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Read
the Article Here
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Southwestern Recognized as "Best in Business" for
2006
The Southwestern Company was recognized by the Nashville Business
Journal (NBJ) at the 19th Annual Best in Business Awards as the
2006 winner in the largest business category, 101 to 500 employees.
Each year, the Best in Business Awards program spotlights some of
the most dynamic and unique Middle Tennessee companies able to maintain
an accelerated growth pattern and leave their distinct mark on the
community.
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Read
entire article here
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"It's really exciting, almost like a college basketball game.
You're learning all this information. I'd almost compare it to finals
week."
May 25, 2003 - Columbia Missourian
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"I fully believe in what Southwestern
is doing in training students far beyond just selling."
Linda Gully
Assistant Dean & Director of the Business Career Centre at the
Sauder School of Business at
University of British Columbia |
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"The quality of training and instruction
is extraordinary and the level of support that students receive in
the field will surprise many people. "
Tim Luzader
Director of the Center for Career Opportunities
Purdue University |
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"The experience of attending Southwestern's
Sales School for Career Services professionals has been incredibly
valuable. The commitment to thorough training, communicating realistic
expectations, setting high but attainable goals, and teaching integrity
in sales and life goals that some companies may preach...the Southwestern
Company delivers. The Southwestern staff models what they preach ...the
leadership are men and women of integrity. I wasn't sure what I was
getting into when I accepted an invitation to attend the Southwestern
Sales School. Through attending, I know now what so many of my colleagues
need to learn about this outstanding organization."
Craig Mosurinjohn
Director of Career Services
University of Wisconsin - Whitewater |
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"It is truly easy for me to present
Southwestern to our students as an opportunity to not only earn some
money for their summer work, but more importantly, to learn, retain,
and demonstrate marketable skills for whatever endeavor they choose!"
George Wells
Director of Career Services
Hampden-Sydney College |
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"The staff of Career Services joins
me in thanking your for the delicious boxes of candy you gave us.
What a wonderful mid-summer treat! We enjoyed the candy immensely
and divided the boxes among us. Thank you for such a unique and delicious
gift. We look forward to a continued good relationship with you and
will work hard to encourage more students to experience working for
Southwestern Company. If there is anything we can do to assist you
or your campus representatives, please do not hesitate to contact
us. "
Mary Feduccia
Director of Career Services
Louisiana State University |
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"I was extremely impressed and awed
by your level of commitment to delivering quality leadership training
to your student sales team. It was very apparent that your goal of
developing an ethical and highly skilled student sales team was on
equal par with your goal of helping our youth of today prepare to
be successful leaders for tomorrow. You comprehensively and enthusiastically
provided a well-grounded training program to help your students (our
students) create success this summer as well as to lay the ground
work for a successful rest of their life."
Jeanne Skoug
Director of Career Services
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire |
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"I think your corporation offers
students a wealth of skills and knowledge and I would hate for it
not to be offered to all students across all college campuses."
Patricia Bergmaier
Director of the Career Center
University of Alabama |
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"Thank you for allowing Ralph Brigham
to visit Oklahoma State University. We appreciate your efforts in
establishing a stronger relationship between Oklahoma State and the
Southwestern Company and we look forward to this relationship developing
over time. In the past we seem to have had a lack of communication
between our office and your campus representatives, however, with
the help of Ralph Brigham we can see that things are headed in the
right direction. Communication is essential in our success of aiding
our students and we commend your efforts! Dr. Brigham was exceptionally
professional and knowledgeable. He had a positive impact on our views
of your company. He was able to answer all of our questions and then
some! We value our relationship with the Southwestern Company and
look to the future in a positive light. If there is anything we can
do to better assist you please let us know."
Career Services
Oklahoma State University |
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"Southwestern Company has grown
for many years by hiring students to sell books and other media door-to-door
during the summer. I visited Southwestern Company in Nashville a few
years ago and observed their training program. They tell students
the work is difficult and then use their training program to help
them develop skills in the area of sales, including ways to motivate
themselves and deal with customers. I know students who had significant
earnings with Southwestern and I know others who quit, deciding that
door-to-door work was not for them. Students who complete the summer
are able to demonstrate successful sales experience on their resume
and get a boost for their career."
Dr. Larry Routh
Director of Career Services
University of Nebraska |
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"The entire staff and I thank you
for the really neat boxes of treats. My group may be all women, but
they can wreak havoc upon a pile of candy and snacks and they're going
at them like wolves that have spent two weeks on a raft in the Pacific."
Dr. Bob Greenberg
Assistant Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Director of Career
Services
University of Tennessee |
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What impressed me about the sales training school is that the message
was constantly reinforced that students were laying the foundation
for a future career. Hard work, discipline and self sacrifice are
highlighted but also the principles of honesty, integrity and genuine
concern for others. General conduct, good sales practice and ethics
are all covered
Deidre Deery
University of Queens, Dublin-2003
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I would encourage careers professionals thinking of attending to
go and gain an insight into how Southwestern prepares students for
their summer experience. I gained a thorough understanding of the
company and its practices.
Jim Chapman
University of York-2004
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There was a very high standard of training, techniques, reflective
learning, motivation and self-management, also established systems
of peer support during the selling experience. There was daily monitoring
of an individual's performance and systems in place to address concerns.
Kate Tapper
University of Bristol-2004
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Observing the Sales School and meeting the staff at Southwestern
has enabled me to have a better relationship with our campus representative.
I am now able to talk to any of our students who are unsure of the
workings and reputation of Southwestern and give them a first hand
insight into the actual training they will go through, the skills
they will gain and the benefits of working with them.
Lynda Bates
University of Durham-2004
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It provided a valuable insight to the whole ethics of Southwestern,
which I have to admit I was skeptical about before I had this opportunity
to meet Southwestern staff and see how students were trained at
Sales School. I think the training equips them for a much wider
role than a sales job-it is all about developing skills in time
management, self-awareness, problem solving, self-esteem, commercial
awareness which are useful whatever they decide to do in their future
career. The training is very structured by being methodical and
accepting doing everything in the prescribed way will work for the
student. It provides training in admin and self-sufficiency which
would be essential attributes for running own business.
Sheila McKean
University of Edinburgh-2005
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Meeting all the office staff really highlights the excellent level
of support that the students receive. In terms of learning to run
your own business, the office staff and Student Managers are like
bike stabilizers, so it's reassuring to see that the students aren't
completely abandoned. It's also encouraging to see how the students
are fully prepared for the harsh realities of door-to-door selling
through the excellent training program.
Sarah Jones
University of Liverpool-2005
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It was nice to talk openly and honestly about my concerns and have
my points taken seriously and addressed. The Southwestern staff
were very open and welcoming.
Judy Mead
University of Exeter-2005
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I learnt a lot about SW. e.g. more about the products; I was also
reassured to see how straight and honest the trainers were with
the students about the difficulty of door to door selling.
Jim Campbell
University of Stirling-2005
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