Insights – Tyson Wilson

Recruitment firm Tyson Wilson, is the latest developing company to benefit from the Ulster Bank Entrepreneur Accelerator programme.

Bangor Businesswoman Michelle Tyson, founder of Tyson Wilson Recruitment Consultancy, has already worked with some a wide range of companies across the UK. And now with the support of Ulster Bank Tyson Wilson is growing into a leading corporate services brand.

The six-month programme is designed to power up entrepreneurs who want to grow and scale their business with each hub surrounding entrepreneurs with the right coaching, environment and networking opportunities to take their business much further, much faster.

Tyson Wilson Recruitment Consultancy specialise in filling multiple roles for growth clients, and have experience working with industry-leaders from a diverse range of sectors.

Gordon Merrylees, Managing Director Entrepreneurship, Ulster Bank said “We are delighted to welcome Michelle Tyson and Tyson Wilson Recruitment Consultancy on to the programme in Belfast.

“With our unique offering that provides the right environment, coaching and networks, we help entrepreneurs start, scale and succeed every day.

“We look forward to seeing Michelle engage with the programme and grow their business with us.”

Michelle has over a decade of experience in the recruitment industry across the UK and Ireland.

Tyson Wilson are currently recruiting for clients in Belfast, Manchester, Lurgan, and Dublin in industries such as Customer Service, Sales, Help Desk, Office Support, Clerical & Administrative, Call Centre and Maintenance Tech.

Tyson Wilson founder Michelle said the programme has been “invaluable” to helping her expand her business: “After a decade in recruitment I’m absolutely delighted to get the opportunity to work with Ulster Bank on accelerating the business to the next level.

“After just three months on the programme we’ve been able to bring a lot more clarity to our business and our bespoke range of offerings to our growing client base.

“We’ve been really lucky to see our business grow almost immediately and through working with our Entrepreneur Acceleration Manager John Ferris we have developed and delivered new workshops and products to our existing and new client base.

“I couldn’t recommend this programme enough to any small business who want to grow at a rate that can really make a difference.”

Speaking about the work Tyson Wilson does locally, nationally and internationally Michelle added: “Primarily, Tyson Wilson is a recruitment company helping clients efficiently and effectively fill new and existing roles. Almost all industry sectors across Ireland and the UK are struggling to hire the right people – the people you will need with the right qualifications, experience and skill sets needed to take your company to the next level.

“In today’s marketplace, a robust recruitment strategy is a must – it helps to prevent the hiring of poorly performing employees, reduce staff turnover, and effectively manage recurring recruitment costs.

“Once staff have been recruited the hard work begins to be able to retain them and offer effective promotional opportunities to those with ambitions beyond the role they were recruited for.”

To apply for a place on the Ulster Bank Entrepreneur Accelerator log onto http://www.ulsterbank.co.uk/accelerator

In 2019 the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the number of people in work in the UK had reached its highest level since 1971, hitting 32.7 million. Not just that, unemployment fell to 1.34 million, the lowest level since 1975.

Despite the rising levels of employment one report this year claimed cash is still king when it comes to attracting employees in the UK. According to B2B International’s Business & Marketing Survey 2019, which polled managers across Europe, apparently values and cultural fit are not viewed as particularly important during the recruitment process.

Salary and core compensation package were cited by respondents as the number one motivation for employees when considering an organisation. Just over a quarter (28 per cent) believed money mattered, followed by work environment and atmosphere (24 per cent) and location (24 per cent).

However, the UK Internal Staff Survey 2019 from Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) found the top reason employees were happy in their job was down to a “good work environment/culture”. In this survey employees cited empowerment, team cohesiveness and support as some of the elements that contributed to a good work environment and strong sense of culture.

Interestingly, new research by Capita Employee Benefits found that the vast majority (94%) of business leaders admitted their organisation needed to better use benefits as a strategic tactic to improve employee retention.

