Interview with KeyMan:s CEO and founder Mats Mårtensson
JOHOC client KeyMan from Sweden are expanding to Spain. KeyMan offers a meeting place where demand for qualified consultants meets supply. With 9.000 consulting firms and 100.000 consultants in the network KeyMan can find and supply the most requested and hard-to-find consultants on the market. As an independent consultant broker KeyMan always make sure that the customers get the right consultant at the right term. To understand more about KeyMan we meet up with their CEO and founder Mats Mårtensson.
Q: Could you please give us a short introduction to KeyMan
KeyMan was founded in Sweden in 1998 and has 30 employees. The head office is in Stockholm.
Q: Can you shortly describe the story behind the KeyMan
We wanted to change the market by focusing on the customer's needs instead of starting from which consultant the consultant company had on the bench. We wanted to make it easier for the customer to find the right consultant. Instead of contacting 5-10 consulting companies, they only contact us as consultant broker, so we put their needs in competition with thousands of consulting companies.
Q: How would you describe KeyMans services and the value it adds to the market
Simply put, clients get better candidates faster and at a better price. The client can devote himself to more important tasks than chasing consultants.
Our subconsultant network is an unparalleled resource that enables us to offer a diversity of high quality and specialized services to our clients. Through our subcontractors, we reach approx. 100,000 consultants. With 9,000 consulting companies (of which 3,000 freelance consultants) in the network and 45,000 CVs in the database, delivery capacity is one of our absolute strengths.
With such a large and varied network of consulting companies and freelancers, we can adapt our resources to the customer's specific needs and project size. Whether it's a small short-term task or a larger long-term project, we can deliver tailored solutions that are cost-effective and efficient. In our network, we have the greatest access to senior consultants with 15 years of experience and above. Where traditional consulting companies can offer one to two specialists in an area, we can offer our customers at least 5–10 specialist companies.
Q: How does the KeyMan differentiate itself from competitors in the industry?
Many consultant brokers have large networks. What sets us apart is the process for finding exactly the right candidate for the client. KeyMan has developed and works according to a process that ensures quality through all phases of the assignment in order to achieve an optimal result with each order. To succeed as a consultant broker, one must have the ability to listen to the customer's needs and then attract the market's best consultants to apply for the assignment. Since the beginning, we have invested in having senior consultant brokers with extensive experience in the industry.
Q: Can you share some success stories that you are particular proud of?
After 25 years in the industry, there are a lot of things that you are extra proud of. One such occasion is when we helped Tillväxtverket with over a hundred consultants in one month.
Q: Can you describe the KeyMans target market or ideal customer?
Our customers are often large or medium-sized organizations that see IT as an enabler. They often have their own IT department where consultants are used to cut work peaks and to bring in expert competence.
Q: You are now expanding to the Spanish market, how come?
The Spanish market is very interesting for us. Spanish companies are developing rapidly. We see that we can help companies develop further with specialist expertise from both Spanish and Swedish consultants. We established the consultant broker concept in Sweden and now want to give Spain the same opportunity to reach the market's best consultants.
Q: What type of partners are you looking for in Spain?
We want to establish partnerships with everything from freelancers to large IT consulting companies. The goal is to have as large a delivery capacity as possible.
Q: What can consultancy company in Spain expect from KeyMan as a partner?
Spanish consultant companies can see KeyMan as an external sales organization. We process the customers and sign framework agreements with them in order to then be able to present exciting assignments to the consulting companies.
Q: Do you have any exciting news that you want to share about the company?
Despite unrest in the outside world, KeyMan has had good growth in recent years. Last year we increased by 30%. The best thing is that customer satisfaction is still among the highest in the industry, even though we have grown a lot in recent years.
If you want to know more about KeyMan and its solution and get in contact with Mats. Send an email to info@johoc.com with the headline "KeyMan"