Grow – Drive Your Business Into its Next Phase of Growth!

On Thursday the 9th of October, Fire Restaurant on Dawson Street provided the setting for a breakfast briefing entitled ‘Grow – Drive Your Business Into its Next Phase of Growth’. The event, organised by Sigmar Recruitment and CurrencyFair, featured three speakers from three relatively young companies who have experienced major expansion since their foundations here in Dublin.

The three speakers were: Michael O’Donovan, COO, CurrencyFair; Michael Cunningham CCO, CarTrawler; and Dermot Costello, Head of Operations EMEA, Qualtrics.

Sigmar Recruitment’s Robert Mac Giolla Phádraig moderated a discussion between the three companies’ representatives, where the panel outlined the fascinating evolution of their respective companies. The audience were given an insight into what drives these hugely successful organisations and what has helped them to grow and become what they are today.

Listening to the speakers, a pattern began to emerge and it was evident that the twin pillars of ‘hiring the right people’ and ‘customer service’ has been inherent to their growth.

Hiring the right people

It’s often said in business that employees are a company’s most valuable asset. Each speaker emphasised the importance of hiring people who are the right fit for their company.

Michael O’Donovan spoke how it’s crucial to hire the right people for the right roles. CurrencyFair look for candidates with energy, people who will deliver on what they promise to deliver. They like people that are a bit pushy as that usually indicates drive and a will to succeed. Positive people are especially valued as they have the ability to energise those around them.

Michael Cunningham talked about how they invest a lot of time and trust in their staff at CarTrawler. 25% of employees were promoted in the last year as part of their growth while 10% of employees are getting their 3rd Level education paid for by the company.  The organisation is very mindful of having people working in roles that they are suited to.

Dermot Costello outlined the traits they look for in potential new hires in Qualtrics. They seek out people who are super smart, motivated and possess great interpersonal skills. Crucially though, they also look beyond the here and now when recruiting. Can this person work at two levels above what they’re hiring them for, in the future? Can they pivot? Do they have the ability to scale into different roles as the business is constantly evolving?

Customer service

Ensuring that an excellent level of customer service is maintained is a core philosophy of all three companies, and has been a key element in their growth.

Michael O’Donovan (CurrencyFair) stressed the value of everyone in the company being very good at customer service. Every new hire spends time working as part of the customer service team so as to get an appreciation of the importance of providing great customer support.

Michael Cunningham explained how CarTrawler tailor their service to suit all their different customers. A person hiring a car in Germany may have different needs to a person hiring a car in Ireland.

Dermot Costello emphasised how crucial providing top notch customer service is to Qualtrics. They have a policy in place where if a phone rings more than three times, a light goes off. Somebody has to get to that customer. Keeping the customer happy is always at the forefront of their thoughts.

Finally Sigmar Recruitment would like to thank our partners for the event CurrencyFair for their support; our speakers for their insight; and our attendees for battling the rain on the morning.  We look forward to seeing you again at future events.  For more pictures from the morning see https://www.flickr.com/photos/currencyfair/sets/72157648148550189/