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Prime Time Personnel Your Management Style . . . The three critical components of success in our business are sales, service, and recruitment. However, different areas of the county rank these components differently. Kansas City's low unemployment compared to the rest of the country leave services competing for a limited candidate pool. Other parts of the country identify sales as the number one concern, specifically, how to get the long term, high dollar contracts. Without contract, long term is 30 minutes in our business, with contacts we plan for minimally 12 months of staffing. Services in other parts of the country are purposeful planning for managed service contracts. As long as the sales associate is in front of the right person, the time might as well be spent closing a contract for 20-100 or more job orders instead of settling for 10 or less. These sizable contracts reduce sale-service tensions as both sides of the business are proactive in their planning; and take advantage of the opportunity to identify candidate sources and to build experience in recruiting, training, and retaining candidates with specific job skills. Last year, one Service successfully closed and filled a one year managed service contract for staffing a reservations department. The service side built a skilled pool of candidates to fill the positions. Then, the sales side aggressively pursued prospects with reservation departments knowing such job orders could be filled immediately. Satisfied clients spread the word through their National Association the Service was the best around. In less than a year the Service became known as "the" source of reliable candidates to full positions in reservations departments. This reputation was earned through a savvy approach to business that accommodated the client's needs and unified the efforts of the sales and service sides of the business. As we work throughout the country, we are finding results with new solutions to industry frustrations. In areas of: SALES: The number of closed sales is in direct proportion to the number of sales presentations made. As we increase the number of sales presentations made to the decision-makers with $1 million plus purchasing authority, more long-term high dollar contracts are signed. Skills to accessing the calendars of the executive suites are different from those historically used in our business. We teach them in a workshop titled, "Reaching the Top Dog: how to get to the million-dollar decision-makers." SERVICE: Kansas City based Mary Lou Ferguson, District Sales manager, Kelly Services says the biggest change she has seen during her 15 year tenure in the industry is how, "we work together with our competitors to meet our customer's needs." Everyone, clients and services alike must understand the consequences of their actions, what is acceptable and what isn't. Services who educated their clients build credibility before anyone signs on the dotted line. For example: A client signs a competitor's low price contract. You can prepare the client for the challenges the competitor will have trying to find good candidates for no money. Assure them that when your predictions come true and they are in need, you will be ready to serve them. They will get what they pay for. These issues are addressed in the program, "Reaching the Top Dog: how to get to the million-dollar decision-makers." Lastly, the twenty nine KC survey participants stated a desire for "Huge margins with great employees and client relationships." Industry wide, we share this goal, after all that's we're here! |
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Leslie Buterin, founder Top Dog
Consulting |