Providing long-term value to ZF with our relationship-driven MSP.
ZF is a global technology company supplying advanced mobility products and systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology. To ensure they could continue supplying their products to the market, ZF sought an MSP partner to save money and time, improve compliance and streamline their recruitment process.
Their challenges
So they could continue attracting the talent they required in a skill short market, ZF were looking for a solution partner that could seamlessly consolidate their supply chain and migrate existing contractors as part of a first generation MSP focusing on their niche, technical requirements only. We have further outlined the key challenges they faced below:
1. Niche skill sets
As an organisation engaging niche, technical skills within an increasingly skill short market and ageing workforce, ZF were struggling to fill their Software, Systems, Hardware and Safety Engineering requirements. They were utilising an extensive recruitment supply chain and, instead, wanted to leverage the delivery of a specialist STEM partner to meet demand and streamline the process.
2. Outdated tools & processes
ZF’s internal HR department were not engaging modern recruitment and management tools and technologies, which resulted in creating inefficiencies in their contractor recruitment process and management. They needed to engage a workforce programme specialist who could advise on and implement best-fit tools to underpin their contingent recruitment solution.
3. Cost concerns
Without a consistent process in place for engaging agencies, ZF were engaging a large number of recruiters at differing – and sometimes inflated - rates, resulting in ZF overpaying. ZF were looking to engage a workforce solution that could leverage high levels of direct fulfilment and therefore increased cost savings and better delivery results.
What we did
Following ZF’s competitive tender process, due to Matchtech’s history as ZF’s leading PSL supplier and our in-house capability to deliver workforce solutions, we were appointed as their MSP partner. We implemented ZF’s first generation master vendor MSP with a core focus on addressing each of their challenges and recruiting for their Software, Systems, Hardware and Safety Engineers. Through our solution, we engaged high direct fulfilment levels through our market insights and reach, put in place professional process management underpinned by market-leading tools, and delivered increased cost control. We did this by:
Carrying out a thorough implementation process: We take the implementation of our partners’ workforce solutions extremely seriously. To ensure our solution could get up-and-running smoothly, our Account Manager, Ashton worked full-time at ZF’s offices in Solihull for the first five months of our partnership. Here he oversaw the implementation process and worked closely with ZF’s internal HR team to get to know their stakeholders, the organisation and their preferences and challenges. During this discovery period, Ashton found that they were in need of process and technology modernisation and he worked with ZF to successfully implement new efficient processes and our own industry-leading technology stack specifically designed for STEM recruitment processes.
Putting in place a dedicated Solution team to ensure prioritisation of their requirements, stakeholders and needs. This solution team comprised of Account Director, Huw Jones, Account Manager, Ashton Church, and Delivery Manager, James Swift. They were supported by a wider delivery team made up of specialist consultants and a Solution Coordinator, dedicated to supporting and maintaining smoother process management.
Implementing a dedicated Delivery Manager: Throughout our 12-year partnership, our solution has been spearheaded by Mobility specialist, James Swift. James has 20 years’ experience delivering into the Mobility market, giving him the market knowledge and candidate reach to deliver 100% of ZF’s requirements directly. Having spent the last 12 years ingrained in ZF’s organisation and requirements, James has formed strong relationships across ZF and provides invaluable support in finding the best candidates, at competitive rates. As a result, James has become so valued that he is seen as an extended member of their team.
Consolidating their supply chain, increasing direct delivery and delivering cost savings: ZF asked us to consolidate their supply chain, as they wanted to move towards 100% direct fulfilment of STEM roles to reduce reliance on expensive agencies. From commencement of our MSP, the supply chain did not fill or have access to vacancies, meaning we delivered 100% direct fulfilment from day one.
Carrying out a thorough implementation process: We take the implementation of our partners’ workforce solutions extremely seriously. To ensure our solution could get up-and-running smoothly, our Account Manager, Ashton worked full-time at ZF’s offices in Solihull for the first five months of our partnership. Here, he oversaw the implementation process and worked closely with ZF’s internal HR team to get to know their stakeholders, the organisation and their preferences and challenges. During this discovery period, Ashton found that they were in need of process and technology modernisation and he worked with ZF to successfully implement new efficient processes and our own industry-leading technology stack specifically designed for STEM recruitment processes.
Putting in place a dedicated Solution team to ensure prioritisation of their requirements, stakeholders and needs. This solution team comprised of Account Director, Huw Jones, Account Manager, Ashton Church, and Delivery Manager, James Swift. They were supported by a wider delivery team made up of specialist consultants and a Solution Coordinator, dedicated to supporting and maintaining smoother process management.
