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‍Client Experience and Employee Experience Through Relationship Building

Mike Kriston, Senior Vice President, and Tanner Holland, President, implemented an initiative to increase the company's client experience (CX) and employee experience (EX). Mike met with all the organization's superintendents and project managers to better understand their capabilities and what drives them.

By understanding the intricacies of our individuals, Mike can better speak to their experience and abilities and be better able to help them work on the types of projects they would like to work on. Tanner is meeting with all active clients to better understand their drivers and build the personal relationship.

A client’s CX will improve with the more access they have to the company, and by meeting with Tanner, who is ultimately responsible for the execution, they will have direct contact with McDonald York, which they can trust.

The meetings that have taken place have been valuable in relationship building, and we anticipate measurable, positive feedback in the months to come.

“Start a project with a client, end the project with a friend”  - Tanner Holland, President, McDonald York Building Company.

CX in Weekly Meetings and Slack

Weekly Meetings

Each Monday morning, office employees at McDonald York meet to review weekly activities. In each of these meetings, our senior vice president, Mike Kriston, presents a CX topic for discussion. Some of these discussions focus on employees' positive and negative client experiences during the last week.

Mike leads the conversation by having employees who volunteer their stories reflect on what made the experience a positive or negative one for them. This could be a helpful associate working in a supermarket or perhaps a rude encounter with a cashier while checking out. Mike then encourages the group to think about what it was that made the experience good or bad and what we can do for our clients to ensure that their experience is a positive one.

Other discussions encourage employees to take the conversation outside the conference room and talk to clients about client experience. For example, Mike encouraged employees to ask clients, “What do you enjoy most about your job?” We want to think about what we can do to help our clients do more of what they enjoy. This creates a better client experience for them.

Discussions with clients have resulted in positive feedback. Clients appreciate us taking the time to get to know them on a personal level. This initiative has created an opportunity for ongoing conversations to occur inside and outside the office. Mike’s commitment to engaging employees in CX on a regular basis has helped keep CX front of mind during client interactions.

Slack

As part of our core values, McDonald York believes in Innovation - using new technologies and processes to become more efficient and effective. To this end, we implemented Slack to help collaboration across the company. Slack facilitates communication by creating different channels and focusing on areas important to our employees. A CX channel was created for employees to share interactions they have outside of work, both good and bad. Similar to Monday morning meetings, this Slack channel reminds employees of the importance of creating a good CX for our clients.

Excerpts from the CX Channel in Slack:

Client Savvy Platform

To know the story behind our clients, McDonald York implemented the Client Savvy Platform. It gives our clients a way to let us know how we’re doing.

When a client lets us know we are not meeting expectations, that is an opportunity for us to modify our process and create a situation to meet expectations.

We set a requirement that our employees who interact with clients should send two surveys each month. Mike Kriston, SVP, and Sarah Findlay, Marketing Coordinator, hold cleint feedback training sessions four times a year. Employees are required to attend at least once a year.

Along with teaching employees the fundamentals, Mike speaks about the theory behind client feedback and the value it adds to our process. We want to know the story behind our clients and what their expectations are.

Employees are encouraged to read the responses and consider the “why” behind them to build a more personal relationship. Employees must follow up with clients within 48 hours to ensure we let clients know their voices are being heard.

In the first year, we received 156 survey responses. In the second year, we received 278 survey responses. We expect this number to grow larger in subsequent years. Occasionally, clients will request a survey be sent through the Client Savvy Platform to them so they can report their satisfaction with a project. They know that we take the time to review every survey reply sent.

‍The Executive Dashboard

In year three, McDonald York created an executive dashboard to help focus on key areas to drive our company forward. These are Safety, Schedule, Financial, and Client Experience. All of these items are a driver in how our business succeeds. Putting CX on the document allows us to view how our employees are pursuing client feedback.

By asking the question, we create the opportunity and structure around how we have these conversations with our clients. It has also enabled us to view where we can improve. Below, we can see actions that need to be made to ensure our process is completed in project 37-129. Follow-up comments are sent after we receive a CFT response.