Positive employment figures give hope within the recruitment space, however, contradictory research leaves HR managers and in-house recruiters more confused than ever before about what can and will work to attract, retain and engage talent.

At Tyson Wilson, we’re responding to that confusion by helping our clients not just recruit new employees but drill down where the skill gaps are and help to identify the tactics and strategies that can be implemented in order to maximise staff productivity and reduce turnover.

Recruitment consultancy Tyson Wilson Ltd have launched their new 8-point training framework aimed at helping large organisations become more focused on employee engagement, retention and leadership development.

Founder and owner of the company Michelle Tyson says the move into providing training services is a reaction to client needs and the changing landscape of the recruitment industry.

She explained: “We have pulled together a training framework which allows us to partner with and utilise our network of professional experts and experienced trainers in order to offer Tyson Wilson clients a fuller, more complete service.

“Whether taken in tailored sessions or as a full training plan the Tyson Wilson Training Framework allows our team to work with clients and their teams to increase employee engagement, improve employee retention, positively affect team morale and focus on a range of leadership objectives and more.

“The framework has been created in such a way that we can work with clients to provide a tailored approach to their in-house learning objectives.”

Some of the new training packages available include:

Sales Training
Customer Service
HR Dispute Resolution
Employment Coaching (large groups, seminar style)
Mindset
Healthy Choices
Thought Leadership
Content & Publicity

For more information or to request a call or meeting with Michelle email info@tysonwilsonrecruitment.co.uk or call 07860636486

When it comes to job searching, more often than not, we are influenced by what we have “heard” about an industry rather than what we know.

The call centre industry is one of those industries where people have a number of misconceptions – not necessarily unfounded, it was once a hard sector to work in.

However, in the last decade the thriving world of call centres, especially in the UK and Northern Ireland, means employers have had to up their game significantly.

As a result it can be, for some people, one of the best places they’ve ever worked.

Here’s 4 common misconceptions about working in a call centre:

Working in a call centre is all about making calls to people who don’t want what you’re offering

The first thing that you need to know about this very common misconception is that there are actually a wide range of jobs available within call centres. From sales agents to quality assurance, from customer service agents to IT personnel, there are many roles that may appeal to you, and many opportunities that offer job satisfaction.

Even if you do opt for an outbound sales job, that doesn’t mean that you’re going to be faced with a nightmare of a job! After all, you’re calling people to offer them something that is going to bring added value to their lives.

Yes, you will encounter some people who will be brusque, if not downright rude, but let’s face it, you’d meet the same people in any sales situation – and even further afield! It’s all a matter of learning how to deal with such situations in a calm and rational manner.

Call centres are all based on targets and you’re given little time to meet them

Any sales job – and many customer service jobs for that matter – will involve targets. It’s a matter of understanding your targets and, if you find them unachievable, discussing them with your line manager.

Most sales targets are based on analysis of performance so, if others are meeting their targets and you’re not meeting yours, it’s a matter of asking for further training or for pointers as to how you might improve your performance.

Call centres are boring, unfriendly ‘sweat shops’

This is a very common misconception about call centres, but it’s very wide of the mark. In addition to the fact that they provide a very sociable environment, there’s also a terrific team spirit in many call centres and you’ll find that you’ll be quickly – and warmly – welcomed into the company!

Working in a call centre is a road to nowhere

Wrong, wrong, wrong. The number of skills that you can acquire by working in a call centre is endless.

Ongoing training means that you’ll gain insight into handling customers in a highly-professional manner as well as excellent sales and objection handling techniques.

Multi-tasking is one of the most highly-developed skills employed in call centres and once you’ve gained experience in working in a call centre, you’ll be armed with a skill set that you’ll be able to take with you into any future career.

It’s easy to think the call centre industry is just a modern factory where people stop off in between “real” jobs. That’ couldn’t be further from the truth.

The thriving sector is full of training and promotional opportunities and can not only be a fantastic stepping stone to your chosen career or a wonderful place to carve your own career with plenty of job types and management roles available.