Implementing a dedicated Delivery Manager: Throughout our 12-year partnership, our solution has been spearheaded by Mobility specialist, James Swift. James has 20 years’ experience delivering into the Mobility market, giving him the market knowledge and candidate reach to deliver 100% ZF’s requirements directly. Having spent the last 12 years ingrained in ZF’s organisation and requirements, James has formed strong relationships across ZF and provides invaluable support in finding the best candidates, at competitive rates. As a result, James has become so valued that he is seen as an extended member of their team.
Consolidating their supply chain, increasing direct delivery and delivering cost savings: ZF asked us to consolidate their supply chain, as they wanted to move towards 100% direct fulfilment of STEM roles to reduce reliance on expensive agencies. From commencement of our MSP, the supply chain did not fill or have access to vacancies, meaning we delivered 100% direct fulfilment from day one.
The results
Throughout our 12-year partnership with ZF, we have seen significant results, including:
- 100% direct fulfilment: We consistently met ZF’s contractor needs despite market challenges such as their hard-to-find skill set requirements within a skill-short market, increased demand of these skills across the market and wider developments such as the IR35 reforms. By implementing our own market-leading technology, this meant smoother end-to-end processes, timesheeting & billing as well as improved customer experiences. As we are providing their niche technical skillsets, volumes have remained steady throughout the partnership. At the MSP’s peak, we had delivered 125 contractors on assignment at one time, and, in total, we have delivered more than 500 placements at a 100% direct fulfilment rate.
- Migrated long-term contractors: Delivering a seamless implementation was imperative. Throughout this process, we safely migrated 30 long-term contractors to new contracts, ensuring compliance and no disruption to operations.
- Cost savings: Delivered significant cost savings by consolidating their supply chain, creating a single point of invoicing and cost savings from reduce markups, and avoiding the high fees charged by external agencies.
12
years of partnership
100%
direct fulfilment
500+
placements
Client retention and contract extensions
We initially won a 5-year term in 2013 and have since received three extensions without ZF going out to tender. This highlights the strength of our solution and partnership and indicates ZF's strong satisfaction with us. Now in the 12th year of our partnership, we continue to stick to a highly collaborative approach to act as an extension of their own HR team.
Added value
Underpinning our MSP for ZF has been ongoing added value to support them in reaching their workforce and wider business goals, including:
IR35 reforms guidance & consultancy: We provided crucial support during the private sector IR35 reforms, organising workshops and meetings to help the client navigate the complexities of these changes.
Thorough contingency planning: We researched, developed and implemented contractor contingency plans during periods of uncertainty such as Brexit and COVID-19, to ensure continuity in contractor fulfilment. This included fully managing the furlough process for PAYE as well as offboarding and reengaging other candidates.
Provision of benchmarking & competitor analysis: Throughout our partnership, we provided regular market insights covering rate benchmarking, candidate motivations and challenges, market mapping, alongside competitor analysis. This helped ZF to make more informed decisions and for us to develop and implement targeted strategies to ensure 100% fulfilment.
Permanent recruitment support: In addition to delivering their MSP, we remain on their PSL to assist in delivering their permanent recruitment. By doing this, we’re ensuring that their HR and talent team are benefitting from total talent requirements, with us complementing their TA team rather than competing.
IR35 reforms guidance & consultancy: We provided crucial support during the private sector IR35 reforms, organising workshops and meetings to help the client navigate the complexities of these changes.
Thorough contingency planning: We researched, developed and implemented contractor contingency plans during periods of uncertainty such as Brexit and COVID-19, to ensure continuity in contractor fulfilment. This included fully managing the furlough process for PAYE as well as offboarding and reengaging other candidates.
Provision of benchmarking & competitor analysis: Throughout our partnership, we provided regular market insights covering rate benchmarking, candidate motivations and challenges, market mapping, alongside competitor analysis. This helped ZF to make more informed decisions and for us to develop and implement targeted strategies to ensure 100% fulfilment.
Permanent recruitment support: In addition to delivering their MSP, we remain on their PSL to assist in delivering their permanent recruitment. By doing this, we’re ensuring that their HR and talent team are benefitting from total talent requirements, with us complementing their TA team rather than competing.
After 12 years, Matchtech remains ZF’s trusted MSP partner. We’re successfully maintaining 100% direct fulfilment and constantly looking for ways in which we can provide added value.
Outstanding client satisfaction
As testament to their satisfaction with us, ZF provided us with the following testimonial expressing their gratitude to James:
“He is well respected within the Company for various reasons, by both the HR organisation and our Engineering Managers. Firstly, James understands very well what we do, and what sort of resources we need to continue doing it well. Secondly, he sources just the right sort of contractors for us in terms of attitude and technical ability. Finally, he is at all times professional, courteous and very easy to work with and has dealt with more problematic matters with both tact and diplomacy.”
Kate Holland, HR Business Partner & HR Operations Supervisor
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