We look forward to continuing to build this database of information as we receive feedback from clients.

The Transactional Staffing Landscape

The staffing industry has long been dominated by a transactional approach, where resumes are matched to job descriptions based on keywords and qualifications. However, TekCom Resources (TekCom), rather than simply determining if a candidate can do the job, focuses on why they want the role and what truly motivates them in their career.

“It's just buzzword matching on resumes,” said Ian Raddant, President at TekCom. “What is missed is nobody's saying all right, you're doing this now, but what do you want to do going forward, and what is a good fit for you?”

TekCom’s human-centered approach has led to stronger relationships, greater trust, and ultimately, a world-class Net Promoter Score (NPS) that quantifies their success. Prioritizing the “why,” allows them to align candidates with opportunities that foster long-term growth and retention. The difference becomes evident when clients recognize that previous hires have not only performed well but also advanced within the company—demonstrating a true match beyond just technical skills. In contrast to the traditional resume-matching method, which artificial intelligence could easily replicate, TekCom’s focus on candidate drivers ensures that both candidates and employers benefit from meaningful, lasting placements. This philosophy moves beyond mere transactions, creating a staffing partnership that is personal and genuinely impactful.

Making A Difference The TekCom Way

TekCom’s “why” philosophy informs how they run their organization. They are able to build sustainable and profitable relationships because they drill down to understand each candidate’s motivations, provide industry expertise, prepare candidates for interviews, and educate clients on why it pays to patiently make the right match. While some firms may only ask about qualifications, they will dive into ultimate goals, lifestyle preferences, and inner motivations to make sure they match with the right client. Emma Roberts, Recruitment Lead at TekCom detailed some of the process she has with candidates. “I’ll ask ‘What do you ultimately want,’” Roberts said. “Then through the process, we are advisors giving candidates tips on how to interview and prepare and examples of questions that might be asked.”

TekCom even started a “Thank You” program to send small gifts to wish candidates luck in an interview, celebrate a successful first week on the job, a new marriage or a new baby. Lastly, clients and candidates alike enjoy the high touchpoint frequency TekCom provides. The result is a staffing partnership that feels human, intentional, and impactful. In fact, falloffs across their clientele have recently been reduced by 9%.

One client’s story stands out as an example of TekCom’s impact. A fiber construction firm client was accustomed to a transactional hiring model and was experiencing high candidate falloffs. TekCom went to work making changes. First, they explained to the client how respecting the candidates was an important first step to saving money through high retention. Next, they asked the client to speed up their interview process and describe the opportunity – not just the job – they were offering candidates. Then a TekCom recruiter and account manager would collaborate on separate candidate interviews to ensure the talent truly understands the industry and position they’re applying for. The strategy’s results were dramatic: the client had over 30 TekCom hires in the past year, only one dropped off.

Success! Now What?

TekCom had built a strong foundation. But while their results spoke volumes, they still needed help showcasing their expertise and validating themselves in the marketplace. Prospects wanted to hear about them and their claims from a subjective third party. “We had clients ask us ‘What awards have you won? What kind of validation can you give me? What makes you different than any of these other firms,’” Raddant said.

That’s when they turned to ClearlyRated (CR). After partnering with CR, TekCom had options to display how they were not only different than the competition, but better. Through hard work and insights provided by CR, TekCom built up and showcased stellar star ratings on their ClearlyRated Directory page. Raddant pushed prospects there as validation. “If you don't believe me, go to our ClearlyRated site,” Raddant said. “See what it's all about.”

TekCom was also able to establish a world class NPS score through surveying and won ClearlyRated Best Of Staffing Client and Talent Satisfaction awards. Raddant knows the difference between not having an award to point to and what they have now. “And now we can say, well, here you go,” Raddant said. “It's proof in the pudding.”

TekCom also benefited from CR’s technology. The platform is simple to use, integrates seamlessly, and automates much of the process. With its user-friendly dashboard and automated feedback collection, TekCom gains valuable insights daily. It lets them focus on what they do best, while the software handles the heavy lifting.

