Testimonials

Personal

Subscribe to the FREE monthly newsletter "Communicate with more Confidence". Packed with tips and 'knowledge nuggets' on how to become a more effective communicator.

What Clients Think of Roy Sheppard as a Conference Moderator

"...thank you for your invaluable input to our kick off event this year.

It was without question, the most successful event of its type that we have produced to date. The overall feedback was phenomenal on all counts. We exceeded all expectations in terms of communicating our messages, motivating our team and setting the agenda for the year ahead.

It was more than evident that your work leading up to and indeed during the event, with some of our senior speakers had a dramatic impact on the way they presented both themselves and their messages.

The feedback demonstrates that your skills in terms of interviewing and linking not only entertained a potentially difficult audience, but added a level of professionalism very rarely seen at events of this nature.

We are now discussing the follow up event.... I am sure we will be contacting you soon to see how you can help make this event a similar success."

Owen Ashby, Marketing Communications Manager, Unisys Computer Systems

"Thank you on behalf of our client, Mars Confectionery, for the great job you did as facilitator on their recent National Sales Conference.

Not only did you provide great links during the show, but the presenters felt you added real value in assisting them during rehearsals. I look forward to working with you again soon.

Trevor D Hamilton, Managing Director, Unique Entertainment Production and Design Ltd.

This letter is to offer my own endorsement to anyone considering using Roy Sheppard as a moderator or facilitator at a conference.

Prior to a recent conference held by British American Tobacco, I had real reservations about using an external facilitator. I was principally concerned as to whether he would try to "hog the show" or whether he could be in tune with the audience.

I need have had no doubts, Roy quickly grasped the mood of the audience, mixed well with them and drew out of them the issues they really wanted to put on the table. He did it in an easy, entertaining, but understated manner and proved to be a great hit with the delegates. His style of questioning made it clear to the delegates that they need not hold back.

I would have no hesitation in recommending him or indeed using him again.

Martin Broughton, Chairman, British American Tobacco

"Very many thanks for the work that you did at our Kick-Off event. Your contribution to the day was a key factor in making it a success. I was particularly impressed with the effort that you put into understanding the various issues, which was reflected in your ability to make the question and answer session as valuable as it turned out to be."

John Talbot, Head of EMEIA, CFG and Worldwide EFC, Arthur Andersen

"Your input before and during the conference was invaluable. The conference was a potentially difficult communication forum because of the sudden changes that we were announcing in a period of rapid growth. Without your input the conference would not have succeeded. I found your objectivity and frankness very refreshing, and it greatly helped us define what we were trying to achieve from the day. I know that the audience benefited from your direct questioning style as they realised that you were representing them rather than "management"; many in the group have commented on this very favourably.

I know that you have worked with Marc Gillespie in the past and I am sure that we will have the opportunity to work with you again in the future."

Martin Thorp, Head of UK Corporate Financial Services, Arthur Andersen

"Thank you for the tremendous job you did in facilitating our conference and indirectly the strategy for the group. The level of research you undertook became so apparent on the day. I had many people people ask me if you worked in Andersen's, however your 'shock' style of questioning made it clear to the audience that you were impartial and consequently they related to you as their representative.

Despite having been away for so long [on holiday] you quickly picked up on all the many issues involved and understood the key items pertaining to each individual. Our partners benefitted greatly from your frank approach and the day would not have been such a success without your input.

I very much hope we will be able to work together again."

Emma Payne, Marketing Manager, Arthur Andersen, London

"Thank you for faciliating at ASP ' 99 [Application Service Providers] last week, your presence was key to making this such a successful event.

We had over 250 delegates attending the event, and the response to date has been excellent; the event questionnaire is attached for your reference along with the analysis from these - I am sure you will be pleased with the outcome!"

Tim Pickard, Vice President Marketing, Netstore Group Ltd

"We, the team at Status would like to thank you for your professionalism and co-operation in making this event the success Netstore were expecting.

This event would not have run so smoothly without the use of your skills, teamwork and on-site assistance. The feedback we have received from the client has been very complimentary. It was so good to work with an assertive, hands-on, friendly team member and we look forward to working with you again."

Amy Knights-Whittome, Katherine Gilbert and Vicki Welham, Status Meetings Ltd.

