The client
Established in 2001, Dee Set provide a range of retail solutions that help retailers and brands sell more. Their innovative solutions drive growth, ROI and cost efficiencies, from distribution and fulfilment to merchandising and manufacturing. Their customers include some of the world’s largest brands, such as P & G, and Unilever, and supermarket giants Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons.
The background
Dee Set delivers market-leading retail solutions to help its customers remain competitive. With expertise in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, they embrace leading-edge technology. In 2019 the organisation began a large-scale transformation programme across all business arms to boost accessibility for their clients. When the Pandemic gripped the UK in 2020, Dee Set was well equipped to help clients navigate the new normal, having moved to the Cloud. However, several new applications were required to support the ongoing programme of work.
The requirements
Dee Set approached Crimson in September 2020 requesting support as they were struggling to source specialist talent to build their new retail applications. As well as permanent IT recruitment, Crimson provide IT contractors to hundreds of businesses across the UK. The need for agility is something Crimson can relate to as they place IT contractors, within their own IT solutions business.
The challenge
Dee Set requested Developers with Python, NAV and Xamarin experience, and there are only a small number of Developers in the UK with these unique skills.
The approach
Paul Davis, a Senior Recruitment Consultant within Crimson’s Contract Recruitment team, spearheaded the campaign. Dee Set was previously searching for a candidate with experience in Front and Back end Development. Armed with market knowledge and intel from Crimson’s community of Developers, Paul worked with Dee Set to devise a new list of requirements. Off the back of Paul’s advice and working exclusively with Crimson, Dee Set developed new roles, specifications, and day rates. Promising a unicorn and delivering a horse is not something Crimson do; transparency and market intelligence are critical when dealing with scarce skillsets.
The complete list of roles
- Net Developer
- NAV Developer
- Python Developer
- DevOps Engineer
- Test Analyst
- Xamarin Developer
- Front end Developers
- Back end Developers
The strategy
Senior Recruitment Consultant Paul used Crimson’s existing network of Developers and Crimson’s referral scheme to fill each of the roles with known or recommended professionals. Crimson consultants use a powerful market-leading recruitment database that identifies the availability of candidates within minutes. Crimson’s fulfilment team regularly update candidates’ experience and qualifications so that the team can perform keyword searches. As Crimson also has an IT solutions business, they understand their customers’ problems and have helped many companies with complex recruitment campaigns.
The result
Speed, quality, and compliance are the principles of successful contract recruitment. In this case, Paul Davis, Crimson’s contract representative, more than met these criteria, fulfilling each role, including compliance checks with a known or recommended candidate within 7 to 12 days.
The ROI on investment for the client
Crimson placed the first specialist at Dee Set in September 2020, and in 2021 contracts were extended due to the scale and success of the project. Paul is in touch with the team every week to ensure Dee Set and our Developers have everything they need for continued success.
The client’s comments:
“Our digital transformation was a complex and large scale project that required specialist resources at key times in the project. Working with the Crimson team ensured we could access the required resource at speed to keep the project on track. All candidates provided by Crimson were of high quality and slotted into the wider team with ease.”
Ross-Hall-Galley, Head of Business Change at Dee Set.
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