A common phrase in business is ‘growth depends on a steady stream of new clients’.  While this is absolutely true, you can’t grow unless you’re bringing in new work each year. In the case of temporary recruitment, growth at all costs is risky.

Bringing in new clients is beneficial, essential even, but retaining your existing clients is crucial. If your business is a revolving door, your reputation will soon be in tatters, and eventually new clients will be hard to come by.

Thankfully there is a lot a temporary recruitment agency can do to keep existing clients happy. Today we’re going to cover what these things are, and why our service is essential for anyone looking to build a loyal client base.

 

The Importance of Retaining Clients

Here’s another old business adage: it costs more to find new clients than it does to retain existing ones. But according to recent figures, it can be as much as 6 to 7 times more! On the other hand, a 10% increase in retention can equate to a 30% increase in the value of your business, according to Salesforce.

It makes sense too. Repeat business simply means more sales, there’s no need to win over or pitch for the business and everyone knows what to expect. Although as a temporary recruitment agency you aren’t ‘selling’ in the traditional sense, you still want clients that use your services whenever they have a vacancy.

Recruitment is a competitive industry, with new agencies popping up trying to entice your clients away from you. If you’re not on the cutting edge, many will choose better services over loyalty.

 

Top Tips for Retaining Clients

Instead of spending all your time and effort chasing new leads, it’s worth investing some of it in keeping existing clients happy. Here are a few tips:

Understand your client’s aims – Once you know what they’re trying to achieve, it’s easier to align your thinking with theirs – so they feel you’re looking after their interests.

Manage expectations – Make sure everyone knows up front what you can actually do for them – the worst thing you can do is over-promise and then fail to deliver.

Be consistent – Clients like predictability; it builds trust, there are no surprises, and they know where they stand, so try to keep the team and contacts they deal with consistent.

Stay relevant – Upgrade your systems whenever they start to fall behind and make sure your clients know you’re doing this.

Ask for feedback – And more importantly, act on it. 89% of consumers stop doing business with companies after poor service, and having regular feedback helps to show problem areas so you have the chance to put things right.

Communicate - Not just when you’ve got news or a progress report, but all the time. Clients get nervous when they don’t hear from you, as they feel they’re not working on their business. Connecting on LinkedIn is good too, especially if you post regular content showing you’ve got your finger on the pulse.

Go the extra mile – Clients love being looked after personally and feeling you’re doing a little more just for them. This can go hand in hand with communication. Send out a newsletter with the latest recruitment insights or just send a quick email each week asking how things are going.

Reward loyalty - When you reach a milestone with a client – for example, five years of working together – mark it with a small gift and personal message. Recognising their loyalty goes a long way to making it last.

 

Retaining Temporary Workers

Although they’re not paying your invoices, it’s just as important to keep your temporary workers loyal. These talented people are the heart and soul of your agency. Your clients may love you and your services, but it’s the workers you provide that keep them truly happy.

Temporary workers rely on agencies to find them the best companies to work with. If you set them up in a position they don’t like or aren’t suited for, they can easily switch to another agency.

Clients will also grow attached to the workers you provide and may ask for them again in the future. If you have to admit they left, it reflects badly on you. Always collect data from your temporary staff to find out if there’s anything you could do better.

Keeping your workers happy can be as simple as ensuring they’re always paid on time. Our service helps you do that, ensuring you always have the funds necessary if your clients are slow to pay an invoice.

 

Recruitment Funding Services that Improve Retention

Out of all the methods for retaining clients we’ve mentioned there’s one that stands head and shoulders above the rest: do your job well. This sounds simple, but it can be easy to neglect your loyal clients by focusing too much on finding new ones. By treating your clients equally, you’ll keep everyone happy without sacrificing growth.

Our service includes:

When all the admin is being handled by some of the best in the business, the quality of your services will be greatly improved. Your team will be able to focus more on their main tasks and customer service, and your clients will never be frustrated by incorrect invoices or poor communication.

In an industry as competitive as recruitment, loyalty is everything. If you’re a new start-up who wants to build a strong client base, or an established agency looking to keep their old clients happy, we’re the team to call.