The Staffing Shark on How to Build a Social Media Brand that Sells Itself

With Guest Richard Rosner, the Staffing Shark

Let’s be honest — most people sleep on the importance of their online presence. Whether you’re a recruiter, sales pro, or business leader, how you show up online isn’t about chasing likes or sending 100 DMs — it’s about standing out and building credibility that makes people want to work with you.

If you’re in staffing and on LinkedIn, chances are you’ve seen his name, his energy, and his no-BS positivity in your feed. We’re talking about Richard Rosner — host of The Staffing Shark podcast. In this episode, we sit down with Richard to unpack how he built a personal brand that attracts business and opportunities without hard selling. He’s got the receipts, and today he’s sharing how you can get there too.

Casey Wagonfield: Let’s talk real quick about something most people overlook: your online presence. Whether you’re a recruiter, a sales pro, or a business leader, the way you show up on social media matters. Not just for clicks or likes, but for credibility. Today’s guest is someone who’s absolutely nailed this. He’s built a brand that’s bold, funny, recognizable, and trusted, and he has used it to open doors, build relationships, and grow his business without ever sounding like a pushy salesperson. So if you’ve ever wondered how to stand out in a crowded staffing world, this one’s for you.

Casey Wagonfield: Hey everyone. Welcome back to another episode of Staffing Made Simple, the show where we make the world of staffing a little less corporate, a lot more real, and give you some insights and strategies that are actionable. I’m Casey, joined by my partner in crime, Rob Geist, Senior Vice President at SimpleVMS.

In today’s episode we’ve been excited about for a while, we’ve got a guy who’s not just built a staffing brand, but he is the brand. The man, the myth, the Staffing Shark, Mr. Richard Rosner is in the building. If you’ve ever been anywhere near LinkedIn or you’re in the staffing industry, you’ve probably seen his energy, his humor, his positivity show up in your feed.

He hosts his own podcast, the Staffing Shark, crushes it in recruiting, is building a personal brand that actually drives business. And today we’re talking about how he did it and how you can too.

 What’s going on Richard?

Richard Rosner: Glad to be here, man.

I’m excited and I can’t wait to deep dive into this.

Rob Geist: So Richard, we know each other well. We get to spend time with each other at different conferences.

So it’s actually weird for me to call you Richard. I just call you Shark. That’s just the brand that you’ve built. But, can you tell us how the Staffing Shark came to life?

Richard Rosner: Oh yeah. How long do you have? Okay, so about five, five years ago. You know what I decided? I wanted to build a brand for myself.

I was going to conferences, people was getting to know me, and I’m like, I just want something cool. So I’m sitting, can’t lie about this. I was at Myrtle Beach. I’m sitting there and I’m thinking, first one that came to my mind was “Rip Tide Recruiter”. I’m thinking, nah. So I drank a couple Land Sharks, sitting on the beach there and after a couple beers, which I don’t drink much, I seen a white cap.

And I’m thinking to myself. Is that a shark? And I said, “Staffing Shark”. There we go. I love the beach, bring a beach vibe. And then I decided to flip it and said, you know what? I’ll bring a Kenny Chesney vibe, Jimmy Buffett vibe, and wear flip flops, jeans, shark necklace, and bring that beach attitude to the hiring industry.

Casey Wagonfield: You’ve got what merchandise, you’ve got the Staffing Shark logo, but I think you’ve, more than anything, you’ve built trust. ‘Cause people know who you are. They know you’re the Staffing Shark. You’ve built that online identity.

Rob Geist: How long did it take for the brand to take off from inception to you really seeing some real results?

Richard Rosner: Well, you know what’s funny is actually the first five months of being the Shark, everybody was like, at the conferences were like, “Hold on, he has jeans on, no sport jacket. What’s going on?” And then before you know it, it just took off. I would say six months.

