Jobseekrs®

As part of the launch of our Guide to Business Resilience, we reached out to a number of smaller business owers to find out what business resilience meant to them.

In this interview, we speak to Jamaal R.A. Brathwaite, Founder and CEO of Manchester-based Jobseekrs®, about what business resilience means in the IT industry.

What does business resilience mean to you?

To me, business resilience refers to the ability of a company to adapt, recover, and thrive in the face of adversity, disruptions, and uncertainties.

I believe it involves building a robust and flexible foundation that allows a business to withstand and navigate through various internal and external pressures, including economic downturns, market fluctuations, natural disasters, technological advancements, access to funding, recruitment, regulatory changes, and competitive forces.

What kinds of changes have you made to reduce overheads in the current climate?

It's important to note that the specific changes a business makes to reduce overheads would depend on its industry, size, and unique circumstances. However some of the changes we've made are:

Remote Work: Implemented remote work policies can help reduce costs associated with maintaining office space, utilities, and other related expenses.

Automation: Increased the use of automation in our business processes which has streamlined operations and reduced the need for manual labour, eventually resulting in the reduction of our overhead costs.

Outsourcing: We began outsourcing non-core business functions or tasks to specialized external providers which has been a cost-effective solution, as it eliminates the need for additional staff and infrastructure.

Vendor Negotiations: Reviewing vendor contracts and negotiating better terms or prices can lead to cost savings on supplies, services, or other business-related expenses.

Streamlining Processes: We've drastically analysed and optimized internal processes therefore eliminating redundancies and inefficiencies, to potentially reduce overhead costs and improving overall productivity.

How has the energy crisis impacted your business?

While we may not have been directly affected, we understand the significance of the energy crisis and its potential impact on businesses and society as a whole.

It's important to note that the energy crisis can have wide-ranging effects on various industries and businesses, leading to challenges such as increased energy costs, supply chain disruptions, or changes in consumer behaviour.

What is your approach to debt and finance?

Finance is incredibly important to a start-up.

In fact, it is often regarded as one of the most critical factors in determining the success or failure of a new business venture.

It provides the necessary capital, enables effective resource allocation, supports growth and scalability, facilitates risk management, and ensures financial sustainability.

Entrepreneurs must prioritize financial planning, management, and investment to establish a strong foundation for their start-ups.

For us, at the stage we're at, debt financing isn't the best option for us right now but we will most certainly consider it later on in our journey.

How do you nurture your customer relationships?

Nurturing customer relationships is crucial for building customer loyalty and fostering long-term business success.

Some strategies we utilize to help us nurture better relationships with our customers are:

1. Provide excellent customer service: Deliver exceptional service at every touchpoint. Respond promptly to inquiries, address concerns, and go the extra mile to exceed customer expectations.
2. Regularly engage and stay connected: Keeping our customers engaged by maintaining regular communication is important to us. This can include personalized emails, newsletters, social media updates, or even phone calls. We share valuable content, industry insights, and relevant updates to demonstrate our expertise and keep customers informed.
3. Personalized interactions: We tailor our communication and offerings to meet the specific needs and preferences of each individual customer. Using customer data to provide personalized recommendations, offers, and experiences works a treat!
4. Building trust and transparency: We establish trust by being transparent and honest in our interactions. Communicate openly, deliver on our promises, and handle any issues or mistakes promptly and professionally.
5. Anticipate and exceed their needs: We proactively identify our customers' needs and preferences while anticipating their future requirements and offer relevant solutions before they even ask us. This demonstrates our commitment to their mission and satisfaction and helps us to build long-term relationships.

We regularly assess and improve our customer relationship management strategies.

Monitor key metrics, such as customer satisfaction, retention rates, and referrals, and make adjustments as needed.

Remember, nurturing customer relationships is an ongoing process.

It requires consistent effort, genuine care, and a customer-centric mindset to create lasting connections with your customers.

It also helps if you have a sense of humour!

What measures have you taken to attract and retain talent in a tough climate?

Yes, the climate is tough out there but employees are asking for an open and flexible working culture; development options; career perspectives and long-term financial incentives.

When it comes to culture, we practice what we preach.

At the end of the day, how could Jobseekrs® offer an AI platform which helps companies build company culture and retain talent if we ourselves don't?

Here are some general strategies and measures that we've adopted to attract and retain talent during challenging times:

1. A Strong Company Culture: We have fostered a positive, diverse and inclusive company culture where employees feel valued, supported, and engaged. We encourage open communication, collaboration, and work-life balance to create a desirable work environment.
2. A Human Approach: We are all battling with our own issues in our personal lives. A friendly check-in now and them is appreciated more than we often realise. A little message like. "Hey there! Just wanted to check in and see how you're doing. It's been a while since we last caught up, and I wanted to make sure everything is going well for you. How have things been going in your life? I hope you've been taking good care of yourself and finding happiness in the little things. If there's anything you want to talk about or if you need a listening ear, I'm here for you. Remember, you're not alone, and I value you. Take care, and let's catch up soon!"
3. Flexible Work Arrangements: In a tough climate, providing flexible work arrangements such as remote work options, flexible hours, or compressed workweeks can be appealing to potential candidates and help retain existing employees. Remember to focus on maintaining that stellar culture though as it's always forever evolving!
4. Clear Communication and Transparency: We use WhatsApp to maintain open and transparent communication channels to keep employees informed about organisational changes, challenges, and future plans. This helps build trust and ensures everyone feel included, involved and engaged.
5. Social Responsibility: At Jobseekrs®, we have a compelling mission to become the primary and most unbiased job-search & matching engine on the internet while helping our clients to build a workplace that champions inclusive work culture, equality & fairness for all. It's important to hire folks who resonate with the mission, this helps a lot! It means they're fired-up before they even start! Highlighting our organisation's commitment to social responsibility and community involvement. Many candidates are attracted to companies that demonstrate ethical practices and contribute positively to society.
6. Employer Branding: We're big on building a strong employer brand by showcasing our organisation's unique attributes, mission, and values. Leverage social media, career websites, and online platforms to effectively communicate our employer brand and attract top talent.

How important is innovation and technology in future proofing your business and give an example of where you've invested in it?

Innovation and technology play a crucial role in future-proofing businesses in today's rapidly evolving landscape.

They enable companies to adapt to changing customer needs, stay competitive, and seize emerging opportunities.

By embracing innovation and leveraging technology, businesses can streamline operations, improve efficiency, enhance customer experiences, and drive growth.

We have utilised AI and natural language processing (NLP) algorithms in a huge way to build the first of it's kind, Culture-as-a-Service, AI-enabled job platform that uniquely matches candidates with companies based on truly unbiased factors!

It learns from each interaction, improving its performance over time.