TY - JOUR AB - Purpose–Describes how award‐winning training helped Merlin Claims to build two service centers from scratch. Reveals that, after only 15 months, they were delivering service hailed as market‐leading.Design/methodology/approach–Details the background to the training, the form it took and the results it has achieved.Findings–Explains that 21 of 26 trainees completed the course, at a cost of £96,000 in staffing costs and £500 on materials.Practical implications–Reveals that the program helped to cut indemnity spending by up to 20 percent and reduce the length of time taken to resolve claims.Social implications–Highlights the response of a company operating in an industry under pressure during recession to save money and reduce the time taken to handle claims.Originality/value–Provides a case study of a company with a strong commitment to people development and a clear alignment of learning and development strategy to business goals. VL - 19 IS - 5 SN - 0967-0734 DO - 10.1108/09670731111153311 UR - https://doi.org/10.1108/09670731111153311 PY - 2011 Y1 - 2011/01/01 TI - Training helps Merlin to build service centers from scratch: Award for program that seals a new company strategy T2 - Human Resource Management International Digest PB - Emerald Group Publishing Limited SP - 24 EP - 26 Y2 - 2024/05/07 ER -