I spoke the following year, probably to 11 conferences, and I’d never reached out to ’em. It was just like that shark mania, and they’re like, “can you do social media? Can you do social media?” So it kind of took off like that, and they all knew me for the last eight years, how much energy I had. But with this brand and this name, and as you know everybody calls me a shark, nobody calls me my real name anymore.

 I go and I break bread with people in conferences like, “what is your last name? I just call you the Shark.” So at that point I was like, okay, we’re on point. So I would say about six months. And since then, I have fun with it. And I think that’s the biggest thing, Rob, that we’re gonna talk about today and Casey is, you have to have fun in what you do.

I live my brand, and staffing and recruiting’s a lifestyle, and when you treat it that way things will come to you big time.

Rob Geist: Well, for me, Richard, the thing about you is you’re authentic. You’re just you. And it’s not some fake persona that you put on. And we talk about that together quite a bit, how just being yourself gets you a long way in the sales process.

When people look you up and they find you online and then they actually talk to you, they realize this guy’s real person. So, tell us a little bit about your authenticity and how that works for you.

Richard Rosner: I talk about it all the time. My brand is me 24/ 7. I love life. I wanna make everybody shine. That’s my big slogan. I say, you know what, if I can make everybody shine, that’s great. So I think anywhere I go, I just wanna bring that positive energy. It’s for sales appointments, I mean, it’s for anything. It’s that big influencer brand that I’m doing right now to helping, companies grow.

Casey Wagonfield: Yeah. When you talk about building an online presence and having a brand, people think of that as oh, I don’t have a personal brand that’s for influencers, but I think, anybody can go online and build a brand.

 What does that mean to you, building a personal brand and how could people, start that?

Richard Rosner: So here’s what’s, I think sometimes the people, they miss fire on what they do. A personal brand is having other people build that brand for you. The community builds my brand. I didn’t build my brand at all.

I just put it out. There was me, and guess what? It took off from there. So I think the biggest thing is don’t follow anybody else. Just build what you like, and your hobbies, and you’re fun. As you see on LinkedIn now, people’s putting stuff out, pictures at their dogs or baseball, their kids. Build what you like. People will come to that.

Casey Wagonfield: Yeah. One of my best posts this year is me in a Buccee’s onesie.

Richard Rosner: There you go. See that.

Casey Wagonfield: Uh, so, you know, I know you post on all the different social media platforms and you’re big on that, right?

Like spreading it out. Don’t just put all your eggs in one basket. You’re really heavy on LinkedIn, but what’s your approach on some of the other ones – on Instagram, TikTok, when it comes to brand building?

 What I tell everybody, and I joke about this, I dunno if I can say this or not, but if you’re only on LinkedIn, you’re losing out, you have to have about three or four. I’m on nine of them because I’m hyperactive. I can bounce back and forth and I use definitely a lot of, AI for all that stuff. But right now Instagram stories is booming. I like Facebook groups for businesses. You tap into that, you like some of their comments.

I think one of the big ones now is Blue Sky. Nobody’s on Blue Sky right now, so if you guys get out there. Blue Sky’s been around probably for a year. It opened up to the public about six months ago, and you guys will love this if you type in staffing on Blue Sky. I pop up everywhere. There’s only about 20 of us on there, staffing and recruiting.

So it’s all you and I grew 5,000 followers in like two months. And it’s not even about the followers and likes anymore. It’s about the conversations, guys. You know? Seriously, I say this all the time, it’s great to have a comment. I want that dm, I want that direct message so they can reach out to me and we can have that campfire chat and that. I call it the beer chat, the coffee chat.

That’s what I’m looking for.

Yeah, and I think building your brand, just makes those reach outs a little bit warmer, right? Because you’ve built a little bit of trust, you’ve built some credibility. What would you say, when it comes to social selling and selling online, what’s your method of reaching out to people?

 When you connect with somebody on LinkedIn, do you follow ’em, like their posts, comment on ’em before you go in for a meeting? Ask or what’s your approach there?

