Robert Price, winner of the 2025 BMF Training Company of the Year Award, exemplifies a company whose investment in training has helped differentiate its offer and expand its customer base.
Founded in 1847, the family-owned business is now run by the fifth generation and employs around 400 people across 34 branches, operating under the Robert Price and Tudors brands throughout South Wales and into Herefordshire.
Its current training approach began after a management restructure in 2020, when the new team identified skills gaps within the business and sought solutions to boost confidence, improve customer service and foster a fun working environment.
This led them to engage the BMF to deliver a tailored six-month holistic training programme for branch managers. It was so successful that it has been repeated to include every branch manager, and a similar methodology has been adapted to develop programmes in other parts of the group.
Sales Director David Pattison strongly advocates providing learning and development opportunities for all team members, encouraging them to reach their potential. He said: “It is embedded within our company culture to seek out opportunities. In line with this, we invest in knowledge, skills and infrastructure.”
“Robert Price’s current training approach began after a management restructure in 2020, when the new team identified skills gaps within the business and sought solutions to boost confidence, improve customer service and foster a fun working environment.”
Accordingly, over the past 18 months, the company has implemented BMF management and sales training courses, including the Pathway to Branch Management, Certificate in Merchant Management, Key Account Management Training, a six-month Sales Excellence Programme, and a bespoke Internal Sales Management Programme. The company also offers BMF’s one-day courses, such as How to Build a House, to support new starters.
The firm’s training efforts have also extended into new business areas. Until the 2000s, Robert Price was primarily known for heavyside products. Today, it positions itself as a multi-disciplinary knowledge leader, covering Civils, Plumbing & Heating, Timber, Roofing, Insulation and Sustainability. Each area has a Specialist Development Manager supporting colleagues across the group, helping to grow sales.
Indeed, sustainability has become a significant growth area for the company and Robert Price is recognised as a Sustainability Knowledge Expert by the Welsh Government and the Chartered Institute of Housing.
David believes that the company’s agility as an independent allows it to seize such opportunities, whilst its Sustainability Training Academy offers product awareness and accredited training. Alongside supporting internal colleagues, with each branch having a Sustainability Champion, the also academy delivers training for customers and their specialist subcontractors.
Above all, it is a sound business decision. Increasing customer understanding of PVs, electric heating and battery storage, for example, enhances their ability to bid for larger, specialised projects, thereby boosting product sales in this area.
Reflecting on the company’s approach, David added: “Training helps us differentiate ourselves as knowledge experts in a multi-disciplinary field. We have a groupthink mentality regarding customer service excellence. We share knowledge, share resources and even share operations, for example, borrowing transport from another branch to ensure a delivery is made on time. Investing in people develops camaraderie across the company, which is an undeniable benefit.”
To find out how your team can benefit from BMF Training, please email training@bmf.org.uk
Main image: The latest cohort of Robert Price management trainees.
