Leveraging Expectations 101: Inspect What You Expect

If you’re a regular netizen who spends considerable time on the internet, you’ve probably been a victim of clickbait before. Hopefully, these clickbait instances are only menial, like the familiar “RickRoll” or those jump scares that send naïve victims off to a hair-raising prank. Even those YouTube videos with “NOT CLICKBAIT” on their titles don’t look trustworthy, but let’s face it: some people like the clickbait thrill and still go for it.

But for people who are spending their resources to avail of a company’s products or services, when they’ve been tricked into an agreement that didn’t go as planned, it’s not as funny as when Rick Astley’s 1987 hit starts playing unsuspectedly. Companies must meet expectations as they marketed them to be, as it has adverse outcomes, spanning from losing a customer to a wrecked brand.

Is your staffing agency doing what it says it’s doing? Have there been instances when potential hires and clients complain about your service not being up to par with your promises? Let’s ponder what happens when your marketing efforts promise one thing but submit something completely different. Here we cover the minor effects of this to the direct consequences.

What are common instances when staffing agencies fail to deliver?  

“This is not what we talked about” are words that could send shivers down any professional’s spine. There could be a direct hit to set expectations; always ensure that how you market your services should be how they appear during business interactions. Whether it be from your social media posts advertising your agency, doing a sales pitch to prospective clients, or the emails you send to candidates, the goals you say you will meet automatically become promises.

Emphasizing this is crucial because seemingly deceptive marketing or failure to deliver is often unintentional. However, charging it up to experience and saying, “we’ll get it next time,” is not enough to rectify whatever trust you may have lost with a client or candidate. Some of these errors that will affect confidence in your staffing agency are as follows:

 

• • • • Failure to be timely. The recruitment process is sensitive in the sense that there are a lot of parties involved. There is the time the agency spends to prep and execute the steps towards hiring, and there is also time the applicant spends on their end. There is even the client’s response time, which can be delayed too. While the recruiter is only one person and has to juggle three schedules, failure to meet deadlines can become a possibility.
      • Wrong job descriptions. Part of the job of a staffing agency is looking for job openings for candidates that match their skill set and experience. Things can take a turn when the applicant gets the job, but there are responsibilities they didn’t anticipate. This may lead to the candidate not pursuing the job post anymore. Was there a disconnect with how the client described the job post? Were there changes that happened during the recruitment process? Whatever the reason, the staffing agency will need to take responsibility as they are the ones who process the application, after all.
      • Overselling; This can happen both with your clients and potential hires. You tend to oversell job openings to a jobseeker for them to throw their hat on the ring, or you give promises to your client so that they’ll be happy with your service. Overselling may work if the company client says yes to your services or an applicant gets the job. However, this joy is temporary, as overselling risks you gaining a repeat client or jobseekers not trusting you anymore. But sometimes, people in business tend to oversell a bit to make a sale. It can also be unintentional when they want to get the client.

What do clients and potential candidates do when they feel misled?  

Never underestimate the power of word of mouth. It is considered one of the most efficient forms of communication, even in the age of digital literacy. Clients and candidates are likely to speak about their experiences, whether positive or negative. However, they are most inclined to say something if they are dissatisfied with their encounter with your company.

Remember that meeting expectation is part of good customer service. 13% of unhappy customers talk about their experience to at least 20 more people, and imagine what these other 20 people can do with that information.

Furthermore, for the sake of business longevity, you have to protect your recruiter brand. It is the reputation you have built on the market with how you have treated your clients and candidates. The three best questions to ask to get a good glimpse of your recruiter brand are:

 

• • • • Is your staffing agency trustworthy?
      • Do you care for your clients and customers?
      • Are you able to deliver what you promise?

The third question bears a lot of weight on your recruiter brand. It draws the fine line between your clients and hires feeling satisfied or tricked. Bear in mind that those availing of your staffing agency’s services are internet-savvy and will use this savviness to spread the word or get to know more about it. 75% of potential hires will research a company’s recruiter brand before applying, and 62% will use social media to learn more about recruiter brands.

 

The bottom line is… inspect what you expect.  

Always remember to go back to what you agreed upon with your clients and candidates, and double-check what information they know and you know. It helps to settle with what you know or what you can recall. Consistency in the service you deliver comes with sharing consistent information with your candidates and clients, so feel free always to go back to what is on paper as per what was.

These following tenets can also help you make the consistency between what is expected and what is delivered:

 

• • • • Do not oversell. If there is a script that you can use when talking to candidates or clients, stick to it. Remember always to link this script to your recruiter brand. Keep what your staffing agency wishes to represent out there.
      • Keep documentation current. By keeping emails, contracts, and meeting minutes up to date, both parties (you and your clients/candidates) have consistent information to refer to. If there are changes, make sure to inform all parties about them.
      • Rectify mishaps right away. If there are complaints about unmet expectations, be quick to act upon them. The parties served by your agency must see that you are doing something about it, and they’ll appreciate the swift response.
      • Investigate. However, be fair in your actions. Perhaps the candidate misread the job description and acted in haste. Your client may have missed an addendum page of the contract. As much as good customer service means doing what you can to help them, the saying “the customer is always right” doesn’t always apply in the modern era.

Allied Insight is a staffing agency’s companion when it comes to marketing.  

We are a B2B Fractional CMO and Growth Marketing Delivery Agency built for staffing agencies like yours, and we are here to ensure that your clients and candidates feel that they are always at the end of the truth with you all the way. Receive the best tips in marketing your recruiter brand, and attract further business opportunities with us. Achieve consistency in brand recognition and practice flexibility with Allied Insight, even as corporate landscapes evolve.

Reach out to us now!