In our commercial terms in Indonesia there are some specific points to note:
1) We quote our contracts in Rupiah terms, not in US$ or other foreign currency.
2) We have no minimum fee stated.
3) We are tax exempt and therefore do not incur PPn, a 10% savings to our clients.
4) Our so-called “retainer fee” payments are based on work incurred, not on value of contract. So they are more like “progress payments”.
5) We do not charge for local expenses. If a multi-country search is required or recommended (for example, if you want to hire a foreigner and want to look in other SE Asian countries), our wholly-owned ASEAN network allows us to minimize expenses for a regional search, and also maintain our local fee level. (Many firms will ask for higher fee levels for multi-country searches, because they do not own the multi-country network, or have an internal fee-sharing contract requiring them to duplicate disbursement to their consultants.)

Much of our work is performed for multinational companies. If any of the following are of interest, please request more information:
1) We are working towards an ISO 9001:2008 rating, reflecting our commitment to quality of service
2) We are registered with Dun & Bradstreet (EKSEKUTIF SUMBERDAYA NUSANTARA, PT – DUNS Number 72-666-6519)
3) Our contracts carry clauses regarding our commitment to legal compliance
4) We regularly execute Non-Disclosure Agreements with our clients

One new feature to the section “Why Work with ESN” is our way of quoting our total fee. With our client’s agreement, a target compensation package will be decided, and we will quote a fixed fee based on that target compensation package. We will charge only the agreed fee, as long as the actual compensation does not exceed the target by 25% which, in almost 100% of the cases over our 25 year history, it does not. So with a fixed fee, and no charges for out-of-pocket expenses, our clients know exactly how much they will pay ESN from the beginning. No other search and recruitment firm can do it the same way as we do it.

Recruitment firms typically work with their clients on the basis of 1 of 2 catigories of commercial terms – contingency basis (no cure, no pay) or retainer fee (upfront payments). Just because a recruiting firms asks for a rertainer fee does not mean that they will work at a higher quality standard. In most countries, it is not possible to provide quality of service on a contingency basis. But in countries like Singapore, it might be possible for certain assignments. In Indonesia, in our opinion, it is impossible. But just because a recruiter insists upon a retainer fee, check his credentials first. There are less than a handful of companies (meaningless than 5) in Jakarta that work at a service level which would justify a retainer fee basis.

To make the commercial terms clearer, as many Senior Managers in commerce and industry do not understand the underlying philosophies, contingency terms are similar to consignment terms, or selling on a “indent basis”. In product-oriented industries, most reputable firms will not deal with indent agents or sales on a consignment basis, as these are very opportunistic and lack commitment to quality of service in the process. Its just for a quick sale and a sure way to damage your brand. And yet these same Senior Managers who avoid consignment or indent agents will entrust their companies very critical human resource acquisition to firms with the same opportunistic mentality, with no vested interest in brand appreciation. The reason often given is that “there is less risk”, but on whose part? There is less risk somewhere, but there is no commitment.

We never work on 100% contingency terms (no-cure, no-pay) as this works against all parties in the Indonesian business environment. We know this through direct experience. Contingency recruiters are able to close less than 10% of the assignments they work on, and therefore must work more than 10 times harder to make their money. This has serious implications on quality, and it is one of the primary factors why most Indonesian recruiters have a reputation for poor quality and only are able to survive for a few years in the market. We, however, are driven by internal standards, and are currently in process of implementing ISO 9001:2008, something no other recruiter in Indonesia has done. We do know that other firms which provide a service at our level, either locally or from Singapore, charge a minimum US$25,000-35,000 to provide less service than we do. This is why we have had successful operations for 25 years. And we firmly believe in the value of the long-term relationship and supporting our clients at all levels.

We are not just an advertised recruiter or a “headhunter”. We are an established, international executive search firm, operating in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, with extensive experience in recruiting senior professionals in all industries. This assures the advantage of ready access to prospective candidates in all relevant career arenas through a state-of-the-art information system, extensive research facilities and continuity of service.

Our knowledge of the structure, dynamics and financing of private/public sector organizations and consultative approach to executive search assures that your “headhunter” also understand your needs and is able to effectively assist with recruiting, evaluating and selecting candidates in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Our process orientation towards executive search enhances the probability that a consensus choice will be made and that all key organizational constituents will perceive that they have been represented in the decision process and are committed to the individual selected. This is outside the scope of those recruiters who are just headhunters, and most certainly impossible for those who outsource a lot of the research process to part-timers and inexperienced hourly workers.

Founded in 1983 in Indonesia as Eksekutif Search Nusantara, we were the first international executive search firm to enter the rapidly growing and extremely challenging Indonesian market. Our dedication to performing high quality search in a timely manner has enabled us to maintain long-term relationships with organizations around the world and has made us an industry leader in the proportion of engagements and referrals coming from former clients. It is this experience which now allows us to excel in the other markets of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, because recruiters in those markets do not have to work under the same difficult circumstances.

Our consultants are mature, seasoned search professionals who have had extensive experience in business prior to their association with the firm. They are supported by a professional full-time research staff and a state-of-the-art information system. We utilize an internal computerized database and a complete library of reference materials and industry publications. These information sources are augmented by a networking process, which taps the collective experience and personal network of firm’s consultants.