Richard Rosner: Okay, so here we go. So, social selling’s the big buzzword these days, which I did it like five years ago. So, I have another word. “Improv selling” – gotta be comical, gotta have valuetainment. I always say that value with entertainment, that humor. So I realized, I was like, “dude”. I am doing improv selling, really not social selling.

Social selling is the big hub. But if you’re an improv, you’re engaging your audience because they want to hear your jokes and stuff like that, and then you pivot. So if I could say anything, improv selling is the way to go. It’s a great terminology everybody can use these days. I think social selling is about being in a community.

Something else, i’m big in the NIL now. I sponsor an athlete here in WVU. I sponsor a musician too. So, can you imagine that? Every time that person plays my exposure’s out there. So that’s part of the social selling is bringing your community and let them sell for you.

Rob Geist: Yeah, Richard, for you and for everyone really social selling, so much more than just showing up to pitch.

And the best salespeople I know personally, sales is literally their lifestyle. But I think when you make it your lifestyle like that, you do all those little things beforehand, like post on social media, and people start to see you out there.

You become more trusted and you’re part of your community. Can you talk a little bit about that?

Richard Rosner: So the community’s a big thing for me. When I came to West Virginia here, I actually helped out a staffing firm. And in one year, I’ll just say it, 38 clients in one year I landed for them, 37 on the phone.

So it was that coffee chat, beer chat. I think the biggest thing with me is when I go in, I’m not selling you anything. I’m doing a discovery call. I wanna discover who you are. And who I am. And then you know what? And then I go into hype, I call it. And I’m gonna laugh about this, but it’s all about the fomo.

No bragging. It’s about swag. And I think when you have that, then you go to the purchase stage. And then, you go to the next one would be the community stage. That’s your sales process right there.

So I think the big thing in the community is; I put coasters everywhere, I drink land shark beer. I joke about it. I even have QR codes on the back of my shirts when I go to the gym. At Planet Fitness, scan the shark if you wanna get hired.

So I’m a walking billboard 24/7, and I think that’s what we have to be. Even on the social media platforms like Facebook, anybody that gets hired by me is usually my Facebook friend. And if I could tell you anything, Rob. The quickest thing and the best thing that I’ve ever done, and I say this over and over, everybody hears this is the Shark shake.

Anybody that gets hired by me, client, or candidate, I take a picture with them. They share it on their social platform. Before you know it, I have this funnel of candidates and clients coming to me so I don’t have to worry about the chase anymore. They’re chasing me down and they’re like, I wanna work with you because they know I’m genuine and I’m gonna call ’em back.

Casey Wagonfield: I love that you wear a QR code to the gym and you know, people are scanning it because they’re curious where it takes ’em.

Richard Rosner: I think one of the things about social selling is video, if we can even elaborate about that real quick, is video has been around for, I would say five or six years.

TikTok has changed the way LinkedIn is now. LinkedIn has brand links now where you can actually put your company out there. And, like a Gary V. It’s coming out in the next month where he’s gonna be having big presentations and stuff like that. And you could put your company right in front of that before he talks.

As you can see right now, LinkedIn is all video. Video is getting 80% more than just a post, blogs are boring. Nobody reads anymore. And you guys probably agree with that. Nobody reads. And anything goes these days people wanna learn from you, but they also wanna be curious too.

And I’ll say this real quick guys, is when I was at the staffing sales conference, they kind of like had a little roast with me. And they’re like, shark, what do you actually do? Do you find people do you help companies out? Are you a podcaster? And that’s that curiosity that I wanna keep forever.

I help everybody out is what I say in the staffing industry. So, that curiosity of what he actually does. I wanna keep that going, because that’s why people keep coming in to look up my stuff and they’re curious of what I do. And once they get in, the rest is history.

Rob Geist: It’s funny because, I see you on LinkedIn and I see you’re not just throwing stuff at the wall. You’re engaging and, you actually make me engage with LinkedIn posts more because you’re so active on social media and I wanna be part of it.

