exercise is to increase sales effectiveness, strengthen the Volvo brand in the industry and increase competence levels at dealerships in terms of bothproduct knowledge and sales techniques - to increase the number of satisfied customers.

The event ran over a 5 day period and took place under the shade of marquees strategically located in the open air training grounds of Imbali. Participants were treated to conditions that operators face in 'real life', with temperatures soaring into the high 30's and a fine layer of dust from the workings of the machines covering absolutely everything. The participants were split into groups, each receiving training in 3 different segments, namely Quarry and Aggregate, Road Construction and Building and Utility. 

Products available in the hands-on testing segments included the new G-Series wheel loaders,  F-Series ADT's, Excavators and the BL61 and BL71 Backhoe Loaders, plus  comparative products from the competition to give participants a feel for the performance differences and advantages of the Volvo brand.

The 80+ participants in the event included national sales staff from Babcock along with Babcock dealers and customers and independent dealers and their customers from all over Africa. The response was extremely enthusiastic and whilst it gave Volvo the opportunity to show off some of its cutting edge products and technology, it also provided the customer with an opportunity to get behind the wheel of the latest machines in a realistic and demanding work situation.

Feed back from the Southern African dealers was extremely positive. They all, without exception, remarked that this was by far the best product training session they had ever attended with the ideal balance of theory, discussion and hands-on time.