Client: Ernest Hunter Green
Interviewee: Sue Palmer, Director
Sector: Professional Services, Banking & Financial Services, Real Estate & The Built Environment, TMT, Retail, Leisure & Hospitality
Company Size: 2-10
Migrated from: Bullhorn
Ernest Hunter Green is a specialist Executive Search business. Since 2015, they have delivered senior mandates across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East.
As the business evolved, their strategy shifted heavily towards winning and delivering retained search projects. This is where their existing technology hit a wall. Retained search requires different workflows, deeper detail, and more specific reporting than standard contingency recruitment.
Sue Palmer, Director, realized their current tool was holding them back:
“It became clear that our existing CRM could not support the activities required for this type of work. It lacked the agility and versatility to grow with a smaller business more of a one-size-fits-all approach.”
They didn’t need a generic tool; they needed a system they could influence.
Ernest Hunter Green chose Seven20 because they wanted to be architects of their own process. They didn’t just want to “buy” a CRM; they wanted to build a workflow that looked and felt right for Executive Search.
The implementation process became a strategic audit of the business.
“It was a good opportunity to take a step back and think about exactly WHAT we wanted and needed from the CRM.”
By utilizing Seven20’s flexible architecture, they mapped the system specifically to their retained search methodology, ensuring that the software followed the consultant’s natural workflow, rather than forcing the consultant to follow the software.
The impact of the new system has been cultural as well as operational.
One of the biggest challenges in recruitment is getting consultants to use the CRM. By building bespoke dashboards that actually help the consultants (rather than just monitoring them), EHG changed team behavior.
“Using the dashboards has improved the system usage across the team rather than recording activity retrospectively.”
With accurate data coming in, the leadership team gained a clear view of the battlefield.
“We now have accurate, real-time insights that help us make better decisions and plan with greater confidence.”
For a boutique firm, support is critical. Sue highlights that the Seven20 team (specifically James Bright) operates more like a consultancy than a helpdesk.
“They deliver a personal service… often providing solutions to challenges we didn’t even realise we had.”
“Take the time to clearly define what you need from your CRM and don’t be afraid to look for a system that can grow with you. It’s worth investing in a platform that not only supports your consultants’ day-to-day but also provides leadership with clear, actionable insights.”
Client: Keystream
Interviewee: Khyati Pal, Director – Business Transformation & Change Management
Sector: Public Sector Recruitment & Consulting (Digital, Data & Technology – DDaT)
Company Size: 11-50
Migrated from: Vincere
At Keystream, the mission is clear: empower public sector organisations through people-powered, tech-enabled solutions. Their recruitment and consulting services across digital, data, and technology (DDaT) are designed to make public services more accessible, efficient, and tailored to the people they serve.
To achieve this, Keystream needed a CRM that could evolve with the business, not hold it back.
Keystream’s journey began with frustration. Their legacy CRM struggled to handle the intricacies of public sector recruitment, creating:
Khyati Pal explains:
“Our outdated CRM couldn’t manage the sector’s unique demands, leading to widespread frustration and inefficiency.”
The business knew a modern, adaptable CRM was essential to support complex workflows, improve adoption, and provide accurate, actionable data.
After evaluating multiple recruitment CRMs, Keystream discovered Seven20 through Salesforce. What stood out:
“Seven20 struck the perfect balance, enabling us to tailor our CRM without building one from the ground up,” says Khyati.
The onboarding and setup process was smooth and highly collaborative:
“The Seven20 team were remarkable from the get-go—professional, caring, and far from pushy,” Khyati adds.
The biggest impact of Seven20 was flexibility. Every time the business changes, the software and automations evolve without disruption.
Key outcomes included:
“With Seven20, adoption is sky-high, reports are accurate, and our team’s productivity has improved significantly,” says Khyati.
Seven20’s service has been consistently professional, proactive, and results-focused.
“Their consistent friendliness and professionalism are quite the rarity,” Khyati notes.
Khyati’s guidance for businesses struggling with their CRM is clear:
“A CRM isn’t a luxury; it’s essential. Audit your system, scrutinise your processes, and check how your staff are using it. If your CRM is causing headaches, switch it before you’re trapped in long contracts. A CRM should be your business’s beating heart—if it’s not, it’s time to start looking for a new one.”
This case study is ideal for organisations that: