AI & Automation Programme Training Manual
How to start confident conversations, spark interest, qualify leads properly, and book high-quality consultations.
Purpose of This Training
This training is designed to help appointment setters confidently start conversations with businesses, understand whether there is a potential fit, and book quality consultations for the closer.
The appointment setter is not expected to sell the full programme or explain every detail. The aim is to create enough interest for the lead to want a proper consultation, while checking the most important eligibility points at an early stage.
Your Role
Your role is to be the first human contact between Elvante and a potential client. This means your tone, confidence, curiosity, and follow-up discipline matter a lot.
You are not there to pressure anyone. You are there to understand the business, identify if AI and automation training could be relevant, and make it easy for the right person to speak with a specialist.
What you are responsible for
- Starting conversations with warm and cold leads
- Explaining the programme in a simple way
- Asking basic qualification questions
- Booking consultations through the correct process
- Keeping CRM records accurate and up to date
What you are not responsible for
- Closing the sale
- Explaining the full curriculum in detail
- Handling complex funding questions alone
- Making promises about eligibility before checks are complete
- Overloading the lead with information
What Elvante Offers
Elvante delivers a government-funded AI and automation training programme for businesses that want to improve efficiency, reduce manual work, and build practical AI capability inside their own teams.
The programme is built around real business processes. Employees do not just learn theory. They identify repetitive tasks in their own role and learn how to automate them using AI and low-code or no-code tools.
This is important because many businesses are already interested in AI, but they do not always know how to use it properly. They may have tried ChatGPT, Copilot, or other tools, but they often lack a structured way to apply AI across their operations.
Why Businesses Care
Most businesses are under pressure to do more with the same team. They want better productivity, fewer admin-heavy processes, and more consistent ways of working. AI and automation are attractive because they can help reduce repetitive work without immediately hiring more people.
Less manual admin
Teams can automate repetitive tasks such as follow-ups, reminders, reporting, document creation, and CRM updates.
Higher productivity
Employees spend less time on low-value work and more time on meaningful tasks that support business growth.
In-house capability
The business does not have to rely only on external consultants because their own team learns how to build solutions.
Lower long-term costs
Instead of paying repeatedly for external automation services, the company builds skills and knowledge internally.
Funding Overview
The AI and Automation Practitioner programme has a full value of £18,000. For eligible employers, the majority of this cost is covered through government apprenticeship funding.
For levy-paying employers, the cost may be covered through their apprenticeship levy. For many non-levy employers, the government can cover 95% of the training cost, leaving a smaller employer contribution. In some cases, the training may be fully funded.
You do not need to explain all funding rules in detail. Your job is to introduce the opportunity and book a consultation where the closer can explain the funding route properly.
Conversation Flow
A good call should feel natural and relaxed. The best appointment setters do not sound like they are reading a pitch. They sound curious, professional, and helpful.
Call Guidance
Opening
Option 1: “Hi, I’m calling from Elvante. We work with UK businesses on government-funded AI and automation training.”
Option 2: “Hi, quick one. We help businesses train their teams to reduce manual work using AI and automation.”
Reason for Calling
“I just wanted to see if this could be relevant for your team, especially if you have processes that are still quite manual or repetitive.”
Discovery Questions
- “What kind of tasks take up a lot of time in your team?”
- “Are you already using AI tools in the business?”
- “Have you looked at automation before?”
- “Are there any admin-heavy processes you would like to improve?”
Connecting the Value
“That’s exactly the kind of thing this programme is designed for. It helps your own team learn how to automate those processes internally, rather than relying only on external consultants.”
Booking the Consultation
“Would it make sense to book a short consultation so we can explore properly whether this could work for your business?”
Qualification
Qualification is important because the programme is funded through the apprenticeship system. However, it should still feel like part of a normal conversation, not like an interrogation.
England
The business and learner must be connected to England for funding purposes.
Ask: “Just to check, is your business based in England?”
PAYE
PAYE stands for Pay As You Earn. It means employees are paid through payroll, with tax handled through the UK payroll system.
Ask: “Do you currently have employees on PAYE?”
If they are not on PAYE
“That’s absolutely fine. The reason I ask is because PAYE is essential for the funding. Is putting someone on PAYE something you would ever consider, or do you mainly work with freelancers?”
Handling Common Objections
You are not expected to handle every possible objection. Your role is to respond simply, keep the conversation open, and move to a consultation when there is potential interest.
“It sounds expensive.”
“The full value is £18,000, but most of the cost is covered through funding. Many employers only pay a small contribution, or in some cases nothing.”
“We don’t have time.”
“That makes sense. The point of the programme is to reduce time spent on inefficient or repetitive work, so it is designed to save time rather than add more pressure.”
“We’re not technical.”
“That is exactly who this is designed for. The focus is low-code and no-code tools, so employees do not need a technical background.”
“We already use AI.”
“That’s a good starting point. This programme helps businesses move from individual AI use to structured automation across the business.”
CRM and Follow-Up Expectations
Every interaction must be recorded clearly in the CRM. The closer should be able to open the lead record and immediately understand what happened, what the lead said, what they may be interested in, and what the next step is.
CRM Notes Must Include
- Who you spoke to
- What was discussed
- Any pain points or manual processes mentioned
- Eligibility notes, including England and PAYE
- Next step and appointment details
Follow-Up Rules
- Follow up through all available channels
- Make contact attempts across at least three different days
- Do not mark a lead as lost too early
- Keep notes accurate after every attempt
What Success Looks Like
Success is not just about call volume. Calls matter, but quality matters more. The strongest appointment setters book consultations that actually show up because they have created real interest and booked the right people.
- Minimum 80 outbound calls per week
- Fast follow-up with inbound leads
- Minimum three-day follow-up process before marking lost
- Clear CRM updates after every interaction
- Consultations booked through the correct booking process
- Focus on appointments that are likely to attend
Call Quality Scorecard
Use this scorecard for roleplays, call reviews, and early performance checks. Each area is scored from 0 to 5.
| Area | What Good Looks Like | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | Clear, confident, natural, and not too salesy. | 0–5 |
| Discovery | Asks relevant questions and listens before explaining. | 0–5 |
| Value | Explains the programme simply and focuses on business outcomes. | 0–5 |
| Qualification | Checks England and PAYE naturally, and handles non-PAYE correctly. | 0–5 |
| Booking | Clearly suggests the consultation and confirms the next step. | 0–5 |
| Overall Flow | The conversation feels smooth, helpful, and professional. | 0–5 |
Final Quiz
The final quiz should be completed at the end of Day 3 before the appointment setter starts handling live conversations independently.
- What is the main goal of the appointment setter role?
- What is the AI and Automation Practitioner programme designed to help businesses do?
- Why should the appointment setter avoid explaining too much detail on the first call?
- What are two common business problems this programme can help with?
- What is the full value of the programme?
- How much of the cost can usually be covered by government funding?
- What does PAYE mean?
- Why is PAYE important for funding?
- What should you do if a business does not currently use PAYE?
- What location requirement should you check?
- Name two discovery questions you could ask on a call.
- How would you respond if someone says they are not technical?
- How would you respond if someone says they already use AI?
- What information should always be added to the CRM after a call?
- When should a lead be marked as lost?