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​As an industry, recruitment rolls with the punches and adapts to market conditions and world events. Not too long ago, during the peak of the pandemic, we saw a scarcity of candidates because the borders were closed and immigration was paused. That led to talent shortages because we were only working with a limited pool of professionals who were moving around from role to role. There were plenty of jobs, but few qualified candidates.Now, New Zealand is heading towards an election and a new wave of COVID-19. We have open borders and plenty of people arriving, but fewer jobs available and more competition amongst job seekers.It’s times like this that we see frustration from Hiring Managers who are sifting through 50 or more applications to find a handful of people who might be a good match for the role.As a trusted New Zealand recruitment agency, we can help take some of that burden away from Hiring Managers so they can focus on their core functions. In this blog, I’ve listed out my tips for engaging and partnering with a recruitment agency so you secure the best talent in the market with ease.Step 1 - Get to Know Each OtherWe appreciate the working world has moved to online meetings and video conferences, but there’s something still to be said for a face-to-face introduction. If we’re going to be representing your organisation and your team, we like to scratch beneath the surface and truly understand your needs.Kicking things off with an in-person coffee can help build trust and rapport from day one. Hiring someone for your team is not all about matching technical skills. Following many years working in the industry, we know it’s also about matching personalities and ensuring motivational and cultural fit. Step 2 – Take a Deep Dive on the BriefJob titles can be ambiguous and job descriptions often too generic. We will want to take a detailed brief that really gets to the crux of how the new team member is going to spend their eight hours a day and justify their pay cheque.That involves a long list of questions, such as:What does your team look like?What are you all working towards collectively?Are you siloed or collaborative?Are you structured or agile?Do you have a hybrid, in-person or remote model?Which core skills are missing from your team?What do you consider non-negotiable?How much do you want to pay? How much are you willing to pay?What are the progression opportunities for the successful applicant? Do you have internal approval to recruit the role and budget signed off for the salary?How often do you want to be updated on the status of this role? Do you have any DEI quotas in place that we need to consider?These questions will all help us to build a better picture of what you’re looking for, and help match you with your ideal candidate. It also helps us when talking to candidates about your team and the role itself. We can uncover and address any concerns from candidates early on, or decide that an applicant isn’t going to be the right fit for your business.Step 3 – Agreed Timelines In the current market, where there are talent shortages and in-demand candidates, timing is everything. Chances are, if you think a candidate has great experience and is a good fit for your role, other people will too.A recruitment agency can help you reduce your time to hire significantly. Not only do we take the candidate attraction and sourcing off your hands, we will establish timeframes and expectations on your behalf. In our initial briefing stage, we can jointly map out some key milestones in the process such as submitting the first round of CVs, proposed interview dates and a project completion date. From our experience, we generally allow a two-week period for submitting resumes for permanent talent and 24 hours for contractors. We then suggest Hiring Managers aim to turn around interviews and make decisions as quickly as possible to lock in their preferred applicant.Step 4 – Leverage our ExpertiseOnce armed with all of this information, we can get on with doing what we do best. That’s the beauty of working with a recruitment partner ­ we know where to find talent and can do all of the initial groundwork on your behalf. By building a foundation based on trust and mutual respect, we will be able to represent your organisation and team in the best possible way. The same applies to our relationships with candidates, many of whom we support throughout their careers. They know we have their backs and will match them with roles that suit their individual career aspirations and personalities.Partnering With the Right RecruiterAs an employer working with a recruitment agency, there are several models you can explore ­including exclusive arrangements, retained and unretained. From my observations over the years, I believe most recruiters will put in the extra mile when working on an exclusive role because they know they are not competing for the commission or the same candidates.As a Hiring Manager, you are investing your time, energy and money into outsourcing your recruitment and want the best possible outcome. If you don’t find the right person first time around, we know there can be a real impact on you and your current team who feel overworked and under pressure. That’s why at Beyond Recruitment, we are all about building and maintaining trusted relationships with our clients based on a real understanding of their needs. If you’d like to talk to one of our team about your recruitment needs, please give us a call.

