Top of the League - September

26 September 2011

Top Of The League

the competition that seeks to reward the best talent in the broker market has returned for another season. Launched by Woolwich mortgages from Barclays in 2010, the aim is to offer intermediaries an opportunity to scoop fantastic prizes, from football match tickets to the Player of the Month cup, just like those awarded to Barclays’ Premier League players. But this season has an exciting twist. Working with Woolwich and last season’s judges who have signed on for another year, the competition will concentrate on networks and clubs. Each month we will focus on a different network or club and look for a Player Of The Month exclusively from that company.

Show us the figures with nominations

It was great to see the Sesame nominations start the 2011/12 Top of the League season this month.

We saw excellence in all the categories especially colleague, citizenship and company.

A special mention should go to Spicerhaart, which had a significant number of nominations for some of its highest achievers and threw its support behind Top of the League. It also produced a worthy winner Ashley Felton.

For anyone looking to enter Top of the League, there is a guide to nominating which is on the Woolwich Intermediaries website so I highly recommend you read it as it will help you prepare your nomination.

The biggest tip is to include figures showing excellent performance as comparing dozens of nominations without any figures is nigh-on impossible.

It is taken for granted that everyone works hard, loves their clients, treats each customer individually and puts compliance at the heart of their business, so unless you use figures to demonstrate these it is hard to compare.

It is also important to tell us how you achieved your success with detail and background information as well as the figures.

Mortgage Intelligence and Mortgage Network will be the second network to feature in this season’s competition. For October all nominations and the winning Player Of The Month will come exclusively from these firms. For more information please visit www.woolwichintermediaries.co.uk

A top sales director who motivates team

Huge congratulations to Ashley Felton, regional sales director at Spicerhaart an appointed representative of Sesame for being crowned Player of the Month in the inaugural Top of the League for 2011/12.

Felton has consistently been a top performing sales director in recent years. He has a no-nonsense approach to business and maintains a clear focus on objectives. He has demonstrated an ability to motivate and lead his teams along the M4 corridor and south Wales to be the best they can be. He works well alongside his estate agency counterparts and is always happy to coach staff at all levels to maximise opportunities for Spicerhaart.

Sesame members benefit from our scale and standing in the financial services industry. We fight their corner and strive to provide advisers with access to the best products and services. Not only do we offer an array of core regulatory services, but we also provide business development, marketing and study support.

september’s short list

Player of the Month:

Why judges picked…

• Turned around two loss-making regions
• In 2010 he took Darlows from a loss of around £120,000 in 2009 to a £115,000 profit
• Did the same in Middlesex where over £100,000 profit was made in 2010
• Was awarded second place for most profitable director in 2010
• Repeated his success in 2011, increased the number of consultants in his team from 15 to 17 consultants and will be moving to 20 shortly

Name: Ashley Felton

Company: Spicerhaart Financial Services

Job Title: Regional sales director at Spicerhaart Financial Services covering Darlows & West region, plus Middlesex and M4 corridor

WHAT DOES BEING CROWNED TOP OF THE LEAGUE MEAN TO YOU?

It’s a big reward for work that’s gone into building the team it’s the icing on the cake.

IN YOUR NOMINATION THE JUDGES PRAISED THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SPICERHAART BRANCHES YOU TOOK OVER HOW DID YOU ACHIEVE THIS?

I’m ex-army I did 15 years in the Royal Engineers, leaving in 1991 and one of the things in the army is that you are chosen to lead people. Leadership is about key to everything. People have got to be able to respect you and the way you communicate is important.

THE JUDGES PRAISED THE PROFIT YOU MADE OVER THE LAST YEAR TWO YEARS HOW HAVE YOU BEEN SO PROFITABLE?

It was all down to the people I recruited. Within five minutes of interviewing someone, if they have the right attitude you know they can achieve anything.

HOW HAS THE MARKET CHANGED SINCE THE DOWNTURN BEGAN?

In the good times people didn’t shop around but now they are concerned about their mortgage so the need for a good broker is greater than ever. We’ve got a good proposition with 72 lenders on our panel.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO get into financial services?

I was a financial consultant but wanted to be in sales. Anyone who can communicate can do sales. I also like the Spicerhaart way of doing things as it allows you to try knew things. I’m left alone to manage as I see fit.

WHAT’S THE BEST PART OF THE JOB?

Watching my team succeed. I’ve got the top two consultants in Spicerhaart in my region and another in the top five. If you don’t want to help people succeed you shouldn’t be in management.

FINALLY, IF YOU COULD BE ANY FOOTBALLER FOR A DAY WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE AND WHY?

Paul Gascoigne in his younger days he knew how to play football and enjoy it. He wasn’t in it for the money and when he walked on the pitch he lit it up.

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