Sometimes, the old saying bigger is better is certainly true. However, when it comes to staffing agencies this isn’t always the case. Smaller staffing agencies can be just as effective and successful as the larger, more well-known corporate firms. The people involved are what can really make the difference and can make or break a business deal. Sometimes going with a smaller boutique agency can actually be of more benefit to you. Here are a few reasons why.
Personalized Care
Larger companies are often so focused on the bottom line that they forget how important it is to spend time with their clients on a one-on-one basis to truly meet their needs. They’re too wrapped up in bureaucracy, policies, paperwork, and quotas to take the time to connect on a more personal level. When a client calls with a question or comment, he’s likely passed around to different reps every time, so he can never build the strong bond necessary for a successful relationship. Smaller staffing agencies take the time to give their clients attention so they always feel like they are being cared for and that their needs are being met.
Anticipate Your Needs
If you’re calling in with a request for temps at a bigger agency, you’ll probably get what you want. However, that’s about all you’re going to get. With so many clients, bigger staffing agencies simply don’t have the time to dedicate to anticipating your needs ahead of time. In fact, if you’re not calling them, they’re probably not thinking about you at all. You get lost in the shuffle.
Smaller agencies, on the other hand, only have a handful of clients so they make it a priority to learn more about your business operations and your hiring needs so they can better meet your needs when you get in touch with them.
Better Temps
Larger staffing firms have bigger clients that they need to keep happy. This means that you and your needs are often pushed aside because you’re not considered worth their time compared to clients who bring in more revenue. Of course, their top talent will be saved for the bigger clients, so you’re often left with the less qualified candidates that they don’t necessarily want to place with “more important” clients. And this simply isn’t fair or ethical.
Smaller agencies place the same amount of importance on every single client, regardless of how many temps they hire or how much revenue they bring in to the agency. You’ll know that smaller staffing agencies are always doing their best to bring you the best temps.
Efficiency
Because a smaller agency is more likely to anticipate and understand your needs, your requests will be processed more efficiently. And since they have less red tape to cut through—fewer high-ups to get approval from and less paperwork to do—the process is actually going to be much faster, so you get what you want when you need it, instead of having to deal with the formal policies and bureaucracy of larger corporate firms.
Is Smaller Better?
When it comes to choosing a staffing agency, there are pros and cons. If you’re looking for personalized care and attention and if you’re looking for an agency to spend time with you to understand your needs and build a strong, long-lasting relationship, then a smaller agency might be best. If you play it safe and go with a well-known, large firm, then you might be losing out on care and attention, becoming lost in a sea of bigger clients.
