All too often when it comes to suppliers, organisations find themselves signing contracts and popping them in the filing cabinet never to be seen again. For busy companies, it's the easy way out - the job is getting done. But that doesn't mean the service you're using is the best fit, or the ideal solution, for your business. At Hays Talents Solutions we spend a lot of time in the MSP/RPO sales process building up relationships, ensuring we are the right fit and putting steps in place to ensure we create a true partnership.

But our relationship building doesn't stop there - here are our top five tips for ensuring you build a great relationship to get the most out of your MSP or RPO provider:

It's mutually beneficial

Our success is your success - and that's a fact. Our solutions are designed to be beneficial to you, to support you and provide help where you need it most. There may be some areas you’re already doing well in so you should continue to deliver, and allow us to supplement that expertise with ours to keep everything ticking over nicely.

A little give and take

It pays to be open to discussions about any additional expert or additional help you may require and what other suppliers or technology your MSP or RPO can bring in to support you. While this may mean an initial investment in the short term, it's worth taking a bird's eye view and seeing exactly how this extra cost will pay for itself in the future. And it's not all bad - costs can be shared or may even be absorbed by your MSP or RPO or yourself depending on the service.

Flexibility on delivery

Flexibility will always be a significant consideration and a way in which we can support businesses to meet their exact needs. Whether it's a sudden change of requirements, new market impacts or the availability of different technology, there's always something new just around the corner. KPIs, metrics and reporting should be managed, reviewed and changed.

Your MSP/RPO is more than aware that this is how the world works - so be sure to be open about different recruitment and contingent workforce requirements and priorities to keep them in the loop and up to date. Regular update meetings for the current context, thoughts and ideas will keep everything up-to-date easily, with just one quick catch-up every few weeks.

Full transparency

Treat your MSP/RPO like an additional team member. They're there to support you as best they can, and being open and honest allows them to understand and anticipate your requirements fully; and to be proactive rather than reactive. Get them involved in discussions on workforce planning to not only keep them up to speed but to gain their insight as a valuable commodity. At Hays Talent Solutions we're fully up to speed with the latest innovations, and that puts us one step ahead.

Understanding and support

Of course, this goes both ways - if there are issues you've experienced with your MSP/RPO, be open about this too. A frank discussion can often resolve a lot of matters in a lot less time than a dozen or so less-than-clear emails could.

By bringing in an MSP or RPO, you're bringing in a creative, solution-driven member of your team to offer support on a whole host of issues you might not even have thought of. Take a look at one of our latest case studies in which we supported a client in saving money on a project they were considering outsourcing.

AUTHOR

Tina Millis
Head of Delivery EMEA and Global Contracts
Tina has been managing and delivering corporate relationships since 1991, and has over 18 years at Director level. Tina has experience in leading UK, pan EMEA and Global RPO MSP delivery teams in Financial Services, ITC and Pharma sectors. This includes both on and off-site, near and off shore delivery models.

Tina has also directed one of the industry's largest MSP/RPO contracts using a tiered contracted supplier base. Her key strength is building and leading teams within a culture of collaboration. Tina creates enduring partnerships based on high quality delivery, continuous improvement and integrity.