When you’re one of the top three heavy lifting contractors in Europe, providing a reliable and high-quality service is of paramount importance. This is the case for one of QCS Staffing's clients, a company with heavy-lift expertise and a reputation not only for hiring out cranes to supply to multiple industries, but also for providing the talented and experienced staff to operate them safely both on and off-shore.
Though they had employed a pool of experienced heavy-lift personnel to call on, their success had led to them winning more tenders than they had the budget for; subsequently, they had started to experience a skills shortage for a variety of build sites. Our client needed to contract contingency recruitment personnel to come on board and support their existing staff.
This was where we stepped in. We recognised their challenge and knew we could help them solve it. Though we weren’t yet a household name in the market, we have extensive experience of working within renewable energy, where heavy-lift is prominent. Our client was a large market player, so we took the initiative to reach out and secure first a meeting with their procurement team, followed by the opportunity to be considered as a preferred supplier for projects on which our clients had a staff shortage.
In 2015, we were taken on as an official partner. The results have been impressive; in 2016, we signed a framework agreement with our client company, becoming one of only two contractors to provide them with contingency recruitment staff. We were originally taken on as a supplier for short to medium-term projects in Belgium, however our client realised that they could build on the service we provided to expand the business without recruiting more permanent staff: our contingency recruitment plan could work alongside their core pool of employees to supply the staff needed for any upcoming projects.
As a result, we have expanded operations with them, recruiting for medium to long-term projects across a range of countries worldwide, including France, Norway, Peru, Sweden and Ireland. We now have more than 40 people working on 15 assets: our experience of recruitment in renewable energy, and of managing multiple contractors for multiple sites, has stood us in good stead in the heavy-lift industry.
Indeed, what sets us apart in the industry is our experience and our commitment to candidate care, which has impressed clients time and again. We go the extra mile when it comes to candidate attraction, using our extensive network of worldwide contacts to select the right person for the role, and monitor the market for projects that are coming to an end, allowing us to headhunt skilled contractors.
One of the main reasons our client hired us was because they wanted somebody who looked after their candidates. We take pride in keeping in touch with our contractors, addressing any issues they have and ensuring they are happy in their work. At QCS Staffing, candidate and client care is paramount and it is this attitude that will stand us in good stead in the heavy lift industry for the future.
To find out more about how we can support you, contact the team today.
