7 things a top 10 Recruitment Agency does

Customer Feedback: 7 things a Top 10 Recruitment Agency does

Recently we’ve seen a significant shift in the performance feedback we’ve been getting…

We have just rolled out a technology enhancement which resulted in some hiccups and unexpected hurdles along the way. We knew things had not gone as smoothly as we had hoped, so we contacted our customers to ask for feedback.

I’ll be honest; we were expecting to field complaints, but we were simply not prepared for what came next.

We were delighted and humbled by the unexpected messages of support and positivity we received. I noticed that our feedback had a few common themes; even when things didn’t go perfectly, our customers told us that our approach to a few key service areas far outweighed any inconvenience they experienced and these things were what made us a “Top 10 Recruitment Agency” in their eyes.

Here are the most common characteristics we were told that set us apart from other agencies:

1. We value customer experience

We have always felt strongly that we can only succeed if we have great people on our team, but the feedback made it clear that great candidates were seeking a recruitment agency that understood and supported their career aspirations and goals. Our best candidates told us this was the first step to building trust, and resulted in landing a position they wanted, not just one that temporarily filled an employment gap. They knew we focused on their best interests.

What are we doing right? We are committed to enhancing the experience of our customers. This means not letting process or red tape get in the way of a common sense solution to a problem whenever possible. We recently appointed a new role at Dixon Appointments specifically focussing on Candidate Experience to ensure we don’t lose sight of this strength. This new role advocates for our candidates with every interaction we have with our customers; over the phone, in person and over technology platforms.

2. Our team members are accessible

We were told; over and over; that one of the things that made Dixon Appointments one of the best recruitment agencies they had interacted with was that when they called or emailed us, we made it easy to engage with them. Simple right?

What are we doing right? We think our First Call Resolution policy has played a significant part in this. When someone asks “How easy is it to access your recruitment team? Are the consultants approachable? How quickly do they respond to your queries?”, these questions need to be answered with a resounding YES. Dixon Appointments also recognises that great candidates are time poor so we are looking for fast and efficient ways to engage to understand, assess and qualify their work aptitudes without jumping through meaningless hoops. This includes the use of technology in the assessment process.

3. We act as customer advocates

Our candidates (with resounding clarity) told us that we understood their motivations, behaviours and aptitudes such that we able to advocate for them effectively. We were given multiple examples of successful introductions where our recruiters were able to overcome significant perceived objections (often resume-related) to facilitate meetings with employers which resulted in long term careers, and very happy employers and employees.

What are we doing right? Dixon Appointments all candidates have a dedicated consultant to ensure a positive, personalised service. Finding and keeping great people are critical for the success of our business and we understand that the more we know about them and their experience the better the position we are in to find them a suitable placement. Candidates need to trust their consultant to represent and negotiate on their behalf. Vital in this relationship is the consultant’s understanding of the candidate’s transferable skills, education and work experience so they can present them as the right candidate for the role.

4. We provide feedback and recognition

We give feedback regularly. Our customers told us that they genuinely believed that the feedback and advice we give is open, honest and supports their best interests. This was not praise given (or taken!) lightly, with comparisons to other experiences described as “feeling like a number”, “feeling dismissed” or “being mislead” about opportunities or feedback.

What are we doing right? We ask for feedback regularly from our customers and believe it is only fair and reasonable to provide feedback when we can. When we get great performance feedback we reward our candidates through coffee vouchers, appreciation letters and nominations of “Candidate of the Month”. We also give seasonal gifts, a hugely successful candidate referral program which rewards peer referrals with $50 gift vouchers . All of these contribute to the candidate experience with us.

5. We support financial security

We were told that our candidates love that we perform 2 pay runs per week. The fact that they have a “safety net” if their timesheet is delayed for whatever reason was highly valued as it offers them additional security. They can rely on regular pays for budgeting and don’t have the financial anxiety of missing a payment for a week.

What are we doing right? Well, in this instance it was pretty clear; we value our candidate’s financial security and prioritise this. Though this duplicates our work we see financial security as a non-negotiable for our employees and we cater for those instances where circumstances outside of their control may negatively impact their timesheet approval or pay.

6. We offer industry expertise

We have been told that we invest time to give expert advice for job seeking tools such as resume assistance, career goal development, behavioural interviewing coaching and health and wellbeing tips.

What are we doing right? We support our recruitment processes with ongoing professional development, market insights and recruitment trends so we can give real-time, relevant advice. Dixon Appointments has a long-respected reputation for connecting with Melbourne’s best employers giving us access to best-practice and changes in the market as they happen. We have been in operation for 20 years and have forged strong business partnerships with many leading employers across Victoria. We specialise in a number of areas and have cultivated solid relationships with both State and Federal government departments, universities, RTOs, NFPs, and SMEs.

7. We protect your privacy

The feedback was that you trusted that the information we keep on your profile is treated with absolute confidence.

What are we doing right? Maintaining your privacy is paramount in the way we conduct our business. We do not put you forward for a role prior to consulting with you. We respect your privacy and are completely transparent about where we send your personal information.

As a leader at Dixon Appointments I am acutely aware that this is just the beginning. Being “Melbourne’s best recruitment agency” is not a badge, not an award or a destination, rather this is a journey and constant challenge. Goal posts change as the market does, so we will continue to seek feedback in order to remain market leading.

Got advice or feedback for us?

Contact me anytime; we value your insight.

Mary