Back in my banking days, if you ever uttered the letters ‘KYC’ you would be greeted by a barrage of moans and groans; it’s still very much like this in Prime & Super Prime property circles these days too. Thankfully, no, this is not a post about compliance and how not to fall foul of HMRC… As a self-titled experienced property and recruitment Consultant, I cannot stress how important it is to know your client in this current market.
There have been a handful of VERY significant sales that have been tucked away over the last few months with a very publicly named individual going on an Ultra-Prime shopping spree to the tune of almost £500m globally. It made me think about how deals at this level are put together and what lessons can be learned from managing relationships effectively.
On numerous occasions we’ve spoken to both Clients and Candidates who’ve had bad experiences (sometimes VERY bad) with other recruiters in the market; recruiters who’ve not taken the time to understand what their objectives are. I have lost count of the times I’ve been told by Client A,
“Recruiter X has sent me 10 CV’s in the last 48 hours, NONE of which are relevant.”
Or Candidates saying,
“Another Recruiter has sent me a list of 15 jobs and didn’t even ask me what I was looking for or where I lived...”
And the worst one, which is frankly embarrassing to the whole industry,
“Another recruiter has sent my CV to 5 different companies, but they haven’t told me which ones.”
Remember, we are not here to be an obstacle or a hindrance, we are here to be of benefit to Clients looking for the best talent and to Candidates looking to find the best positions available in the market.
To put the above into context, imagine if the above individual received this shoddy level of service whilst searching for a property. Would the same outcomes have occurred? Would he have trust in both the market and/or the representatives of both the Agencies and Sellers involved? The answer is a resounding NO.
If you take the time to TRULY understand your Clients, you equip yourself with the best chances of working together efficiently and at the same time build a positive reputation for yourself. The most enjoyable part of recruitment is that eureka moment when you tell yourself “I have the perfect person for this job” or “I’ve got the perfect job for you”. This can ONLY be achieved once you have earned the right to do so. Take pride in your work and take your time to get to know the people you are working with and representing.
We are not just sales people; trust our advice, our expertise and our guidance.
Written by Lee Riley, Associate Residential Recruitment Director at GKR London Property Recruitment.
