Team24 welcomes Waitrose back to the high street

Nov. 18, 2009 - PRLog -- Banstead UK, Local business Team24(www.team24.co.uk), a leading healthcare recruitment specialist, welcomes Waitrose back to the high street and reflects on the valuable lessons it has learnt from the tragedy and the impact this has had on Team24’s business.

Team24, whose offices are located across the road from the former Waitrose site, was saddened by the fire that destroyed the store, but it also taught the company a crucial lesson which resulted in a radical new business approach for Team24.

The Waitrose fire prompted Team24 to make a major investment in its technology, the aim being to become a paperless office and reduce potential natural disaster risk, as well as spearheading the company’s growth.

Robert Stiff, founder and managing director of Team 24 said: “As a business, our candidates’ data is of utmost importance and accurate records are essential to our business success. With over 15,000 candidate paper files stored in the office, following the fire we realised it was essential to address this. What we never anticipated was the massive impact it would have on the growth and expansion of our business,” continues Robert.

The new strategy aimed to transform the previously paper driven applications into an online procedure. This would not only significantly reduce the paper files stored on the premises, but generally improve efficiencies.

The introduction of a paperless environment via a new web-based application system that integrated the organisation’s CRM programme has sped up the candidate application process by as much as 50% and has helped Team24 expand its database by 10,000 applicants.

“The Waitrose store was an integral part of the community and the high street, my staff and I regularly visited the store for essential supplies. We were both shocked and saddened by the damage caused to the store and immediately sympathised with Waitrose and the high street retailers affected by the fire. Whilst our offices only suffered minor damage in the blaze, it did set off alarm bells for me. Incidents like this highlight how vulnerable business is in these situations and it really made me think about the long term effects an incident like this would have had on our business. We urge other Banstead businesses to do the same. Team24 would like to welcome Waitrose back to the high street, and to wish the management and staff of Waitrose a very successful store opening,” concludes Robert Stiff.

Case Study – ‘Entering a paperless environment’  


Local introduction
Banstead based company, Team24 learnt a crucial lesson last year when the Waitrose store across the road from their offices burnt down. Although the impact of the fire caused minor damage to the Team24 building, the situation rang alarm bells with the managing director, Robert Stiff and a radical new approach was taken for the business.  A major investment was made this year to improve their technology in order to become a paperless office and reduce their disaster risk, as well as spearheading the company’s growth.



Company background
Team24 is a healthcare recruitment specialist based in Surrey. The company has a portfolio of high calibre doctors and nurses that can offer temporary support to GP surgeries, out of hours’ services, HM Prisons and military establishments, as well as all aspects of community nursing, for the NHS, private sector and also private clients.


Risk to the business
The company offices are located in Banstead, Surrey and last December the decision to transfer the business and its candidate application process online took place following a serious fire at the nearby Waitrose store.

The management team saw the devastation that was caused to the local Waitrose business and reflected upon the disaster and the impact it could have had on their own organisation. A radical decision was taken to ensure all their data was protected and a new web-based application introduced.

Over 15,000 candidate files are stored in the office, with the numbers increasing every week as hundreds of doctors and nurses submit applications. The new strategy aimed to transform the previously paper driven applications into an online procedure. This would not only significantly reduce the paper files stored in the premises, but generally improve efficiencies and reduce potential risks to the business.


Bespoke online solution
In order to enter a paperless environment and remove the need to print off forms, the web application process was integrated with the CRM programme. This simple merger of the two systems enabled a candidate’s details to be entirely stored online, as well as being securely backed-up.

It has enabled both the Registration and Sales Teams to operate in a more sophisticated manner and access up to the minute information about candidates.


Benefits
•   Speeded up the application process, reducing it by 50%, from 6-8 weeks down to 3
•   Reduced the application drop out rate by 50%. Completion rate for online applications has risen from 32% to 61%
•   Expanded the database by 6,000 applicants in 6 months
•   Enabled the business to consistently meet clients’ growing needs for good quality staff through the expanded database
•   Delivered repeat business and strong growth


For further information, contact: Karen Wright or Jenifer Davis, kwright@thebluedoor.com or jdavis@thebluedoor.com , 01252 899969

Editors Notes:

•   Team24 was founded in August 2005 by Robert Stiff as a healthcare recruitment specialist placing
   doctors and nurses in temporary placements within GP surgeries, NHS Trusts and private hospitals.

•   The company has grown from six to 38 employees and places 1000 nurses and doctors every week,
predominantly in London and the Home Counties. Team24 also has a core Out of Hours business in the Highlands & Islands of Scotland.

•   Growing Business Awards 2009 judging panel included: Theo Paphitis, chairman of Ryman and `Dragon`; John Caudwell, founder of Phones4U; Will King, founder of King of Shaves (2008 Company of the Year); Vin Murria, chief executive of Advance Computer Software and partner at Elderstreet; Andrew Haigh, managing partner, Entrepreneurs Client Group, Coutts & Co; Sir Andrew Cahn, chief executive of UKTI; Professor Russel Griggs OBE, chairman the CBI`s SME Council; Martin Allison, Dean of Business & Law, Leeds Metropolitan University and Professor Andrew Burke, Director of the Bettany Centre for Entrepreneurial Performance & Economics, Cranfield School of Management


- ENDS –