Ultimate Triumph

TekCom brought their own ideology to the industry and partnered with ClearlyRated to make clients happier, relationships stronger and even showcase awards and NPS. However, it’s also improved their bottom line.

The company had its strongest quarter ever in Q4 of 2024 and is set to exceed that in Q1 of 2025. Over the four years TekCom has partnered with ClearlyRated they’ve increased their heads in the field, increased their gross profit margin by 18.6% and increased their referral generations by 50%.

TekCom is poised to continue their success into the future where they aim to transform the staffing industry. Even with the financial success, they realize people are still what matter most. “We're in a business of people, right,” Raddant said. “You know, you got to take care of people.”

ABR Employment Services Achieves Record Client Satisfaction Rates and Profitable Growth

In an industry where many staffing firms struggled, ABR Employment Services (ABR) not only perseveres, but thrives. By implementing strategic leadership changes, embracing innovative technology, and reinforcing their core mission, ABR significantly improves client satisfaction and expands their business despite a shrinking market. We spoke with their leadership team to understand the keys to their success.

A Legacy of Excellence Faces New Challenges

Since its founding in 1987, ABR Employment Services has been a respected name in staffing across Wisconsin and Minnesota. Their mission to "make an extraordinary difference" in job seekers’ lives, their clients’ businesses, and the communities they serve has guided them for over three decades. ABR’s excellence is proven by having won a Best Of Staffing for Client and Talent Excellence award every year since 2011.

However, as they entered 2023, ABR faced significant challenges:

• A shrinking job market due to economic uncertainty
• Industry instability as competitors closed
• Internal leadership transitions, including a new company president
• The need to stand out in a crowded market

Brad Johnson, ABR’s newly appointed President, recognized that maintaining the status quo wouldn’t suffice. "We had a good baseline of what we were doing," Brad explained. "Our Net Promoter Score of 66.7% was already beating industry standards. But we knew we could do even better."

Assembling a Dream Team for Transformation

The first step in ABR’s transformation was building the right leadership team. Jon Wise was promoted to lead the recruitment team, Dana Pasterski, already a 20-year ABR veteran, expanded her leadership in operations and Jamie Mayer was added as new Director of Sales. Combined, they have over 50 years of industry experience.

"This whole leadership team was new,” Johnson noted. "We faced challenges like late-paying clients and inefficiencies in recruiting, but we also had a strong foundation to build upon.”

Rediscovering Their "Why"

ABR revitalized its core mission with a new rallying cry: "Powered by Purpose since 1987." More than a slogan, this reaffirmed their unique position as a for-profit company supporting Forward Service Corporation, a non-profit bridging education and employment gaps.

"Everything we do supports a higher purpose," Johnson emphasized. "Our profits help sustain Forward Service Corporation in case of budget cuts or grant reductions. It ties us back to our whole mission of giving back to the community."

This deep community connection became a key differentiator. "We emphasize our non-profit partnership to clients, and it truly sets us apart," Mayer added.

Small Changes, Big Impact: A Culture of Continuous Improvement

With their renewed purpose, ABR focused on operational improvements. They leaned on ClearlyRated’s (CR) technology as a guide. Informed by the actionable insights provided by CR’s feedback data, Pasterski and the team were able to make operational improvements to their internal interview process, standardization strategy, touchpoint frequency, staffing solution customization and even the adoption of other technologies. Pasterski said the small changes had power in numbers.

"We created a huge list," Dana shared. "It wasn't one big overhaul, but a lot of small tweaks that added up to significant improvements."

As time went on ABR’s team became even more effective at using CR to provide NPS-improving client and candidate experiences. With easy-to-use technology, ABR’s employees were able to gather and understand feedback and then implement new strategies quicker and more effectively all to positive results.

Over 12 months ABR saw less miscommunications, more consistent client and candidate experiences, and more actionable data analysis as their NPS rose.