So I’ll click, I’ll comment, which is really helping my brand and you don’t even realize it. So I wanted to give you that little kind of credit.

Richard Rosner: Hey, anything I can do for you, man.

Rob Geist: I know brother, but you make people feel seen and you make them wanna engage and I love that.

Talk to us a little bit about that, if you don’t mind.

Richard Rosner: I think the one thing that we have to say, it’s not about us. It’s not about me, it’s about them. And I think that’s the big thing is, and I say this slogan all the time, I’m here to make everybody shine.

So you wanna bring your community together. And I gotta tell you, Rob and Casey, you don’t have to start your own group. Everybody has a group. I’m gonna tell you a little story real quick. You’ll love this. So I’m flying to Vegas last week for that conference.

I’m at the Charlotte Airport. Give a plug out. I love Charlotte. It’s, that’s my airport drink. Eat my Bojangles. Sit in my rocking chair. I take a picture in my favorite rocking chair playing behind me. I tag Charlotte Airport on it. Guess what? It’s on Instagram, Facebook. They liked it. They shared it on their platform.

There you go. There’s 45,000 people. They have cnat. I had seven contacts to me just about, “Hey, would you wanna be on my podcast or something else?” Quick, it was a quick picture. While most people were like chasing stuff on LinkedIn, all I did was have fun and sit in a rocking chair and see how I drummed up business that way, or a buzz.

That’s what you can do. It’s, it’s not all about talking about staffing all the time. I think if you just talk about, having fun, enjoying yourself with your tagline, that’s the key. Have your tagline in it, and have your face and everything. But yeah, it’s about just having fun. So you see how that went viral? And then I have people reaching out to me from Charlotte now in that area.

Casey Wagonfield: Staying on the subject of social selling. ‘Cause I know it’s very popular right now. It is the way to sell. But I think some people hear social selling and they think, all right, cool. I’m just gonna send a hundred direct messages today. And that’s not it.

Richard Rosner: Not at all here’s my theory. I’m just saying, 25 companies – you focus on them. You see where their pain points are, you see where their needs are, and then you go after them. Once you close one, you add another one. I don’t need a hundred clients. That 25 keeps going, going, going. That’s how I got the 38. It was just 25 at a time, and keep knocking ’em down.

And I think the big thing about social selling is you gotta make it, I’m gonna say this word again, “valuetainment”. You gotta make humor in it. You gotta have fun with it. But I think to get into the client, you gotta be different. And the way I get in is just setting up video out of myself, of being quirky. I mean, WVU stuff even. I went to Penn State. I wear, I support West Virginia down here, so, it’s game day.

I’m gonna send stuff out on a Saturday with some videos. It says, say go WVU. Another big thing I’m gonna say with social selling is quizzes. Get them involved like March Madness. I had a basketball game online that you can just send. You click it out, you send an email and you shoot some hoops and you can win a gift card.

I think that’s what we have to do. We have to give. And then at the end, you know, you’ll get everything in return.

Casey Wagonfield: And I think, social selling is more about sending a DM right? On social media, it’s about showing up before the pitch. People trust you, relate to you. You built that credibility. You have an a presence online. I started in staffing. I mean, there’s a lot of companies that didn’t have websites.

 They’re going off your word and your handshake. Now they can just look you up and find everything out about you that they want. And I would love to hear your thoughts on this. If I’m going to connect with somebody on LinkedIn. Typically I wanna connect with them and I’m gonna like and comment on some of their posts first before I go in for, and ask for a meeting. Just to show them that I’m involved. I’m a resource for them. What’s your thoughts on that?

Richard Rosner: I love what you said there. So here’s my take on it. Another word I always say, ’cause I love these little short words. Everybody thinks about social selling. How about inter selling? They have to be interested in what you have, right? And you have to be interested in what they have.

