Welcome to the 9th Edition of the Sudale Search Newsletter!

It has been an interesting June to say the least! Would we even be British if we didn’t mention the crazy weather? From 3 seasons in a day to a scorcher of a finish.

The job market has been more similar to the start of the month – a large number of opportunities, followed by a slump. Whilst there are less roles on the market, especially in London, the roles available are niched down. With more applications, and more demand in terms of skillset?, your CV will need a makeover to stand out in the market. As a Hiring Manager, if you are looking for a niche skillset, advertising alone is unlikely to be effective.

To strengthen our support to candidates, especially those who are immediately available we are building out a free video guide/ one stop shop on what you need to approach the market, including building your CV, job applications etc. If there is anything specific you want to see in this drop us a note to [email protected]

As a business Sudale Search have implemented AI to support us in enhancing the experience of our customers and further cement our commitment to DE&I. Our customers have been especially impressed with the transcription which allows them to get a true understanding of the impact leaders have had in their organisation, removing unconscious bias and enabling blind hiring. If this is a topic that is interesting to you, book in a Consultation with Kerry at [email protected]

Ventrica is keen to cement itself as a BPO partner with commitment to delivering exceptional experiences to their partners customers. They have strengthened their commitment to this through a strategic partnership with Zendesk both as an implementation partner and re-seller. It’s a great move for both businesses, leaning on one another’s expertise to move the needle on delivering strong customer experiences!

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Ventrica Announces Strategic Partnership with Zendesk - contact-centres.com

The Citizen’s Advice report comparing large energy suppliers has been released! Congratulations to Ecotricity who topped the table, closely followed by Outfox the Market , with OVO closely following. With Outfox and OVO scoring 5/5 on their commitment to customer, whilst Ecotricity scored a 3/5 will we see a shuffle in the top 3 for Q2 results?

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Full table here: Compare energy suppliers' customer service - Citizens Advice

How the scores are worked out - Citizens Advice

It comes as no surprise that high in demand now, are Candidates with experience in implementing/ using AI solutions in Contact Centres. With a big push towards efficiency, for those who have successfully deployed these solutions, the demand is only going to increase.

The London market seems the most affected by election, with the number of roles at a standstill. However, the roles still “collecting dust” are those with 4-5 days in the office who aren’t moving the salaries or flexing on the requirements enough to close these roles.

Flexibility is one of the biggest driving factors, so if you are driving 4-5 days in the office policy, some things to consider are operating a core hours policy, on-site childcare provision, fully expensed travel etc. and, if these aren’t viable, be prepared that you may need to flex on the key requirements for the roles.

Salary discrepancies between industry, location and business size are so vastly different at the moment, that it will be worthwhile booking in a Consultation to determine package/ offering.

Today we are shouting out for the powerhouse females of Pink and Taylor Swift, because the feedback on their tours have been exceptional! Both have packed out arenas (and we all know that experience can be painful), but the “surprise and delight” elements including queue entertainment etc have kept their fans raving about them all over social media! Plus, we are big fans of these exceptional, female role models. Whether you are personally a fan of their music, you can’t argue with the iconic personal brands, following and business they have created.

Vodafone ’s idea of replacing the batteries in their phones is great. However, 1 week without your phone – is that realistic? Do any customers want to wait a week? This is an example of a great idea, where we feel the execution could have been improved (and loyal customers of Vodafone are saying the same on socials). Is another telco going to pick up this idea and improve it?

Ed Deason, MBA is a brilliant Executive Coach who has seen huge success working with leaders of SMEs to really move the needle on their business. I have had a couple of sessions with Ed and he has really supported me in making me realise what is important to me and holding me accountable for actions.

Ever heard the phrase feedback is a gift? Whilst it is important to challenge feedback you do not agree with, it is also an essential skill to take on feedback, reflect and use it to push forward. If you aren’t getting effective feedback for growth/ development, it may be time to explore your external options.

As a leader yourself… how often do you give feedback to your teams to support their development? It is one of the biggest reasons that people give when exploring a new opportunity, and the most difficult to combat in a counteroffer scenario. How difficult would it be to explore new opportunities if you understand where your role fits within the organisation, what your next step is and how to get there?

Feedback is seen as a basic skill, but effective feedback is crucial and so many still struggle to get it right.

We hope you enjoyed this edition of the Sudale Search newsletter. If you want to find out how we can support you in hiring your next CX/ Contact Centre Leader, benchmark your hiring against candidate expectation, benchmark salaries or find out how AI can support you towards blind hiring, reach out to the team at [email protected]