Case Studies
With more than 30 years combined of direct IT and non-IT experience, UMS Professional Services speaks to our clients‟ needs and adds value to their organizations. Throughout the years, we’ve developed a deep understanding of the issues clients face in making Professional Services decisions and have developed successful solutions to overcome problems and allow clients to get back to business.
Our case studies serve as a testament of the innovative Professional Services we provide that create lasting business relationships.
Our case studies serve as a testament of the innovative Professional Services we provide that create lasting business relationships.
Case Study No. 1: Thinking Outside the Box
Beyond Petroleum – BP, Information Technology and Services Division IT &S
Summary : UMS’s broad search strategy yielded the perfect consultant for a position with an international Energy Company, Beyond Petroleum BP
Summary : UMS’s broad search strategy yielded the perfect consultant for a position with an international Energy Company, Beyond Petroleum BP
Problems:
Can’t Find a Perfect Match
Many organizations find the search for the perfect consultant with the right skill set and personality to be quite difficult. After three months of interviewing a number of consultants for a Project Manager position, this international Energy Company client was still unable to find a consultant who possessed the unique blend of experience and values they were looking for. As a result, the client sought the Professional Services expertise of UMS.
Solutions:
Change the Focus of the Search Strategy
UMS worked closely with the Procurement, Human Resources Executive team and Line Management to educate them on the local Project market. During the following weeks, the UMS Professional Services team added value to the Professional Services process by providing knowledgeable insight into market trends and the consultants the client was considering. UMS offered valuable feedback on the variety of consultants who had previously been considered by the Company, and worked closely with the Professional Services authorities to understand their unique needs. Ultimately, the Energy Company agreed to expand their search parameters to include consultants with a variety of backgrounds they previously ruled out. Instead of focusing on finding a consultant with large Health and Safety experience and heavy exposure to Energy law, the client switched focus to a consultant’s ability to connect with the team and who would work well within the Company’s culture. As the company refined their qualifications for the new job position, UMS changed their targeted Professional Services efforts to mirror the new profile.
Results:
When the client focused efforts on finding a consultant with strong Project Management experience whose personality fit the company culture and who had the ability to connect with the Company’s staff, the client was extremely successful in finding the right consultant through UMS who matched the criteria of necessary background combined with personality fit.
Case Study No. 2: Satisfaction, Guaranteed
Management College of South Africa – Mancosa, Research and Management Consulting Division
Summary:UMS’s generous guarantees for Professional Services offered flexibility in meeting a Higher Education Provider company’s unique needs.
Summary:UMS’s generous guarantees for Professional Services offered flexibility in meeting a Higher Education Provider company’s unique needs.
Problems:
Professional Services Consultant Relocated
While UMS boasts a 95% success ratio for Professional Services offerings, a small portion of clientconsultant matches may “fall off” for a variety of unique reasons. For this particular Higher Education Provider company client, the original consultant that the UMS Professional Services placed in a research and management consulting position was relocated by Mancosa due to internal restructuring, leaving the role open after only 10 months. Determined to fill the position once more, the company sought UMS assistance.
Solutions:
Flexible Guarantees
The timeframe that the original Professional Services offerings held fell outside of UMS's contractual guarantees; however, through the team’s dedication to core values and commitment to doing the right thing in every situation, the UMS Professional Services team assisted in substituting the position a second time, finding another suitable consultant through the company’s extended referral network. Knowing the match was a solid one, UMS offered the client a lengthy extended guarantee for the new Professional Services consultant to ensure total satisfaction.
Results:
The consultant accepted employment with UMS for the Higher Education Provider Company and maintains her research and management consulting role. The company consistently expresses how instrumental UMS was in finding the right person by truly listening to their needs and offering tremendous flexibility in the fees and guarantees.
Case Study No. 3: Communicating the Right Fit
Beyond Payments - Standard Bank's Innovations Division in Banking Systems
Summary:UMS‟s exceptional communication skills allowed for a true understanding of what a corporate Financial Services client wanted in a consultant.
Summary:UMS‟s exceptional communication skills allowed for a true understanding of what a corporate Financial Services client wanted in a consultant.
Problems:
Message Lost in Translation
While many Professional Services companies provide clients with consultants to fill contract and temp posts, not all can deliver exactly what a client is looking for. This corporate Financial Services client worked with another Professional Services agency for several months to fill a Technical Configuration Specialists for its IT team without success. The corporation received more than 70 resumes for the open position from their own recruiting efforts, but after a series of initial interviews, none of the consultants seemed to be the right fit. The other agency simultaneously sent them many consultants but none of them matched the client‟s search criteria. The client then enlisted the help of UMS.
Solutions:
Gain a True Understanding of the Client
The UMS Professional Services team met with the client in person to discuss what type of consultant was needed to fill the position. The goal was to understand with complete confidence what the client was seeking. Based on detailed conversations, the UMS Professional Services presented six resumes to the client that represented consultants who were thoroughly screened and matched based on skill set and cultural fit.
Results:
The client interviewed three of the six consultants, and two of them were asked back for a second round of interviews. In the end, one consultant was deemed a perfect fit for the original position. The company was so impressed with the "runner up" consultant; he was offered another consulting role within the organization. UMS has since worked with this client to staff a number of other IT Professional Services offerings and anticipates a long-standing relationship with the company over time. Excellent communication and understanding upfront contributed to this success.
Case Study No. 4: Business Partners for the Long Haul
Standard Bank Central Testing Centre
UMS provided Project Professional Services that grew and adapted to an international Banking company’s changing needs in multiple areas.
UMS provided Project Professional Services that grew and adapted to an international Banking company’s changing needs in multiple areas.
Problems:
Company's Expansion Creates Needs in Several Markets
As times change, so do the goals of Banking organizations. This Banking company client has been working with UMS over the last six months. Due to UMS local market expertise, the UMS Professional Services Team initially worked with this international Financial Services Company’s CTC Division to find a Senior Test Analyst for its head office. Several contracts were offered in the head office. And in an effort to get to know more about the culture of this Financial Services company, the UMS Professional Services Manager made time to visit other areas working closely with the CTC Team. The relationship developed rapidly and the UMS Professional Services Manager was called upon to assist with specialized Professional Services requirements for other growing divisions of the Financial Services company.
Solutions:
Professional Services That Grow with Clients
The UMS Professional Services team went the extra mile to understand and meet the growing needs of this client. The Professional Services Team at UMS screened 30 resumes for the Senior Test Analyst Consultant Role, interviewed dozens of potential consultants by phone and met in person with more than 10 professionals for face-to-face interviews. The Professional Services Team presented the client with five consultants – all of whom had qualifications that met and exceeded criteria.
Results:
The client, impressed with the level of consultants sourced, chose to interview all five consultants. After two rounds of interviews, the client signed a Master Agreement to utilise UMS‟s Professional Services offerings for Testing Resources. An offer was made to the consultant by UMS to be contracted to the client (CTC). Due to the level of Professionalism and calibre of resources offering Professional Services Consulting Services via UMS, even though the Client (Standard Bank Central Testing Centre Std Bank CTC) is currently undergoing severe retrenchments – UMS staff in the CTC environment has not been impacted