Welcome to the 13th Edition of the Sudale Search Newsletter!

Hang on a minute, is that October done? It has been another interesting month at Sudale Search where we have working with several new customers, including 1 of our global customers who has asked us to invest our time in a couple of hires in the USA which has meant a lot of long days – but totally worth it.

October has been a month of exciting milestones and strategic engagements at Sudale Search. From partnering with disruptor brands to being selected as exclusive partners for major UK retailers, our commitment to innovative recruitment and DE&I excellence continues to set us apart.

If you are looking to build customer loyalty, increase operational efficiency and build a truly customer centric culture, don’t hesitate Book Hiring Process Review .

The 2025 Consumer Experience Trends Report from Qualtrics reveals key shifts in consumer behavior, based on insights from nearly 24,000 consumers across 23 countries. The report highlights five major trends that businesses must address in the coming year:

1. Higher Expectations, Lower Loyalty: While fewer consumers report negative experiences, they are less likely to continue spending after any dissatisfaction. With rising expectations, consumers are quick to explore alternatives if their needs aren’t met.
2. Decline in Feedback: Consumers are less likely to provide feedback, whether positive or negative. Compared to previous years, fewer people are sharing their experiences directly with companies, opting instead to discuss them privately with friends or family.
3. AI Skepticism: Only 26% of consumers trust companies to use AI responsibly, and over half are concerned about the lack of human interaction when AI is used in customer service. Businesses will need to overcome skepticism to use AI effectively.
4. Desire for Privacy and Personalisation: Consumers want personalized experiences but are uncomfortable with companies using unsolicited data for customisation. While many appreciate tailored services, trust must be built for them to feel comfortable sharing their data.
5. Back to Basics – Trust is Crucial: Trust is strongly linked to loyalty. Consumers expect companies to follow through on their promises and meet basic needs consistently. Businesses that prioritize reliability and transparency are more likely to retain customers and avoid churn.

In summary, companies must adapt to consumer demands for personalisation and transparency while managing heightened expectations and skepticism, especially around AI. Trust and reliability will be key to securing long-term loyalty in 2025.

Read the full article here.

We are working with some great talent who have proven experience building loyalty with some incredible brands by focussing on the customer first. Secure yourself some gamechanging talent here.

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A recent Five9 survey of 2,000 UK consumers reveals key insights into customer priorities for the 2024 retail Golden Quarter. Amid ongoing supply chain concerns, fast shipping (48%) and product availability (48%) are top priorities for UK shoppers. Should issues arise, 58% of consumers prefer to interact with a human agent, either via phone or online. Additionally, almost half (46%) of shoppers expect a response within 15 minutes before becoming frustrated.

The survey also highlights consumer sentiment regarding AI in customer service. While 89% of UK consumers are aware of AI's role in customer interactions, only 25% find AI-powered solutions highly effective. Moreover, 46% of Brits lack trust in AI bots' information. Given that 70% of UK shoppers would abandon a brand after a single negative experience, retailers must ensure AI transparency to maintain trust and brand loyalty during the busy shopping season.

Niki Hall, CMO at Five9, emphasized that while AI can automate routine tasks, the human touch is essential for addressing complex issues with empathy and critical thinking. Retailers must balance AI and human support to meet heightened consumer expectations and foster long-term loyalty.

Full article here.

We gave the market update on some of our core roles last month, with no change, please go check it out. Specialised skills like digital transformation, GenAI deployment, or launching new products are in high demand and command niche expertise, so consider this when going to market. For more specific insight book here: Salary Review

Congratulations to Love Admin the Winners of Best Customer Centric Culture (SME) at the UK CXAs. Well done also to Market Harborough Building Society and Suits Me who were 2nd and 3rd in the category.

Anu Gibson thanks for coming along to the event as our guest - it was great to spend some more time with you... don't think there was ever a moments silence, not going to tag everyone else in case we miss people!

It was amazing hosting Shamas Aziz Kathryn Simons-Porter and Dan Eddie as they discussed their successes implementing AI in Contact Centres. If you caught the LiveShow (our 1st ever) you may have thought you’d temporarily tuned into ChuckleVision when the screen didn’t want to work, however 3 minutes later the discussion was great from 3 leading Experts! Good luck to Dan and the team at SimplyHealth who, on the back of this journey, have found themselves as finalists at the ECCCSAs!

We discussed compliance concerns, how to engage your people, purpose led implementation, assessing your partners for the now and the future and a whole host of topics with some incredible feedback from those who attended the event. Catch the full session (minus the chucklevision part) GenAIMasterclass

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Thanks to Martin for having me as a Guest on Get out of Wrap Podcast! The time went no-where and as one of my first Podcast experiences Martin Teasdale made it so easy.

We talked about Candidate Experiences and what drove us to launch the “Candidate Experience Survey” and the importance of truly understand the person and the motivations behind the CV and skills, if not you end up spending a fortune on re-hiring talent instead of developing the team you have! This spells disaster in leadership roles ?because of the sheer volume of stakeholder engagement to ensure success! We also talked a little about the origin story of Sudale Search, which hopefully gives you a flavour as to why we do things the way we do. Please listen or watch the episode here: https://getoutofwrap.com/episode/206-kerry-sudale-on-the-candidate-experience-in-recruitment

Also do check out our research the candidate experience here: Candidate Experience Survey - Sudale Search & Select

A brilliant journey for a fantastic Customer Experience Manager who was keen to move into a specialist role with a disrupter brand.

1. Remote Interview – 30 minutes (Hiring Manager and Talent

2. Face to Face interview with Hiring Manager and Head of Marketing.

Whilst the 2nd stage was to include a meet with the Founder, they were unavailable at the last minute. Quick apology and explanation as to why this was and a 2nd visit the office was arranged.

The offer was delivered within 24 hours of the meeting (as was all feedback of every meeting), with a full reasoning as to why that offer, the written confirmation/ contract out within 24 hours of acceptance (despite an absence from the office)

Your process doesn’t have to be perfect – things go wrong, but how you manage the communication, is what sets you apart!

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One of our candidates spotted a role that fit them perfectly… the 1st stage was a presentation, after sharing it with some past colleagues and big hitters in the industry and told it was “amazing” they hit the send button and then crickets… (And then a message 6 weeks later – “stronger candidates selected”)

Generic messages, whilst frustrating, have their place, especially on an application that takes 2-5 minutes (max) to complete. If, however, you are asking someone to invest hours’ worth of time in a presentation at this stage you need to provide real feedback. The company and hiring manager has now been firmly “scrubbed from the list” as places of interest for this individual and, of course, the market talks…

If you'd like to ensure your hiring process creates a lasting positive impression and builds fans of the brand book a consultancy session here: Creating Great Candidate Experiences .

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Abi Jacks is the marketing genius behind the LoveAdmin team! LoveAdmin supports a number of children’s activity leaders from football to Gymnasts, including coaches that support our future Olympians – give her a follow.

Louise Sanders The Strategic Director at SuitsMe! SuitsMe are a brilliant business that are all about supporting the Unbanked.

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As we gear up for 2025, Sudale Search remains committed to driving transformative talent solutions that keep pace with market dynamics. Connect with us to stay ahead and build a resilient leadership team for tomorrow."

Thanks as always for reading! Kerry, Founder Sudale Search & Select!