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New Partnerships, Client Relationships, Software Solution and Enhancements Highlight TalentQuest’s 2009 Business Growth
‘Committed team’ enables firm to remain successful, despite widespread economic challenges.
ATLANTA / January 26, 2010 - Despite continued economic weakness, human capital management and software solutions firm, TalentQuest, today announced that 2009 proved to be one of the most significant years in the firm’s 35-year history.
“In the midst of a truly challenging economic climate, our firm remained flexible and made the necessary adjustments that enabled us to flourish,” said Kevin Sessions, president of TalentQuest. “I am especially proud of the way our team pulled together and put every effort towards building new business and upholding strong client service standards. Our team continually prioritized a commitment to client loyalty, trust and client specific solutions. As a result, our clients were able to select, manage and develop the very best employees, which resulted in their improved business execution.”
In August, TalentQuest was selected for Inc. Magazine's 2008 Inc. 5000 list, its third honor in as many years. The annual list of American entrepreneurs ranked the firm among the nation’s fastest-growing private companies.
“We are especially thankful for the continued support of our employees, our clients and our strategic partners in 2009, and our relationships with each of these groups really strengthened over the course of the year,” said Dr. Frank Merritt, CEO of TalentQuest. “In a year when virtually everyone focused on aggressively reducing costs, we are proud that our clients found significant value in their partnership with TalentQuest and that our services and solutions were deemed to be critical to attaining clients’ business objectives.”
New and Expanded Client Relationships
In 2009, TalentQuest added dozens of new clients to its roster including Hyatt Hotels, New York Life, Protective Life, TSYS, McAfee, Welch’s, the State of Tennessee, Alabama Power, Hornbeck Offshore, Air Products, the Special Olympics, Forest Laboratories, and Prime Technological Services. Other new client highlights include:
- The Chubb Group of Insurance Companies engaged TalentQuest to develop a custom competency model and assessment center senior levels in the organization.
- Mizuno Corporation, a Japanese-based sporting goods manufacturer and sales organization, engaged TalentQuest to design and deliver a multi-year talent strategy. The newly designed talent strategy includes such aspects as competency modeling, management training, leadership development, implementation of the TQ Talent Management Software Suite for automation of goal setting, performance reviews, 360 surveys, employee engagement surveys, and assessments for selection.
- Mueller Water Products, a manufacturer and marketer of infrastructure and flow control products for use in water distribution networks and treatment facilities, engaged TalentQuest to create and deliver a custom training program for 500 first line supervisors. Additionally, Mueller automated its performance management process by implementing the TQ Competency Management Module, the TQ Objectives Management Module, and the TQ Performance Appraisal Module.
The firm also expanded many existing client relationships, including Sedgewick Claims Management, Timbar, and RNDC.
New Strategic Partnerships
In an ongoing commitment to anticipate client needs and be prepared to efficiently and broadly deliver an expanded offering of talent management products and services, TalentQuest continued to establish partnerships with like-minded, synergistic organizations throughout the year. Key strategic partnerships established in 2009 include:
- Estrella Partners, a consultancy specializing in human capital consulting, sustainability and risk management;
- OnPoint Consulting, an organizational and leadership development firm;
- MarksonHRC, a firm that specializes in executive compensation-related planning;
- UGA Terry College of Business, the oldest business school in the state of Georgia; and
- Nex21 LLC, a holding company with a broad range of businesses across various industries
Each alliance was designed to align TalentQuest with companies that offer complimentary and value-added solutions, while extending the company’s nationwide reach and service capabilities. In turn, partners benefit from leveraging TalentQuest’s comprehensive and integrated talent management solutions, ranging from competency management modules and selection assessments, to performance management and compensation planning.
“We have received really positive client feedback from partnering with these established and respected organizations. Our clients are continually exposed to new aspects of talent management and afforded greater geographic flexibility,” said Kevin Sessions, president of TalentQuest.
Software Enhancements / New Solutions
For over three decades, TalentQuest has continually succeeded by evolving and expanding its offering in response to client feedback and changing needs. In 2009, TalentQuest continued to employ this strategy, enhancing its software functionality and user interface and broadening its offering with the addition of a compensation management module. The new module, supporting multiple currencies, provides a compensation platform that allows managers to assign salary increases to their direct reports and optionally link pay to performance metrics.
Other significant enhancements to TQ Software include dozens of new management reports, new configurable user forms, and the introduction of Influence Surveys, focusing on the behaviors used by the most effective influencers, for those individuals who needs to work across organizational boundaries. A host of new sophisticated management reports includes competency analysis and rater frequency for both 360 Feedback Reports and Performance Appraisal Reports; usage reports for Selection Assessments; and various new reports for Admin & Security and Objectives Management.
“By offering the new TQ Compensation module, we recognize the value employees place on their performance and their individual compensation packages. We also recognize the holistic impact individual compensation has on the organization’s bottom line,” said Sessions. “The countless enhancements made to the TQ platform this year will continually offer the user a more efficient and effective experience achieving desired results.”
Community Involvement
Throughout 2009 TalentQuest continued to place a great deal of emphasis on community involvement and support. The firm supports organizations across Atlanta including the Special Olympics, East Atlanta Kids Club, and a number of religious organizations in the city, through pro-bono consulting services and discounted software pricing.
In June, TalentQuest partnered with 21st Century Leaders, an organization committed to expanding the number and diversity of future leaders through leadership programs, to roll out a leadership development program targeting inner-city high school students. The program, “G5 at Goizueta” enlightens participants with the core fundamentals of living a life of leadership.
“In difficult times like these, it is more important than ever to remember how fortunate we are and to share what we have – be it our time, our skills or our financial resources – with others. This is a core value we have upheld for years and we will continue to increase the expectation we place on ourselves to reach out to others” said Merritt.
In late 2009, the firm began developing a new initiative designed to formalize and solidify its commitment to supporting the communities in which it operates. The program, which is expected to launch in early 2010, will enable the firm to offer non-profit organizations the same value-added software solutions and consulting services at a fraction of the cost. It will also include an organizational commitment of volunteer time for its employees.
About TalentQuest
TalentQuest has been strengthening organizational performance and advancing leadership for more than 35 years by blending the art of consulting with the science of technology. The company’s consultants and organizational psychologists deliver fully-integrated human capital management consulting and talent management solutions that span the entire employee lifecycle—from talent selection to leadership succession—enabling organizations to maximize the value of their investment in people. The company provides strategy alignment, assessment and selection, management and talent development at every level to enable clients to increase profitability and competitive positioning, and achieve peak performance.
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