 I’m gonna tell you, most of my appointments I open up with we’re just talking for five minutes or six minutes about anything. Football, sports and stuff like that. That’s how you build that relationship. So go on their profile and check out stuff. If they’re in NASCAR or whatever.

I tell people all the time, building a relationship, just talking about your products back and forth. I’m not gonna lie, it’s kind of boring, right? I mean, we wanna talk about our interests, if we like certain kinds of foods or whatever. So I think social selling is about being social, says it right there, right?

So find an interest that they have. You have in common connect. And after you connect then you go to the next level. “Hey, maybe we can do business together.” But that could be in a third or fourth email or phone call. You don’t have to rush off the bat. I’ve done this before, I’ve studied this where I won’t even say anything about doing a service with them.

And they’re like, “how do I get a contract?” And then guess what? It goes to the next one. Next one. So you want them to almost chase you a little bit. Is that kind of wow, people don’t think that way. We always chase the sell.

How about have the seller chase us?

Rob Geist: That’s crazy. Yeah. That’s something most salespeople probably never think about.

Richard Rosner: No, not at all. All people wanna do is to sit down and talk to you. And I think that’s where we have had disconnect, guys. You know what I mean? With the clients, we’re scared for them to say no. You know how many times I’ve got my door shut on me and it’s like, “Shark, I’m not working with you ever.”

And then six months later, It’s your turn. Time for you to shine. I always say you never lose an opportunity.

You never get rejected. You just get redirected to the next level.

Rob Geist: I love it. It’s just keep hearing no’s until you say yes. Richard, you’ve built humor into the Staffing Shark brand and it shows people that you’re real.

What advice do you have to incorporate humor into your brand? Is there too much, is it a balance? Can you talk about that, and how humor is part of your brand, and your storytelling?

Richard Rosner: I think I call you back to improv selling. You gotta read the room.

You gotta read the room and see what it’s like. If you got a room and it’s real quiet, you’re in a boardroom and you’re trying to close a deal and it’s quiet, you gotta light it up.

I think the big thing is, the three L’s. You gotta, you gotta listen, learn, and lead. The three L’s. I always say you listen first, you learn from ’em and then you lead, and if you can do that, you could just rock this out. And I’ll tell you a story real quick.

This is a great one. So when people call me, these are like from a welder to a CEO guys, and they’re like, “Shark, you got another bite?” They never even talked to me before. And they’re saying Shark in the voicemail.

‘Cause people watch my social media and this is something I can tell people, even though they don’t like your stuff or comment on it. There’s eyes on you at all times. Just remember that there’s eyes on you all the time.

Casey Wagonfield: I think humor’s just gonna get their guards down, right?

It shows that you’re a real person, you’re just like them, not too serious. One of my favorite lines, is I walk in, ” somebody ordered Chippendales”, and then they look at me like I’m crazy because there’s no way in the world Chippendales would hire me.

So then I tell ’em I’m on the B team, or the day crew. But it always gets a chuckle. Right? Their guards are immediately down. And they’re willing, they’re willing to talk versus somebody who comes in just. Super professional so I think humor just goes such a long way.

Richard Rosner: It does. And I’ll elaborate on this, sales is like a date, it’s like, the first date.

Do you like, just say you wanna get married on the first date? No, you don’t. So why would try to close the deal on the first time, and they shut you down. They wanna learn about you, they wanna get character. They wanna see if you, got some vibes. It’s about that experience. You know, I say all the time. It’s about when they walk in that door or on the phone call you, you gotta just bring it every day because you don’t know what is on the other side.

And I think the emotions and stuff like that is what it’s all about. If you can tap into somebody’s emotions they’re gonna love you for life.

Rob Geist: I’m curious, do you think your approach is different when you talk to different industries. If you’re talking to somebody that’s, doing light industrial staffing or if it’s technical. To me, I see a huge difference in the kinda look of and feel of the brands of the different people.

What are your thoughts on that?