Embracing Innovation in Recruitment

“At ABR, we believe innovation isn’t just about keeping up—it’s about staying ahead,” said Wise. “By embracing advanced recruitment technologies, we’ve streamlined our processes, reduced drop-off rates, and delivered better outcomes for both candidates and clients."

A critical aspect of ABR’s success was its adoption of advanced technologies, including CR’s ability to automate CX processes and analyze data over time. ABR took manual work such as sending surveys and automated them which saved time and energy. They were also able to effectively plan for the future by understanding historical trends in CR’s data analysis month over month.

Other recruiting technology investments like AI-powered candidate matching, applicant tracking software automation and enhanced screening processes lead to improvements like faster submission of qualified candidates to clients, lower candidate drop-off rates and more satisfied candidates and clients, respectively.

Elevating Client Relationships

While operational changes and technology adoption are crucial, ABR knows staffing is, at its heart, a people business. As such, they set out to improve their client relationships and started by utilizing their own partner relationship.

ABR led the drive to improve, but were able to lean on their CR white glove service and dedicated customer success manager for help. Their CSM helped ABR see insights in the data and expedite the journey from feedback to action. With this partnership as a tool in their belt, ABR created an innovative method.

"We implemented more of a 'Team Lead' approach," Mayer explained. "One individual from ABR was assigned to a client to be that person they would go to with every question, every concern, any new orders."

This approach allowed ABR to be more personal with clients, provide more consistent and responsive service and better anticipate each client's unique needs.

"We truly listen to what each client needs and deliver accordingly," Mayer stated. "This level of customization has been a game-changer."

Record-Breaking Satisfaction and Growth

ABR’s re-commitment to purpose and small, but impactful changes lead to an increase in NPS from an already impressive 66.7% to 88% in just 12 months. Their overall improvement in experience management led to even more impressive numbers:

• 100% of clients answered the NPS driver questions positively
• Zero detractors in client feedback
• 51% of ABR's customers were new clients
• An increase in gross profit margin

This growth in profitability, achieved during a period when many competitors were struggling to survive, underscored the effectiveness of ABR's strategic changes. With a focus on speed while maintaining accuracy, they were able to increase retention, recover previous business and decrease the time to fill openings with candidates already in their ATS.

With tangible success, ABR again turned to CR. This time to promote their results and prove they were the industry leaders. ABR earned CR Best of Staffing awards in both Client and Talent Experience as well as consistent positive testimonials on the CR Directory. Both items provided third party validation that helped build ABR’s reputation in the market and attract new business.

Keys to Success in a Challenging Market

ABR started as an industry leader, but finished as an industry role model. Over the course of their 12 months of exceptional growth, the firm gained important insights about how to succeed in difficult times.

• Remember your core purpose and values
• Balance technology with the human touch
• Everyone row in the same direction
• Listen to, and act on client feedback

ABR was able to combine leadership alignment, powerful technology and, most importantly, humanity to create staffing excellence. Johnson mentioned that’s where it all started in the first place.

"We wanted to get back to our roots; back to the basics of recruiting," Johnson said.

Looking to the Future

Despite their achievements, ABR remains committed to further growth. They plan on expanding their AI and automation tools, deepening their non-profit connections and moving into new markets and locations.

ABR’s transformation showcases how a staffing firm can not only survive, but excel in a difficult market. Their ability to innovate while staying true to their mission not only resulted in record-breaking client satisfaction and strong financial growth, but also an “extraordinary difference” in the lives of their clients, candidates and communities.

Why ClearlyRated Partnered with Avionté and How the Collaboration Benefits Their Shared Clients

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For over 50 years, Sterling Engineering has built their success on a simple philosophy—genuine care for people. But how could they turn these valuable relationships into measurable growth? By leveraging ClearlyRated and its integration with AviontéBOLD, Sterling is unlocking new opportunities to engage passive talent, reconnect with former clients, and create fresh sales opportunities—positioning the company for even greater success! Discover how: Sterling Engineering Case Study