"I thoroughly enjoyed the conference even though we seemed to be "on the edge" the whole time. Your contribution was excellent throughout and you made it clear to the audience that the questioning was authentic without intimidating those of us who appeared on the stage with you.

The other thing we really liked about the conference was the relatively little amount of preparation required of us, in contrast with some of our previous conferences.

I would be very happy to give a reference to any of your future potential clients. Thank you very much for your contribution to what we all regard as a successful event."

Wallace Stein, Managing Director, Forward Trust Ltd

"At last, we have finally been able to work together - and what a treat it was.

Thank you so much for all your input, your calming influence on the client and your resolve to get to the thorniest issues. Andy, I know, was very pleased, as were all his colleagues, who felt it was a highly successful event. You'll be pleased to hear they are already talking about next year's!

Many thanks again and I think I can safely say it won't be too long before we work together again."

Tim Horrox, Managing Director, Harmonics Ltd. in respect of a conference for Friends Provident

"...a big thank you for your active, professional and most of all helpful participation in the Advisory Board meeting in Paris. Your capacity to absorb information, monitor and control the albeit small audience was truly impressive. As an initial meeting of the group, we were all pleased with the outcome, and actively look forward to the next meeting to more firmly cement the relationships." Roy was subsequently booked to moderate the same meeting with 15 of Europe's most senior Orthopaedic Surgeons in Warsaw, Indiana, USA and Rome, Italy.

John Cresser-Brown, Director, Clinical and Technical Affairs, Zimmer Ltd (a Bristol-Myers Squibb Company)

"I would like to express my thanks to you for your outstanding contribution to what was a highly successful sales conference. Your personal expertise in interviewing techniques and understanding of our business challenges both before and during the conference managed to dispel any concerns I may have had about the proposed format.

Your professionalism, that of the overall team produced a highly polished conference which provided us with outstanding business results.

Thank you very much for all your energy and creative contribution before and after the conference. I hope that we will have the opportunity to work together in the future."

Sam Sassoon, Logica UK Managing Director

"A huge thank you for all of your help making the Logica UK sales conference such a success. I hope you had as much fun as we all did, I'm still bathing in the glory."

Liz Brown, UK Sales & Marketing Manager, Logica UK

Very many thanks for being an excellent chairman for the second day of our conference. Many have commented on your skills and I need say no more than that the consensus was that we wanted to invite you again next year! Thank you too for the late night speech training - I am looking forward to my second lesson.

It was very kind of you to take the time to prepare so thoroughly beforehand. I think the finished effect proved that the effort was well worthwhile. Many thanks.

Dr Michael Dixon, Chair, NHS Alliance (formerly the National Association of Commissioning General Practitioners.)

"I would just like to record my thanks to you for your help in delivering a very successful meeting of our European partners in Amsterdam.

The meeting was a significant departure from our traditional format and was highly successful in communicating information in a stimulating way.

I particularly appreciated the time you spent in preparation with each of the speakers, which ensured that you had a thorough understanding of our issues and were able to apply this in the interviews.

It was a great pleasure to work with you. You undoubtedly added great value to the occasion and I hope we have the opportunity to work together again in the near future."

Geoff Dodds, Head of Marketing, Price Waterhouse Management Consultants

Thank you for your help at the recent Lloyds TSB Marketing Conference.

As you are aware the objective of the day was to create a sense of single focus and direction across the marketing departments of our organisation. This was achieved by involving and integrating the presenters, the discussion panels and the audience. A key part of this achievement was the professional, insightful and intuitive manner in which you managed the whole day... it seems I am not the only person who valued your input as general comments stated that you played an important part in the success of the day. I welcome future opportunities of working with you again.

Ford Ennals, Director of Marketing, Lloyds TSB Group plc

"A very big thank you for everything you did during the Lloyd's TSB event. Audience feedback has been incredibly positive, with a certain Mr R. Sheppard emerging as a highlight for many of the delegates. I was incredibly impressed with your performance on the day.

Lloyds TSB were very pleased with the day and good news seems to have travelled... They now see what can be achieved by using a professional facilitator. Much of the success of the day was down to you and I'd like to thank you for helping me deliver a response which genuinely started to answer their individual needs."

Ian Liddiard, Page and Moy Marketing Limited.