68. Birds of a feather, flock together

Dear Jan

Thanks for the tip! Over the past 18 years, only once has an employee started up on his own and tried to take a client with him. He didn’t succeed and that customer remained loyal to us.However, a few months ago, two employees in Slovakia, who had been dismissed, started up their own company. Before their departure, they attempted to illegally appropriate a significant portion of our TalentBase® (a database of candidate CVs). They did not succeed. They are now approaching our customers and staff trying to persuade them to walk over to them. Meanwhile, 10 of our colleagues are working there. Eight of them were previously fired as they could not meet our minimum standards. Their departure saw an increase in our revenues, which grew by 13 % in the first quarter. It is notable (and fortunate) that nobody wants to join them. Our customers too are not eager to join them.

They are able to undercut us, as they know all the conditions that we have with our customers. For our colleagues it could be tempting. Higher salaries, a better bonus scheme, no ‘tough’ KPIs to meet and much lower demands on quality and productivity. And that is precisely the crux. That is our salvation with respect to our colleagues and our customers.

Clients tend to stay with us as they know they can rely upon us. We are very loyal to our customers and we are ready to meet their every need in every possible way. Everyone knows that a promise from us will be delivered on. The reason our colleagues stay with us is probably also because of another important aspect. It is not easy to work at Lugera. You need to be very capable and highly ambitious in order to keep improving and be successful. We are very demanding and it is a challenge to keep up. At least for those who go for mediocrity. For our colleagues, with a great attitude and passion for their success and their job, no challenge is too big and for them Lugera is the very best company to be with.
And that’s why they stay. Ambitious people constantly need challenges, need to develop themselves and are attracted by a demanding environment and they will never settle for mediocrity. And so it is with our customers. We work with the most professional companies and with great HR departments who are extremely demanding.

I am convinced that every company has the staff and the clients it deserves. Mediocrity naturally ends up with mediocrity. Excellence attracts excellence, both with customers and staff. It is striking that many of our competitors (and customers) are preying on our people. This is sometimes tedious and tiring, but ultimately the biggest compliment we can get.

If Lugera is on your resume, all doors in HR are open to you. This letter may sound like a commercial, but I mean every word of it.

Regards,
Gerard