Life is full of transactions and these moments are never remembered. But change a normal forgettable transaction to an experience, and you will be sure to create a memory. For the first time ever, I got a haircut I really enjoyed getting. And it made me think about ASGR. A leap? Maybe, but let me fill in the blanks a bit. So all you women out there will be able to relate to this experience a lot better than the men but I’m sure you’ll get it nonetheless. So here was my dilemma/ frustration: Almost my whole adult life I’ve always gotten my haircut at someplace different, dependent mostly on convenience. But I never stayed at one salon or stylist long enough to build a relationship. My reason for moving around? I never got a haircut from anyone that could give me a good consultation and a good haircut. And this wasn’t a conscious decision either. I didn’t go around looking for someone that will give me an “experience”. I just had no reason to stay with anyone. Not that I’ve really had a bad haircut, but sometimes I just want a change, and the stylist is most often than not too scared to risk a new do on me, or anyone (which is reasonable- better be safe than sorry right?). So every time I come out with the same cut. Boring. And I am what you might call a “dream client”. I let them know they have some freedom to do something different. Now, a badass stylist would’ve drawn from their expertise to analyze my hair, made an assessment of what type of do’s are good for the type of hair I have, my complexion, my style preferences, and given a recommendation that she is excited about. Something I couldn’t have come up with because I’m not surrounded by hair styles, hair trends, latest products, etc. I’m not the professional. You see where I’m going with this? Good recruiters will give you a comprehensive consultation. They identify your needs, your very unique situation. It’s almost cliche to say they don’t just find resumes. It really glazes over the depth of work that goes into finding “A” Players for each specific role that needs to be filled. It’s not about just finding people and placing them. It’s building relationships; really knowing the clients and their needs- what will and won’t work for them vs. what will and won’t work for a different client. The client doesn’t walk away from a placement just happy they filled the open position. They’re happy about the whole experience, from start to finish, and will likely come back when there is another need. W.I.T.C.E.– “What Is The Customer Experience” is a core mantra that the A Sales Guy Brand has been built on from the get-go. Keenan built his consulting business on it (there is a whole series of posts on the asalesguy.com blog) and it is at the heart of the ASG brand. Good recruiters will take the time to ask probing questions and dig deeper; with the client and the candidate. A good recruiter is a good recruiter because he/she can manage this three-way relationship. He/she really needs to know the core of who the client is and who the candidate is and their goals. It is not merely a transaction. It’s much more complex. It’s an experience. Loyalty resides in relationships. And a good relationship in recruiting has a foundation of a real understanding of the client’s goals and needs, a consultation that gets to the root of who you are and what you want to accomplish, what you want the candidate to accomplish. What can you expect from a badass recruiter, that will most definitely turn your open position into an experience you will remember? Knowledge Like the hairstylist that really knows her shit, we know what’s up in recruiting. We know social recruiting, we know the tips and tricks to stay ahead of the curve, we have the tools to source the best talent, we are plugged-in today’s world of recruiting. We’re experts and we stay current. But without a solid relationship, all of it is for not. I could’ve gotten a haircut from the hottest stylist in the most expensive salon in Denver, but if we did not connect, there’s no way I’d walk out of there with a haircut I loved. Connection Without the connection, there is no relationship. There is no way a recruiter could really meet your needs. How will he or she really know your needs unless he has the full story? Going back to the hair analogy, you won’t walk away from the experience with the killer haircut you want unless the stylist knows the type of person you are and the experiences you’ve had in the past. You may not think to tell her of the one do you tried and didn’t like because it kept getting in your face. But if you have a good relationship with them and it comes up in conversation, she now knows that is something to avoid. Make sense? If there is no openness of communication between recruiter and client, there are less chances of receiving important information, which may or may not be a topic that’s top of mind.
“Every business has the ability to create a customer experience. It doesn’t matter what you sell. Adding customer experience to your business is about creativity, innovation, and a commitment to looking differently at how you engage your customer. This starts with WITCE!” -Jim Keenan
Here’s an intro to WITCE that Keenan elaborates on oh so well. WITCE: If You Don’t Know What It Is, You Need To. Excitement If the recruiter’s expertise and creativity line up with the client’s needs, it will most definitely generate a buzz. An energy around the whole experience that makes it fun for everyone involved. The recruiter is excited to find the candidate that fits the needs of the client, the client is excited to welcome a new member to the team, and the candidate is elated to have found his dream job. I don’t know how many times I’ve talked to an ASG recruiter who is finally ready to submit a candidate and there is always an energy in their voice that makes me excited to be a part of it all. Because every situation is unique to each client, finding that “needle in the haystack” (as our head recruiter Robye calls it) is always redeeming and gratifying for them. So as a recruiter, how are you making it an experience for your clients? How will you make something ordinary into something memorable?