Testimonials
Since the inception of topinterim in late 2000, we have facilitated many successful client hirings, both for world-leading businesses and for innovative SMEs. Here follows a selection of endorsements from our ever growing list of satisfied clients.
(Some of these projects were highly confidential so, whilst all comments have been reproduced verbatim, some company identities have been protected as requested.)
"We have used topinterim highly successfully on two occasions already to source interview shortlists for vital projects in our company's start-up and rapid growth phases. The first topinterim senior manager, a PWC-trained FCA and top acquisitions specialist, saved us £100K in her first week (we were in the middle of an acquisition), which was twice her entire fee for the months that followed till the conclusion of her project.
"The second senior manager hiring also proved highly satisfactory. On both occasions topinterim's fixed hiring fee, following a choice of three top-quality shortlist candidates, was just £3K, as both projects were for less than six months."
Chairman, world-leading internet broking site
"By using the topinterim hiring process we found an outstanding independent FCA and FD to build a new way of working inside our company.
"topinterim's fixed charge for a successful hiring success represented extremely good value. The effect on our bottom line this year, through the excellent work of our chosen senior interim FD working alongside our own FD, was highly satisfactory. But, more importantly, we now have a platform to develop the new account-based analysis he built to make each investment pound work to maximum advantage and, just as vitally, to avoid costly investment mistakes.
"This will be a substantial five-year benefit to us. The whole process - from the initial brief through to our selection of three top candidates, interviews in London, final selection, agreement of terms directly with the chosen candidate and the start of the project - took just eleven days. The chosen candidate's fee against the deliverables we agreed was just under £30K, including topinterim's fee.
"There's nothing in the market like topinterim - it's quite revolutionary."
MD, London-based, market-leading, £40m+t/o major brand distributor
"I set out to find an interim manager in 2005 to provide cover during my business partner's maternity leave and ended up finding a 'change agent' that, with a bit of luck, will impact on our long-term business growth far more than I ever expected.
"The end-to-end process with topinterim was a joy to experience and ran without flaw.
"Using topinterim's independent briefing service in preparation was money well spent - not only for the skilful extraction of the true requirement from my initial ideas, but also as a highly thought-provoking session of business coaching and consulting.
"The shortlisted candidates were all of exceptional quality and a pleasure to meet and interview.
"The guidance and advice throughout the process were honest, concise and extremely valuable. The cost was a fraction of what it was worth!
"I would without hesitation recommend topinterim."
Neil Turner - MD, Venture Information Management Ltd, London
"I contacted topinterim via the internet from Italy in 2005. I own a substantial European logistics company, and was seeking a senior solution for one of my UK subsidiaries. The e-contact with topinterim was very fast and it was clear pretty quickly that they could help me solve a complex problem. They sent over their briefing template, which I completed and returned. From this they were able to send me a wide choice of candidates from their excellent 'library' of membership - about twelve 'short CVs', in fact.
"They suggested that I choose six; in the event I chose five. Two of them were too busy to help at the time; the other three were all keen to be interviewed. I flew over to London the following week for an extensive interview day at topinterim's offices in Piccadilly. After the meetings, all three shortlisted candidates sent me excellent summaries of what they could do and what they would charge. From the interviews and this feedback I was able to find not only a great 'front-runner' but also an excellent back-up. They were all fine senior managers.
"I flew my first choice over to Italy the following week for a further meeting. We agreed terms and he started on the project in the UK the next week. Not only did topinterim's single fixed fee on success represent extremely good value, but I was also most impressed by their fast, efficient and pragmatic service."
Chairman and owner - leading Italian-based European logistics business (2006)
"The core management of the Crown Prosecution Service set about radically improving its service 'process', both internally and externally, in 2004-2005. This successful project continues into 2006 - indeed, nowadays improvement is our constant mantra. We were determined to 'own' the process ourselves - not only for the very substantial financial savings to the taxpayer, but also because we thought we could do it better than by employing an expensive top consultancy. And so it has proved.
"The outside resource we did use, however, consisted of two core senior interims - one crack independent HR director, and one in operations improvement out of the manufacturing industry, who we selected very carefully in 2004 using proper government criteria, although not through interim agents. Then, as the project developed we were able to select other senior interims for specific parts of the project. It was here that, in early 2005, topinterim was recommended to us.
"The hiring process via them became very fast and very easy. They sent over a number of great skillsets in line with our brief. We chose a small number for interview and selected one. We paid just one fixed fee on success to topinterim and contracted directly with our chosen senior interim, who was a top engineer with RAF, Sony and Pioneer board credentials. He was so successful that his project was extended to beyond the three months' initial period. We know that with an interim agent, an extension would have meant further agency costs. Not so with topinterim.
"Our project has already saved millions in terms of process and staffing costs to the CPI, and even more importantly has significantly improved the speed at which many of our vital services are delivered to our internal experts and outside suppliers.
"We have found that senior interim management is often far more cost-efficient than expensive branded consultancy in really effecting change inside an organisation. topinterim's calibre of candidate is very high, and at the same time its cost for a disciplined hiring is by far the lowest in the market."
Janet Birch, National Business Support Manager - Crown Prosecution Service, London (2006)