It seems to me that most recruiters would agree that Master Vendors and Managed Agency Services are not the best example of how an agency service should be delivered.

Master Vendors gain business based on price and price alone.  They may succeed in convincing their customers that service will not be affected, but in my experience of feedback from returning customers, this is not the case.  Managed agency services dilute customer service, and by utilising online booking systems and centralising booking control they bypass the relationship between the recruitment consultant and the hiring manager that is the foundation of a good recruitment service.

The priorities of managed agency services are based on price not service.  Usually, quality of service and the quality of the recruitment processes involved are not even on the radar for managed services.  I am regularly asked by master vendors to support their contracts and I am never asked about the recruitment process, candidate screening or quality of service.  Mainly I am just asked to agree to a price.

Yet the managed services seem to be gaining strength all the time – especially as client budgets are under so much pressure these days.

So what should we do?  Should we join them and take the business anyway?  Should we agree to their terms?  Should we accept the paid when paid clauses, agree to the centralised systems and the monthly consolidated invoicing?  Should we agree to provide our services for a £0.75p cash margin?

The answer is no, comrades!  We should unite and agree never to support these managed service agreements.  If we all stand together, these terrible institutions will fail.  Customers will come back and negotiate fair rates under reasonable terms direct with local providers.  Just like in the old days.

Once again, customer service will be King. 

So join the revolution!  Say no to the faceless corporate giants that are the managed agency services!  Insist of working with your customers direct.  Insist on getting the full credit for all the hard work you are doing.  And in so doing, save the reputation of the recruitment industry.

Dan Midwinter

Completely Care Ltd

http://www.completelycare.co.uk