Date: March 18, 2025

Building an Enduring Professional Relationship amidst MSP changes and Vendor Optimization

Background

Our first placement with the client, one of the world’s leading biotechnology firms, was for a Strategic Analytics role with a specialisation in Market research. This was a senior, highly specialised position where the successful candidate would provide strategic advisory, business guidance and decision support to executive leadership while informed by market intelligence. Successful candidates would need to design and execute primary and secondary market research, transforming the results into actionable recommendations. We provided the client with a selection of strong resumes which marked the start of our professional relationship. Over the next year, our account manager maintained a close relationship with the client despite receiving no requisitions, maintaining relevant touchpoints through the dry spell. Eventually, the trust and goodwill we accumulated through our initial performance and subsequent persistence led to a 300% increase in placements over the following 3 years.

Challenges

• Navigating A Requisition Dry Spell: After our initial placement, the client underwent major changes in the marketplace, adopting MSP changes and going through Vendor Optimisation. During this time, we received no requisitions for new roles.
• Shifting Touchpoints: One of our main contacts at the firm went on a sabbatical and our account manager and their team needed to employ different tactics to maintain our relationship with the client. This meant finding different people within the company to keep in contact with.

Approach:

Experienced and Persistent Account Management Team: Our initial success with the client and the enduring relationship that was built subsequently can be attributed to the account management team. The manager brought 10+ years of their own experience in the pharmaceutical industry to the table, offering valuable insights to their team of seasoned and enthusiastic recruiters. During the dry spell, the team stayed in constant touch with the client, checking in often and keeping the relationship fresh.

Results:

• A 300% increase in number of placements from 2022 to 2025.
• ~160% increase in average client bill rate over the past two years which can be attributed to the increasingly specialised and senior nature of the roles we placed. These involved Analyst and Strategic advisor roles that required candidates to bring extensive experience with market research and forecasting in medical contexts and would be reporting directly to senior executives within the company.