Here are 6 things you will learn at a call centre, regardless of whether it’s a stop gap or a permanent career:

Communication skills

It probably goes without saying, but excellent communication skills are vital for working in a call centre. Even if you think you have good communication skills when you first join a call centre, the ongoing training, not to mention dealing with customers on a daily basis will hone your skills until they’re razor sharp and will enable you to deal with even the most trying of experiences.

Improvisation

Call centre training is wide-ranging and extensive. In addition to the ‘script’ that you’ll be given to learn, you’ll also be taught coping skills for when a customer doesn’t follow your script! At times like that, creativity and improvisation will be the name of the game!

Keeping calm

When your voice is your only means of communication, it’s vital that you maintain a calm and cordial tone at all times, regardless of the tone and attitude of the person on the other end of the line.

Always take the time to let the caller explain why they have phoned. This not only shows that you’re interested in their call but, in the event that they’re agitated or angry due to a particular situation, it gives them time to ‘get it all out’ and hopefully calm down.

Strong work ethic

Call centre agents, who are successful in their career, share a strong work ethic. By watching those around you, who have done well in the company, you’ll see shared qualities, such as reliability and a commitment to any tasks undertaken.

Excellent customer service skills

In a call centre, the customer is king and so, in order to succeed in your career you’ll be taught how to grow customer loyalty and how to develop a customer-focused attitude.

In general, when someone rings a call centre, it’s because something has potentially gone wrong or the customer perceives that an error has occurred, so it’s vital that you keep a cool head and remain polite; reassuring the customer that they have your undivided attention.

Multi-tasking

When you work in a call centre, you’ll often find that you’re having to multi-task while you’re speaking to a customer. This means that you need to be carrying out tasks such as looking at their file and making notes – all while listening to the customer speaking and responding. Even if you think you’re not great at multi-tasking when you first join a call centre, you’ll soon find that you’ll hone your skills on the job!

Mention the words ‘call centre’ and many people immediately summon up images of rows of people with headsets and telephones, frantically number crunching and being verbally abused by those on the other end of the line.

Let’s take a look at the reality…..

Expectation: You’ll be working in a highly-pressurised environment

Reality: If your idea of ‘highly-pressurised’ is helping to resolve customers’ problems in a courteous and polite manner, then that’s exactly the type of environment you’ll be working in!

You have to remember that, when people telephone a call centre, they’ve generally experienced a problem in some aspect of their lives and want to put it right.

On occasion, their frustration may cause them to be less than polite at the beginning of the conversation, but your training and well-developed communication skills will provide you with the ability to resolve the issue to their satisfaction. And how much job satisfaction will that give YOU?

Expectation: Working in a call centre means non-stop phone calls

Reality: Up until about ten years ago, yes, you would have been constantly communicating by telephone. Now, however, you’ll be working between calls, emails, social media, video chats and instant messaging, which will give you a diverse, dynamic and ultimately interesting work environment!

Expectation: Call centres are ‘unhealthy’ places to work

Reality: As with the first point, the old and erroneous image of hundreds of people sitting in a pressurised – not to mention usually windowless – environment has long gone.

Many service agents are conscious of the fact that their work is quite sedentary and so many ensure that they put time and energy into looking after their health by going to the gym, taking part in sports and enjoying a healthy diet.

Let’s face it – working in a call centre is really no different to working in an office where you’d spend most of the day at your desk.

Expectation: Call centre work is boring, tedious and monotonous

Reality: Since call centre work is centred around communicating with customers, you get the opportunity to speak to a diverse range of people. How incredibly satisfying is that? On top of the fact that you get to speak to customers, you’re also part of a great team, who take pride and pleasure from each other’s successes.

In fact, a survey of call centre workers that was carried out a couple of years ago by LloydsPharmacy found that 29% of people who worked in call centres said that they had shared an extra-special connection with a colleague!