The business world has changed a lot over the past few decades, and never more so than in the last year. Customers are more scrupulous than ever and won’t hesitate to switch brands in the blink of an eye if a competitor seems to offer a better price, better service or more enticing deals.Adapting to this environment is about going above and beyond to exceed the expectations of your customers, stakeholders or end users to give them a reason to want to come back and continually improve retention rates. A huge part of this is having people on your team who are dedicated to creating great experiences throughout every touchpoint and interaction you have with them. From Customer Experience (CX), Digital and Sales & Marketing to Customer Services, each team member plays a vital role in attracting and holding onto customers.The ability to stay ahead of the competition and become leaders in the market ultimately comes down to the way you leverage the customer lifecycle. Below, we break down each step of the customer journey, highlighting the vital team members who can help you build, manage and maintain customers’ relationship with your business by focusing on what makes them happy.1. ReachAs you’ll know, this first stage is about developing awareness of your brand in the market by reaching potential customers. Of course, not everyone you reach will end up converting to paying customers, but the aim is to attract their attention and begin developing relationships.To get the best results from this stage, it’s obviously important to ensure your marketing material is in the places where the right people will find it, whether that is through social media campaigns or advertising via more traditional mediums. And don’t forget to utilise metrics so you can track the reach and engagement of your efforts.Key roles in this stage:Sales & MarketingSales & Marketing roles are central to developing and executing campaigns that allow you to build awareness and get your business in front of potential customers. Positions we recruit in this specialisation include:Business Development ManagerMarketing CoordinatorMarketing SpecialistMarketing ManagerSocial Media SpecialistsSocial Media AdvisorDigital Channels AdvisorOutbound SalesStakeholder Engagement AdvisorSales RepresentativeSales ConsultantSales Manager2. AcquisitionThe goal of the Acquisition stage is to nurture interested prospects into subscribers or customers, often via your website. Remember, people are coming to your website with certain needs or desires, so understanding what motivates potential customers and looking for ways to show them exactly how your business can meet their requirements is key.To succeed at this stage, you need a process for guiding people towards the solutions that will most benefit them. At this point, people will be quick to switch to a competitor if you don’t meet their expectations or provide good service, so it’s vital that key information is easily accessible and that you’re quick to respond to any communication in a helpful and positive way.The process will look different depending on the channel the customer has used. If they enquired over the phone, you'll respond to their questions and concerns, find out more about their needs, and then educate them on the solution that is right for them. If they found you through your website, it should be easy for them to locate informative content (e.g. a products/services page, a price guide or a blog post) that will help them make a purchasing decision. Key roles in this stage:Customer ServicesThe Customer Services team provides a vital first point of contact for potential customers, answering questions, providing any information they need and delivering a strong pre-purchase experience. Positions we recruit in this specialisation include:CSR - Customer Services RepresentativeCustomer ServicesCustomer AgentInbound Customer ServicesTeam Leader Call CentreCall Centre ManagerService DeskSales & MarketingContent Marketing specialists help to create content for the website, including landing pages, blogs and user guides to promote the product/service and help potential customers make informed choices. Positions we recruit in this specialisation include:Inbound SalesContent ManagersContent Editors / Writers3. ConversionHaving obtained all the necessary information and been delighted by your business's customer service, the lead makes a purchase and turns into a paying customer. At this stage, focus on developing rapport, adding value and building confidence in your brand, rather than simply selling a product or service.To have the greatest impact, you want to approach it from the mindset that the prospect isn’t just making a purchase, they are entering a (hopefully) long-term relationship with your brand.Key roles in this stage:Customer ServicesCustomer Services roles come into play again at the purchasing stage, fielding any further enquiries and guiding them through the buying process. Positions we recruit in this specialisation include:Outbound Customer ServicesDigitalDigital roles are important for providing a smooth purchasing experience, particularly via websites and ecommerce platforms. Positions we recruit in this specialisation include:Product ManagerEcommerce / Digital ManagerUX / UI Designer4. RetentionThe work doesn’t end once a customer has made their first purchase – now you have to figure out how to keep them so that they repeatedly come back to your business. In many ways, cultivating loyal customers is even more important and profitable than attracting new ones (after all, the cost of acquisition is greater than that of retention!).Retention is about building upon and maintaining your relationship with the customer by keeping in contact, providing exclusive perks and continuing to add value. Essentially, you want your brand to be the front of mind any time they need your product or service, discouraging them from exploring other options with different companies.Customer feedback is crucial to this stage. By regularly checking in and utilising customer satisfaction surveys, you can identify opportunities to make improvements to your products/services, as well as to the customer experience.Key roles in this stage:Customer ExperienceWhile customer experience is important throughout the lifecycle, it becomes even more crucial when it comes to retention and maintaining a positive relationship with customers. Positions we recruit in this specialisation include:CX ManagerCX AnalystRetention SpecialistSales & MarketingCommunications and Account Management specialists help to keep that all-important dialogue going between a business and its customers, ensuring they are engaged and more likely to make repeat purchases. Positions we recruit in this specialisation include:Communications AdvisorCommunications SpecialistCommunications ManagerHead of CommunicationsKey Account ManagerAccount Manager5. LoyaltyThe ultimate goal of the customer lifecycle is to turn your customer into advocates for your brand. This is where they become invaluable assets to your business, as people are much more likely to buy from a company that has been recommended by someone they know. Customers can become advocates for your business through word of mouth, posting on social media or leaving reviews on Google or your website that can give confidence to new prospects in the Reach and Acquisition stages.Keep in mind that customers get to this point through the combined influence of the previous four stages. With a great customer experience and a product or service that satisfies their needs, you can boost the chances that people will not only return time and time again, but become brand champions that help to bring new prospects to your company.Key roles in this stage:Sales & MarketingSales & Marketing roles come in once again at the Loyalty stage, leveraging the positive experiences of satisfied customers to promote the brand, gain referrals and collect reviews that promote the business to new prospects. Positions we recruit in this specialisation include:Loyalty ManagerBrand ManagerSummaryAt the end of the day, every business has the opportunity to guide the customer journey and change it for the better. By having the right team members in place at every stage, you can provide an amazing experience from start to finish that will boost your profitability and keep people coming back for more. For further advice and insights on this topic, check out our blog on building teams that enable a better customer experience, as well as our Q&A on how to successfully overhaul your CX strategy. And if you’re looking to hire quality CX, Digital, Sales & Marketing or Customer Services talent, speak to our CX Specialists Carren Walker-Raos (Auckland) and Sandy Eaton (Wellington) to find out how we can help you transform your company’s customer journey.