Hays Contact Centres
JANUARY - MARCH 2012
Hotspots
Customer service staff across all levels are still in high demand given events in 2011 as well as natural growth and an upturn in the market.
There is still a big demand for Account Managers, Telesales and Collections candidates, although the bulk of the recruitment is for Customer Service within the insurance sector.
The contact centre sector continues to experience high levels of turnover and this will continue to lead to more roles becoming available on the market.
Overcoming skills shortages
Employers are becoming flexible in their experience expectations and are willing to consider candidates who may not have the ideal background but demonstrate a good team fit, ability to learn on the job quickly and enthusiasm.
The coming quarter
Over the holiday period we saw a slight drop in recruitment activity, but there has been a number of bulk recruitment rounds scheduled in for January and February. We expect to see a significant amount of activity in this sector as hiring gets underway and staff are secured.
Salary increases have been seen in a few sectors as companies become more competitive in bringing on board the right people. This trend will continue into the next quarter.
Executive recruitment
There has been a rise in management level hiring as contact centres look to move forward with a fresh approach and new ways of thinking. While some employers are willing to see what is available in the market, there has been a stronger emphasis placed on internal development and promotion from within the company. This is helping to aid retention and keep skills within the business.
Employer trends
Companies will continue to review salaries and be more flexible in regards to a candidate’s skills and experience. They are putting candidates through intensive testing either prior to or after interviews as well as looking at further training if required to help up skill suitable candidates.
Candidate trends
There has been a decrease in qualified candidates available in the market, resulting from the large amount of recruitment that has already been taking place. This will remain unchanged for the quarter.