In recent years, the hospitality and tourism industry in Northern Ireland has been booming, and trend reports from data giants such as PWC, Deloitte, and the Northern Ireland Tourism Board indicate the future of the industry is buoyant.

In 2018, an estimated 2.6 million people from outside of Northern Ireland visited the region, and over 2 million NI residents took an overnight trip within NI. The economic value of both external and internal tourism last year reached an unprecedented £926m, a figure which is set to grow in 2019.

Overall, this is excellent news for the tourism and hospitality industry in Northern Ireland.

However, during prosperous times such as these we often see an increase in competition within the market, with both new entrants, and key players investing in renovations and expansions.

In June 2018, the 9,000 room barrier was smashed in NI, with hotel expansion being a regular news feature throughout the year. Northern Ireland’s largest hotel with 300 rooms, The Grand Central, opened in Belfast in June, followed by the 178 room Hampton by Hilton. There are now 142 hotels in Northern Ireland, with average occupancy rates of around 75%.

While sector growth and improved performance is of course welcomed, it brings with it its own challenges and growing pains – one such issue we see on a daily basis at Tyson Wilson Recruitment is increased difficulty in attracting and retaining key talent – particularly within an industry that is already experiencing significant skills gaps.

According to a recent survey by recruitment advertising platform, NIJobs.com, the hospitality sector accounts for 1 in 10 of all jobs in Northern Ireland, and represents around 24% of all jobs advertised with the website. In addition, the UK-wide hospitality industry is expected to create approximately 500,000 new jobs over the next five years. This means increased competition industry-wide for suitably qualified and experienced candidates.

With an estimated further sector investment of around £0.5bn underway or expected to be complete by 2020 in Northern Ireland, successful recruitment and retention of employees to enable sustainable growth is a pain point that is only expected to get worse.

The hospitality and tourism sector is heavily reliant on skilled and experienced talent, generalised recruitment practices is not enough. A sector-wide skills shortage can only be addressed through sustained and collaborative efforts between industry and others, such as education establishments and local government – which are in place and underway in the province. However, in the shorter-term, businesses within the sector should be taking steps now to address their human capital issues.

Our clients tell us that building a partnership with an experienced and reliable recruitment consultant can make all the difference to your business, and to your bottom line. In today’s market, Human Resources need to be able to devote a significant amount of time and energy into the retention of personnel and the engagement of current employees. By partnering with a specialist recruitment partner, you are able to free your internal HR resource from the laborious and incredibly time-consuming process of creating job specs, advertising vacancies, short-listing candidates, and even head-hunting for specialist or senior-level talent.

At Tyson Wilson Recruitment, we are experienced in sourcing talent for temporary, permanent, and contract positions, as well as working with businesses from across the hospitality and tourism sector, such as: hotels, restaurants, catering companies, events management, and the public sector.

We are industry experts in recruiting for a wide range of roles within the sector, from Chefs and Housekeepers, to Receptionists, Porters, and Executive positions. We understand that the pace of the industry requires fast response times and quick results, which is why we offer a full service package.

Newly launched Tyson Wilson Temps has announced a series of temporary job opportunities in County Down, with temporary placements in Bangor and Newry.

The call centre opportunities are such that successful applicants will be offered an immediate start with a minimum of two weeks work, providing not only extra money, but a valuable addition to CVs.

Michelle Tyson, CEO of Tyson Wilson Temps – a division of Tyson Wilson Recruitment – said the jobs have been designed to suit most applicants, and are with a well-known call centre.

“We are looking for over 100 enthusiastic people who are comfortable speaking on the phone,” she said, adding: “This minimum two-week temporary role (with the potential of becoming 4-8 weeks) involves our candidates being the first point of customer contact via telephone.

“You will be working on a major campaign where responsiveness and customer care are paramount.

“Depending on the selection process you may be required to communicate with customers through a variety of other channels such as email, web chat and social media.”

The hours are full-time, but flexible, with a £10 per hour rate, paid weekly.

