Consultants should build relationships with clients rather than relying on emails, according to fashion recruiters.

Karen Hill, managing director at at Fashion & Retail Personnel, told Recruiter that her firm had managed to get on PSLs and were trading well due to concentrating on fostering relationships with clients.

“It is a personnel business. An email does not get your personality across in the same way as meeting someone face-to-face. I have heard from clients that agencies are over them like a rash at the moment. How can you do business without a relationship? You wouldn’t do business with an accountant you have not met.”

Liz Gilder, managing director at People Marketing, adds: “Email is de-skilling recruitment consultants. It is increasing work, it is not decreasing work. Consultants are being flooded with the CVs. IT is slowing them down – it is not making it any easier. With the advance of IT, it is more remote. All you hear is the clicking of keyboards rather than people on the phone.”