ISSUE SPOTLIGHT: GROWING YOUR BUSINESS ISSUESPOTLIGHT


The challenges of GROWING YOUR BUSINESS are many and varied, but there is a wealth of help and advice available to Northamptonshire businesses


ELECTRICAL FIRM PLUGS INTO EXPANDED DEMAND


An electrical contractor has seen its revenue increase by 58% in the past year. Kwiklite, based in Brixworth, was


Facilitate Recruitment’s Matt and Helen Croxon


FACILITATE YOUR REVIEW AND GROW


A recruitment agency is offering Chamber members a free business review to help firms to grow their business.


Rushden-based Facilitate


Recruitment is providing the review to help firms identify how they can boost their skills development and recruit the right people. Director Matt Croxon said: “Small


businesses don’t necessarily have their own in-house recruitment or have the time or money to be on the job sites or searching CV databases for the right people. “Often they advertise through the


large job websites and as a result they receive a lot of applications but they aren’t targeting the people with the skills they want. “We recently worked with a shoe


factory that had been struggling to find people with the skills it needed. We were able to find them an employee who had the experience they wanted and lives near the factory. “We can help businesses because


our tailored selection approach means we find individuals with the skills that businesses need. We carry out in-depth research across a wide range of resources and CV databases to save businesses time and find them the right employees. “We don’t have a branch office so


we don’t have big overheads to pass on to clients and as a result our prices are incredibly competitive. “Any businesses that are facing


skills shortages are welcome to contact us for a free consultation.”


Call: 01933 383381 Email: Matt@facilitaterecruitment.co.uk


16 inbusiness AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017


established by managing director Graham Parr in 2010. The business has always been


known for its expertise in lighting but over the past year it has grown into a general electrical contractor. Graham said: “We used to be


purely a lighting business but we found that because our clients were so pleased with our work they were always asking us to do more and more so becoming a general electrical contractor was a natural progression for us. “As a result of our growth we


have increased our workforce and have added a new electrician, apprentice electrician and a new administrator to our team.”


dramatic growth can be attributed to its high levels of customer service. He said: “We pride ourselves on


the quality of work that we do and we also have great relationships with reputable suppliers who offer quality products with good warranties. “One of our unique selling points


is that we will also honour the suppliers’ warranties. Normally, if a unit fails the customer has to pay to get the new unit fitted but we will fit replacement units for our customers for free. “For us, customer retention is at


Graham Parr About two-thirds of the firm’s


business is commercial and the rest is domestic. Graham believes Kwiklite’s


DEVELOPMENT COMPANY AIDS CONSTABULARY


Gloucestershire Constabulary has been delighted with the cost-effective design The Development Company provided for developing staff’s skills as interviewers and interviewees. Rachel Slevin, head of HR, said: “I worked with


Adrian and Kay from The Development Company some years ago, so I was delighted to be able to ask them to consult and design a course introducing competency based interviewing skills to our people.” When given the need – for both interviewers and


internal candidates to be trained, The Development Company designed a programme that gave both sets of learners ‘real play’ practice in the technique. Interviewees learn the techniques of behavioural


interviewing as a one day course, and then return to put their skills into use as volunteers for the interviewers’ course – being interviewed against their own CV. Course facilitator and programme manager Adrian


Green said: “It is important on this course not to use actors, or role plays, as it damages the effects of competency based interviewing. Having two sets of learners who benefit from giving each other real


the heart of what we do. We always take our customers’ side – even if it costs us money.”


Visit: www.brightsparksgroup.co.uk


time and face-to-face feedback has really enhanced the return on investment for our client. We are delighted to have stretched the budget for our public sector client.” Gloucestershire Constabulary learning and


development manager Lynn Moore added: “On top of that, we have been able to offer The Development Company’s Recruitment & Selection elearning course to staff who need a refresher, or who couldn’t make the face to face courses due to the nature of their work. This is a real bonus.”


For more information visit: www.thedevco.com/shop/interview-skills-training


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