Joseph Creek of Particularly Travel asks: I’m interested in hiring a new senior consultant for my growing agency, but have never used a recruitment firm before. Could you give me some insight into the costs involved? Is there a breakdown between basic consultancy with a recruitment professional and actually employing a firm to put together a selection of suitable applicants? I’m in the dark here.

Adriana says: A recruitment agency is a great option as qualified staff are difficult to find in the current market. Such a company can provide professional assistance as they manage the entire recruitment process including placing adverts, interviewing, reference checking and short-listing suitable candidates while also sourcing people directly through their extensive candidate databases. This will mean you have access to a broader range of staff and you don’t have to wait for a candidate to apply.

As for fees, every agency varies in terms of fee structures and replacement guarantees, but in general a placement fee is only charged if you hire a consultant via the agency. No upfront fees should be charged just to receive a shortlist – you should only pay for success. The fee is normally charged as a percentage of the first year’s salary and a reputable agency will be able to explain the terms and conditions so you are well aware of the costs before entering into any agreement since these can vary quite significantly.

Name withheld of agency withheld asks: I have an awkward dilemma to address. Unfortunately one of my staff members has consistently not measured up to expectations. This has come in spite of me providing coaching, encouragement and incentives over the best part of a year. She has lazy tendencies, seems unengaged with the product, often turns up to work hungover and just hasn’t got it. I need to let her go, but I’d rather not pay out a redundancy. She’s clearly not meeting KPIs, so I want to know the best and most sensitive way to manage this person out, if possible.

Rachael says: I agree 100%. Consultants that aren’t meeting expectations and have been given every opportunity to succeed should not be supported by your business. In this case I would recommend a step by step process that could take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.

Step 1. In a one on one environment explain that you are not happy with her current performance and that you will need to see some improvements. Prepare a detailed list of your concerns in writing and go through each point. An example list might include: not doing her share of office jobs; not qualifying the client enough to select appropriate product; a lack of enthusiasm when presenting product; not asking for bookings; not recording inquiries; and not hitting monthly sales targets.

Step 2. Ask her if she agrees with the list and how she feels about her poor performance and you raising it.

Step 3. Ask her how she wants to move forward? On many occasions people will suggest they resign at this stage because they start thinking it is all too hard. Respond with – that is your call – I am happy for you to try and improve.

Step 4. Assuming she has not resigned then make an action plan for each item. Once again, go through each item and get her to commit to some action.

Step 5. Set targets with real numbers. For example, “I will need you to start making eight bookings per week”. Explain that you don’t want to go down the termination path but this meeting should be considered as her first verbal warning.

Step 6. Follow up on the agreed date and go through what she has and has not achieved. If the improvements have not been acceptable explain that it warrants a written warning.

Step 7. Update the expectations around the behaviours and results and set another check in date. Continue this process through the second written warning stage until she resigns or you have to terminate. Hopefully the reverse happens and you see a huge turnaround in attitude and performance.

Anne Kelly of Agency withheld says: I need some advice from the resident PR expert. A rival agency in the regional city I am based in has recently gone on a PR blitz which consists of a poster campaign on their shopfront and banners in the local paper. The campaign shows Mystery Shopper results that score their agency as the number one in the city. My agency scored quite badly and the negative feedback is there for all to see. I’m not angry with my staff member, who might have just had a bad day or even spotted the Mystery Shopper, but I want to know what I can do to restore the public confidence in my agency. I can’t exactly go and tear down the offending posters or stop the presses. Can you please help?

Georgia says: It is difficult for companies when they receive negative exposure in newspapers, magazines or on websites and this can trigger emotional reactions when it is much more important to keep calm and consider your options to deal with the situation.

In many instances it is not possible or advisable to respond directly to the negative publicity. Responding to bad press can validate or highlight an issue and will only serve to generate more awareness about what has happened. So, you are right in saying you can’t tear down the posters or stop the presses. It would also not be recommended to try and release any comment or response to it through the press. This could lead to a media storm of 'he said, she said reporting’.

However, this does not mean you shouldn’t act at all. It is certainly worth undertaking a publicity campaign of your own, which concentrates on your key relationships and showcases your agency’s strengths in order to balance out the negative publicity. For instance, you can highlight the team’s many years of experience, the length of time the agency has been servicing the local community, the range of offers you have and the destinations you specialise in.

You should view it as a chance to showcase what makes your business a success. It is important to take this opportunity to look at what makes your agency unique and how you provide exceptional customer service. It may also be worth putting a few new initiatives in place that highlight your value offering. Once these initiatives are in place, it would be a good idea to undertake a publicity and advertising campaign of your own to communicate this to your local area. If handled correctly, the positive messages communicated by your agency will ensure that the effect of the negative publicity is balanced out and it will not be long before the rival campaign is completely forgotten.