Applicants must be 18 or over and able to start immediately or within two weeks. Working days are Monday to Sunday, 7am to 11pm in both the Bangor and Newry offices. Full training is provided.

“The employer is committed to providing flexible working so that you can work around commitments such as family,” said Michelle. “Applicants must demonstrate a flexible approach and be prepared to work rotating shifts, with rotas notified one week in advance.”

No previous experience required, but those applying must have basic PC skills, a nice telephone manner, be comfortable speaking with a variety of customers, and have an up-to-date CV and full identification for registration.

Michelle said this will be a vital stepping stone in employment, or ideal for those needing a wage going into the spring months.

“For those who are considering ‘temping’ there are a series of benefits,” she explained.

“It can help improve your CV, filling in a gap and offers the opportunity to learn new skills as well as gain much needed experience in an area that may be lacking.

“It also means that you can look at a new career direction as you learn new skills and consider what path to take. That’s not to mention the financial rewards and flexibility of temping with this client.”

To apply please visit https://tysonwilsonrecruitment.co.uk/jobs.

Please note if your initial application is successful you will be required to attend open registration within a few days at the site most convenient to you. If successful at the open registration you will be expected to commence training immediately.

Northern Ireland specialist recruitment company, Tyson Wilson Recruitment is expanding on its success, by opening a dedicated temp employment division service for employers and job seekers.

Building on almost five years in business the locally owned and run company will be making a £100,000 investment over the next two years, creating up to four new jobs as well as a further £50,000 in developing a recruitment app due for completion within the next 18 months.

Michelle Tyson, CEO, said that the recruitment market has expanded and evolved in Northern Ireland, and that it was the right time to expand services.

“When I set up the business it was because I spotted a gap in the market to become the first call centre specialist,” she explained. “While we created a unique service in that sector we were quickly approached by other sectors.

“From the growing number of requests from call centre clients for temporary staff through to other industries such as warehousing and hospitality it was clear that the market was growing.

“I always had plans to open a temp division as a I ran a temp division desk for my previous employer and loved the buzz and the fast pace of helping clients with their needs”.

Established in 2015 Tyson Wilson Recruitment Consultancy has developed its services for prospective employees and those with staffing requirements, including not charging a fee until appointment of successful candidates.

With offices in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter and Bangor the company offers a value-added temp service with dedicated consultants that are dedicated to meeting your staffing requirements over and above the core full-time workforce.

“It is clear that Belfast is becoming a central hub for new and existing businesses expanding in Northern Ireland,” said Michelle. “Research and expert analysis shows that there is a greater need for temporary staff, especially within the growing sectors of call centres, warehouses, hospitality, administrative, customer service, sales and other sectors”

With that in mind each Tyson Wilson client has a dedicated local consultant to take on and understand the brief, to make sure that the right people are placed in the needed posts.

Furthermore, they can help with the induction process by completing background checks, health and safety training, assessments and aptitude testing.

She is clear that the advantages of temporary work are for both candidates and employees.

“For those who are considering ‘temping’ there are a series of benefits,” Michelle explained.

“It can help improve your CV, filling in a gap and offers the opportunity to learn new skills as well as gain much needed experience in an area that may be lacking.

“It can also lead to being hired much quicker. When the right position opens you can be placed within a day.

“It also means that you can look at a new career direction as you learn new skills and consider what path to take. That’s not to mention the financial rewards and flexibility of temping.”

But Michelle is clear that the benefits for employers are just as important.

“We have seen that more and more need to scale up their workforce quickly, whether that be for a large new project or to urgently fill a post as a result of in-house sickness or maternity leave,” she said. “Our service means there is fast-track hiring, cover while recruiting permanent staff, bringing in fresh skills, meet peak work periods, control of costs, ‘try-before-you-buy’ and the potential to discover future leaders.

“For us recruitment isn’t a transactional process, but a service that is dedicated to looking after both sides throughout the process.”