Richard Rosner: Yes, I relate to the audience, have to relate to the audience. And you also have to relate to who you’re talking to on the phone. You can hear their voice tone, you can hear if they’re engaging with you. And I think the big thing is on the phone call is, I always say that in the beginning, you want them to talk.

You’re like the host. It’s almost like we’re having a podcast right now. I say that if you get on a sales call, you’re the podcast host and you wanna interview them. If you think that way within five, six minutes, they’re, it’s almost like a Joe Rogan show. They’re telling you all about their detail.

They’re telling you about, they’re going camping with their family. And then they’re like, Hey, can we have a meeting and get that contract signed?

Rob Geist: Here’s another one. I’m curious to see what your take is on. There is no prototypical salesperson, salespeople are come from different walks of life.

What if somebody’s a little more introverted and not as outgoing as potentially we are? How can they work personal branding into their message?

Richard Rosner: You know what? You don’t have to be high energy like me all the time, but I think at the end of the day, if you can bring that expertise, but also bring in that real genuine you.

 There’s no right or wrong way in sales. There’s nothing, and the sales books have been written over and over again. It just keeps cycling itself. You know, we can say 10 strategies here. Well that might not work for somebody over here. So I think the end of the day just you gotta be yourself and feel comfortable because if you try an approach that you’re not comfortable with. You’re gonna fail. So it’s almost like football again. I’m Bill Belichick, here’s the playbook.

But you know what, let’s do a little bit of audible because you’re a little bit quieter, you’re more reserved, and let’s run a play that way. So I think at the end of the day, just, be yourself.

Casey Wagonfield: Yeah, there’s so many tools out there to help you. I think with posting too, right? With chat, GPT alone, the way you can prompt that thing to sound like yourself and give you ideas, there’s really no excuse. It’s just a matter of posting. And I love how you said that earlier, is just, post it. So many people are just scared to post and not every post is gonna do well.

Right? There’s plenty of times where I post something, it gets one like, and then another one gets 60. But consistency is the key. Out of sight is outta mind. And when you stop posting, people forget about you.

Richard Rosner: So they do. You gotta be consistent on everything and you gotta be, like I said, you gotta think outside the box.

 So I hate to say that word, but during covid people were down. They’re complaining, they’re panicking. Guess what I do? I get toilet paper and I said, “Wipe away, COVID. Get hired by the Shark” on the QR code.

That went viral. We had 3000 pieces of toilet paper. So, paper equals placements. I can’t make that up. That put me on the map in my area.

It’s like, people are like, “how did you think of this?” I was like, a glass of wine. I don’t even know where I was at, maybe I was in my office or office number two.

I don’t know but I’ll, joking aside, I go to their offices and they still have my toilet paper with the logo. They’re like, “dude, that’s one of the most creative things ever.” Something that looks like it was dumb in my eyes. I’m thinking, no, I can wipe away Covid and get you a job.

You know? So I, think things like that, people remember that. Rob and Casey, and that’s what you want. You want a lasting impression with somebody. So you know, instead of getting that gym bag that they all get out and all that stuff, make your homemade cards or make something fun.

Casey Wagonfield: I think when we’re posting too, especially on LinkedIn, people can get very corporate. But some of the best posts are just you being you, right? It doesn’t always have to be about business.

I’m not saying go post your steak dinner every night on LinkedIn, but sometimes it’s good to just show you as you.

Richard Rosner: It is. And, and I always say professional headshots. Um, I might get flack on this. I dislike a shot. That shot of mine is from Myrtle Beach like a year ago or two years ago. So, you know what?

I’m just me. I’m not gonna take a picture of me like, I was in high school with a tie on. That’s just not me. And I think really, to be honest with you, candidates and clients. They want that, just that genuine person. I think our industry sometimes we say something that we think the client candidate wants.

