HelpResource founder shares insights on how a staffing agency can discover its niche and stay on the cutting edge of technology.
Thirteen years ago, Ilya Prusenko founded a company specializing in mass recruitment. Within a few years, HelpResource emerged as one of the largest suppliers of personnel in the CIS region, catering to the burgeoning e-commerce industry. Today, Ilya's team is actively expanding into new markets and embarking on a new venture-recruiting digital workers for companies. We sat down with Ilya Prusenko to glean insights from his unique experience and groundbreaking ideas.
You started recruiting staff for e-com when this area was just gaining momentum in the CIS. How did you realize that this niche was promising?
The e-commerce market in the CIS countries experienced a delayed development compared to America and Europe. In the early 2010s, when the global e-commerce penetration was estimated at 12-15%, online stores in our country were just beginning to gain popularity.
I sought an intriguing market where we could collaborate with companies keen on rapid growth. After assessing the prospects for e-commerce, I decided to pivot in that direction. It was evident that the volume of orders from users and warehouse space would soon experience growth, necessitating a significant workforce to handle the picking and delivery of goods.
By then, I already had a team with substantial experience in recruiting for various industries, particularly in manufacturing. Initially, we focused on collaborating with online stores gradually establishing partnerships with major players in the online retail market. Today, our major clients include Yandex, Samokat, Taste of Will, Perekrestok, and Lenta. Since 2019, thanks to our strategic focus, our company has experienced exponential growth. Currently, we specialize in e-commerce recruitment in two countries-Russia and Kazakhstan. We have plans to establish a presence in America as well, a venture we began in 2019.
Why do online retailers choose to partner with you, and is it challenging to find couriers in today's market?
These companies are experiencing rapid growth, overwhelming their in-house HR departments. To manage this explosive expansion, they mitigate risks by seeking external partners to handle recruitment in tandem. This is especially crucial due to the high turnover in this sector, with an estimated monthly personnel outflow of about 30%.
In terms of what sets us apart from other staffing companies, we can efficiently onboard over 100 employees in any region of Russia within a week. This efficiency is a result of our well-established processes, a cohesive team, offices in various cities, and our extensive database of several hundred thousand potential employees that we can engage in projects. This capability is vital for large federal retailers aiming to establish a presence in all regions, and our resources play a pivotal role in fulfilling this need for them.
Some companies are exploring the use of robots to organize deliveries. Is the delivery sector becoming one of the first areas where robots replace human workers?
To the best of my knowledge, there are no clear indications yet that robots will entirely replace traditional couriers. While some companies are experimenting with this technology, these robots currently have limitations. For instance, they are unable to lift orders to elevated floors and struggle to function in low temperatures and adverse weather conditions.
Simultaneously, other industries have already implemented successful solutions to automate tasks. Companies are starting to integrate digital workers into their processes. Unlike ordinary bots, these digital workers don't perform isolated tasks but handle entire processes. Operating in tandem with humans, they learn through practice and gradually assume more routine responsibilities over time.
We are currently pursuing an innovative idea. While there are numerous staffing agencies helping employers find human employees, there is a gap in the market for agencies utilizing artificial intelligence for companies. We aspire to be the pioneering digital staffing agency. Presently, we are in discussions with a trailblazer in the realm of digital workers and several companies that express interest in incorporating such technology.
In your opinion, which areas do you foresee a demand for digital workers?
I believe that artificial intelligence will find applications in various industries. Primarily, digital workers will prove beneficial in departments that involve continuous client interaction, such as customer support and sales. They can handle customer queries, verify product or service availability, direct customers to specialized experts, and prioritize requests based on urgency.
Just a few years ago, this seemed like science fiction. Today, technology has reached a stage of development where artificial intelligence is accessible. Every entrepreneur can implement solutions based on it, thereby simplifying the lives of ordinary employees-replacing them in some aspects and reinforcing them in others.
You have very unconventional approaches. Does your team have other innovative projects?
We've developed a platform that we loosely refer to as the 'Uber for white-collar workers.' It's a service for 1099 workers: after logging into the app, individuals see a list of tasks they can take on. This way, they can earn money without being tied to a specific employer and find clients without intermediaries. Currently, we are working on localizing the project for the American market.
Platform employment is predicted to have a significant future. However, it does pose certain risks for the worker. Regardless, its development will lead to significant changes in the labor market, and someday, it may even supplant segments like staffing agencies.
HelpResource currently operates in three CIS countries and the USA. Are you planning to enter new markets?
Yes, we have crafted a strategic development plan extending until 2030. During this period, our aim is to establish new offices in an additional 28 countries. By the end of this year, we intend to venture into the markets of Mexico, Peru, and Indonesia. Presently, we are actively seeking partners and identifying promising niches.