Tyson Wilson operates ‘24/7 for 52 weeks of the year as Michelle’s experience shows that businesses do not sit and wait when they need cover. In addition, they operate full report management information including agreed key performance indicators at approved intervals.

Michelle said: Our aim over the next three years is to have the largest pool of call centre, warehouse candidates and other sectors in Northern Ireland registered and waiting.

“We are planning on investing £50,000 into research and development of a new app to help our clients and candidates register. We want to lower our carbon footprint and be one of the first agencies in Belfast to go paperless to make sure we fulfil our corporate responsibility to measure how environmentally friendly we are.”

For more information log onto tysonwilsonrecruitment.co.uk

PRESS ENQUIRIES

For further information please contact Tina Calder, Excalibur Press, 07305354209 tina@excaliburpress.co.uk

Notes to the Editor

Tyson Wilson Recruitment opened in October 2015. It is wholly Northern Ireland owned, and is a member of CCNNI (Call Centre Network Northern Ireland). To learn more please visit tysonwilsonrecruitment.co.uk

With the current precautions being ramped up in light of the Covid-19 pandemic many companies are advising staff to work from home. Equally, if someone in a household shows symptoms current guidelines are that the household will have to self-isolate for at least 14 days.

But for many this will be the first time they have worked from home, as opposed to just checking emails.

Michelle Tyson from Tyson Wilson Recruitmentsaid: “After the euphoria of not having to commute passes the reality is that working from home is still putting in the hours for your employer.

“It’s important to get it right from the beginning because showing that you can be productive from home will help to protect your job and help your employer stabilise the company in these uncertain times.”

Here are Michelle’s top tips:

1. Routine

“With all the distractions in the household, it is vital that from day one you establish a routine. That includes starting at the appropriate time, taking the same breaks as you would if still in the office” explained Michelle.

2. Workspace

Whether it’s a bedroom, dining room, or the conservatory you need to have a space that you can set up all the equipment you need, including some extra areas if needed. Try to avoid spaces used by the rest of the family such as the living room or kitchen.

3. Family

When working from home it is important to make sure that everyone knows that you will not be available for every whim. Tell your partner, and your children when you are taking a break.

4. Communication

Michelle said: “It is important for your work, and your morale, to keep in touch with your manager and colleagues. However, as well as email and phone calls Skype, Facetime and other devices means you can engage in virtual meetings that may be required. And, it’s one good reason why you shouldn’t just work in your pyjamas.”

5. VPN

If your employer has a Virtual Private Network, make sure to use that to help protect industrial confidentiality. Otherwise speak to your IT team about ways to keep everything secure.

6. Exercise

You will probably be sitting down for most of the day. Make sure to get up, stretch, move around. You can’t usually do that in the office, but you’re at home. And, get out, walk the dog, jog around the park, just make sure that you get fresh air and daylight.

7. Do something different

You may find that without the distractions of office life and meetings you have a little extra time around lunch or after you’ve completed your daily tasks. Bake, paint, garden -just do something different.

8. Time off

“No weekend, evening or early morning work. If you don’t normally work outside office hours don’t start now” said Michelle.

9. End of day procedure

You’ve finished your tasks for the day, it’s five-to-five. Make a note of what you have completed and a note of tomorrow’s tasks. Close the laptop, pour yourself a cuppa and…relax!

10. Finally

Make working from home fun. Can’t listen to music in the office? Crank up the tunes! Endless coffees and biscuits are on the work from home agenda. No suit/formal work wear, t-shirt, jeans or whatever you are comfortable wearing. No alcohol, however, no matter how tempted you are.

If you are in the position where you need to take a break from your current position or want to add to your income during these uncertain times Tyson Wilson Recruitment are currently recruiting a number of temporary and permanent roles.

For more information email Michelle at info@tysonwilsonrecruitment.co.ukor go to tysonwilsonrecruitment.co.uk/jobs