How do you choose a corporate training company? I’d look for three things above everything else: a programme built around your people’s real situations, coaching after the training so it actually sticks, and a trainer you’ve spoken to yourself before anything is booked. Then ask seven simple questions, which I’ll walk you through below. These are the questions I’d want answered if I were in your shoes.
1. Will it be built around our real work?
Off-the-shelf courses teach a generic version of the skill. Your people then have to translate it back into their own deals, meetings and teams, and most never get round to it. A good corporate training company asks about your situation first, and builds the sessions around it. If nobody asks about your team before the proposal arrives, that tells you a lot.
2. What happens after the training day?
This is the question I’d put at the top of the list. I trained one team and had them try each of the tools as we went, so everyone had used them at least once before they left the room. When we came back together for coaching, many of them had forgotten the techniques or never used them. They’d simply got busy. Once we role-played their real situations, it clicked, and they started coming back with stories of their own.
That’s why I’d always look for follow-up coaching, 1-to-1 or as a team, on live situations. It’s where the habits really change. There’s more on this in sales training vs sales coaching.
3. Who will actually deliver it?
In some firms, the person who sells you the programme is not the person who delivers it. Ask who will be in the room, and talk to them before you book. You’ll learn more from ten minutes with the trainer than from any brochure.
4. What proof do you have?
Look for reviews you can check, named client organisations, and examples of what actually changed. Real Google reviews from real clients tell you far more than polished marketing.
5. In-house, online or both?
In-house training at your premises means the whole team learns the same approach, built around your context. Public courses suit individuals. For teams, in-house is usually better value and far more relevant. Online works well too, especially for teams spread across Ireland, so ask whether the provider can do both. Here’s how I run in-house training for teams.
6. How will we know it has worked?
Agree two or three outcomes before you start, things like fewer discounts, faster decisions in meetings, or managers giving feedback that lands. Then check them. A good provider will welcome that conversation, because they’ll want to know too.
In the end, the real measure of any training is what people do with what they learn. Nobody can predict that, so I always suggest people work with a different tool every day and see how it fits for them. The quality of the results lies in the application of the learning.
7. What’s in the quote?
Ask exactly what’s included: preparation, the number of sessions, follow-up coaching and materials. A clear, fixed quote after a proper scoping conversation is a good sign. If you’d like to understand what drives the cost, see how much sales training costs in Ireland.
A few red flags
- A one-day course with nothing afterwards.
- No questions about your team before the proposal.
- A trainer you never get to speak to.
- Success measured by “happy sheets” on the day, with nobody checking what changed at work.
Training, coaching or both?
Training builds a shared skill across a group, and coaching makes it stick for each person or team. The strongest programmes I’ve seen combine the two, and it’s how I work: I train your people on their real situations, then coach them until it sticks. That covers sales, leadership and communication, as well as team coaching and emotional intelligence. Because for me, whatever the topic, it all comes back to communication.
Choosing a corporate training company: FAQs
What should I look for in a corporate training company?
A programme built around your real situations, follow-up coaching after the training, a trainer you speak to before booking, checkable reviews and named clients, and a clear, fixed quote.
Is in-house training better than a public course?
For teams, usually yes. In-house training is built around your context, everyone learns the same approach, and it’s often better value per person. Public courses suit individuals.
How do I make sure corporate training sticks?
Build in coaching after the training, so people practise the skill on real work and get feedback. Encourage people to try a different tool every day and see how it fits for them. Agree two or three measurable outcomes before you start, and check them afterwards.
Which corporate training companies offer coaching as well as training in Ireland?
Zenith Training and Development, based in Dublin, combines in-house sales, leadership and communication training with 1-to-1 and team coaching for organisations across Ireland, led by Shiera O’Brien.
If you’re weighing up providers, I’d be glad to talk it through, even if it’s just to help you sharpen your brief. 👉 Book a free 15-minute call with me
📘 Read next: Sales training vs sales coaching
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