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Know your business
Page 29
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A lack of high-quality recruits is one of the biggest issues facing firms today. As Andy Salter discovers, the modern recruitment business is more than just CVs and interview techniques.
David Doolan is managing director at Xclusive Recruitment, the Brackley, Northants-based recruiter for the road transport sector, and he has made it his business Lo know your business. His network of contacts and breadth of knowledge have made him one of the leading experts on the machinations of the express parcels, logistics and freight sectors.
When it comes to parcels, Doolan knows his onions. No suTrise,then, that during the course of our interview we spend more time discussing market trends than we do creating a 'top tips' guide for recruiters and candidates, which was the original idea for this piece we'll leave that for a follow-up article.
Given the rapid growth in home shopping via the inteniet, the express parcels sector is a good place to be at present. Volumes are increasing rapidly and companies active in the sector have had to develop some sophisticated systems to ensure that service promises are met.
"We've seen huge growth in the parcels sector in the past 10 years," says Doolan. "It seems to be a sector where the best, most professional players do well, while the weak performers struggle to competeand inevitably fail. The bigger companies will continue to get bigger and fewer as the most successful come to dominate the market. It's a sector where the innovators and forward-thinkers are able to outperform the rest of the market."
Growing fast
This rapid growth in the parcels sector has brought with it a host of business requirements which, says Doolan, have helped these innovators to stay ahead of the competition. For instance, he points to the increasing need for parcels companies to work with the consumer: "The parcels business has traditionally been in the business-to-business arena," he explains. In this scenario the transport company was just a link in the supply chain. Now the parcels company is increasingly responsible for the delivery to the final user, the consumer. "This growth in the business-to-consumer [B2C] supply channel has challenged the requirements of the sector,Doolan continues, "Seven years ago B2C accounted for about 7% of all parcels movementsnow it's as much as 40%.
"The industry has had to open its eyes to the issues this brings with it. 'The last four feet' is a buzzword in this sector at present. It refers to the distance from the back of the truck or van to the front door of the consumer and is arguably the most important influence on the satisfaction rating of a company. And not just the transport company it also affects the rating of the website where the goods were bought and even the product itself.
"Smart companies are opening their eyes to this fact and are developing processes to ensure the consumer is looked after."
Doolan talks with an authority gained from early experiences working on the operations side of the parcels sector. He is also happy to share his views. Indeed, he has launched his own website for the parcels and freight sectors www.expressvoice.co.uk which is designed as a forum for industry professionals to share opinions and ideas.
This knowledge is all related to Doolan's business, of course. By staying informed of industry developments, he knows when a firm expands or contracts and either way, there is business for a recruitment company.
But to portray Doolan's operation in this manner as a vulture circling the industry waiting to swoop would be to do him and his team a disservice. Doolan has a genuine passion for the parcels sector in particular and the road transport industry in general, and talks with an engaging energy about the industry.
Judging by one of his key indicators, retention rates, Xclusive Recruitment is serving the industry well: "We're currently running at a two-year retention rate of 90%," Doolan reports, adding that this is well above the industry average. He and his wife Julie started the firm in June 2003 and it now employs a team of five, with further expansion planned.
Simple philosophy
Xclusive's business philosophy is simple, he ccmcludes:"We pride ourselves on our honesty and integrity, with clients and candidates. We understand the industry-and by understanding the culture of the companies in that industry, we ensure we can bring high-quality candidates and quality clients together." •