Tim Cook, new managing director of Hays Construction & Property, said the company plans "real development" on the back of a customer service drive.

Cook told Recruiter the firm was carrying out a nationwide survey to rate its customer service and ask clients whether they would recommend Hays. "We want to know where we are. We've done lots of work on customer service before but it's been patchy because we haven't known who to target. This question is relevant to everyone."

Cook added, "This industry uses too much intuition. We're all salesmen, but it's a corporate environment and we need data to quantify and base decisions on."

Cook, who became managing director of Hays Property & Construction last month, joined Hays when he was 18. "I love it, it's my home, and it's my family. Our big strength is we take on graduates and I've grown up with them. It's unique and irreplaceable in a company of this size and we want to continue that."

Cook said that Hays had also improved its benefits package, and career development paths to reduce staff turnover and maintain service quality. "We are known as a feeder to the rest of the industry, but we can't put bars on the windows," he added. "We have started to see people come back to Hays. We are seen as a firm to have a great career with — our people can move regions and globally."

Cook has also appointed HR co-ordinators to ensure fixed appraisals take place on time. "Our directors became detached and we have reattached them. They have to sit and talk to their people. Before we embarked on this our staff retention was industry average, now we retain twice as many."

Cook said the company will concentrate on growing by finding niches within niches. "We don't want to be a generalist agency, we want to be a specialist," he added.