Developing new products and services

Providing a ‘base’ of products and services for our consultants to offer clients, and training in how to deliver (and sell) those is one of the most valuable things we do. But it’s not just about coming up with a list, some training and then leaving it there.

We’re all about continuous improvement, so while our consultants are out working with clients delivering good advice, we’re able to look at the bigger picture, and maintain a constant review of the products and services the consultants are offering, and how these can be improved, or added to.

When deciding whether to introduce a new service, we take into account several factors. Our own observation of what’s happening in the marketplace is key – the coronavirus pandemic was a good example of this. The pandemic affected every employer in the UK in some way or another, and adjusting and developing specific services so that new, and existing, clients would easily be able to find the help they need, meant that our consultants were ideally-placed to support employers going through a challenging time.

Feedback from our consultants is also really important in developing new products and services. Our popular ‘first employee’ package was a direct result of an idea from one of them, who was seeing a lot of business owners worried about taking on their first employee, but intimidated by the notion of instructing a consultant with concerns about escalating fees. A defined package covering all the basics the client needs, at a fixed price, is more accessible, and, of course, getting clients taking on their first employee is a good investment of time as they tend to stick with you as they grow.

Once we decide we’re going to develop a new product or service, we develop it centrally based on our knowledge of what will work with clients, and then we consult with our consultants, about content and also pricing guidance. They’re the ones delivering and selling the services so it’s crucial a new product involves their input.

Any new resources involved, such as managers’ guides, factsheets or templates, are then designed and put together, and text written for the website, any marketing materials designed, and mailshots sent to the consultants’ contact lists, along with guidance for the consultants in terms of how to publicise their new offer.

All of this happening behind the scenes then ‘releases’ the consultants from having to use valuable time and headspace doing this stuff themselves, so they can focus their time and energy on the work that directly generates their income.

If you’re thinking about small business HR consultancy and you’d like to get a head start offering a range of products and services designed specifically for SMEs, do get in touch for a chat.