And I guess from the experience of being on the streets all the time guys and interviewing all these candidates, and clients. I had three on one people go to work last year through the West Virginia staffing firm. So, you know, it’s like I get to talk to ’em all and I ask ’em, “how did you find me?”

Oh, you got a cartoon picture of you looking like Superman with your face on it? Why? And “I was curious. So I clicked on it.” So I think just being a little bit different, but also having that expertise is what’s gonna drive you in ’25 on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is fun this days.

I’m gonna tell you guys, as much as people say “LinkedIn, I want the old LinkedIn back.” It’s not coming back friends. It’s not coming back at all. Swear it’s not coming back. AI is here. You’ve gotta embrace AI. If I can give a little plug with AI, you know I have a bootcamp.

But at the end of the day, we have to embrace all this. And I think the people that don’t and don’t change with the LinkedIn – the ai. They’re gonna get left behind and they might lose their job guys.

Rob Geist: So last segment, Richard. I think it’s awesome that you have an AI bootcamp, first of all, and I think that could be a great place for someone to start.

So if you’re new to sales and you wanna go build your brand, learn how to use tools like ai. Where do you start?

Richard Rosner: Basically you gotta build AI agents. So that’s what we teach you in the bootcamp. So picture this, Rob and Casey. I’m a recruiter by myself or maybe I have a one person sales team.

I can build five AI agents to do pretty much all the sourcing and all the work for me. All I do is add the human connection. Isn’t that, “wow”. I mean, that’s where we’re at now. I mean, there’s AI avatars out there now. So I’m gonna tell you guys, this might not even be my voice. This might be somebody else, it might be an avatar.

You know, I’m just typing in. But it’s coming to that point now where you won’t even know who the real person is or who the fake one is. We’re at that point now where it’s coming and AI it’s gonna help recruiting out.

You’re not gonna lose your job if you don’t. If you learn it, you’re not gonna lose your job, but it’s gonna help that part of sourcing. We see voice AI right now for, you know, phone calls and all that stuff. But I, to still close a deal, you still gotta have that human connection. I mean, for me I still gotta have that yinzer and that voice I have, you know. I had to throw that Pittsburgh attitude out to you guys. By the way, you know, since you’re from Cincy.

But yeah. It’s about just being real.

Casey Wagonfield: Yeah. And I think people adapt to AI, especially the ones that are using it to maybe help out with those tasks that are time consuming. So they can then focus on recruiting or revenue generating activities and using AI to help them with some of the minutiae tasks.

Richard Rosner: Oh, it’s, it’s amazing what it can do. Love AI now. I’ve been embracing it for the last four or five months. Swimming in the AI ocean, I call it. And, what it can do for you. It’s like, wow. I mean, you guys know what ChatGPT has, Casey and Rob.

I can get on there and play all day. You can write a book now in two days. It’s, it’s amazing what you could do. Wish they had that back when I was in high school instead of reading Cliff notes, you know, and trying to cram it the last night.

Rob Geist: Hey, I wanna bring it back real quick for the newbies because I think it is important, every day people are graduating from college, moving into sales. They think they want to be in sales. And I think a lot of people really don’t know what sales even is. If somebody told ’em they had a good smile and a good personality, and they tell ’em to go be a salesperson.

But, regarding that, is there something you wish you had known at the beginning? Before you started your brand? About social selling, brand building, all the stuff we’ve spoken about already?

Richard Rosner: I’m gonna say it like this. I wish I’d have built my brand earlier. I worked for three staffing firms before I built my brand.

And, I kind of was boxed in. I had to do what they told me to do. So that’s why the Shark never came up here. I had to follow the rules, and now it’s pretty much, I can follow my rules. So I think anybody, even if you’re working for a company or anything like that, and you’re in sales in the beginning, you go into a client not expecting to get the sale.

It’s a process, and I think so many people get down because sales is up and down. One month you’re great, next month you’re bad. Just like football in and out. So what’s gonna make you a good salesperson is strategically changing with the times.

If something doesn’t work, try something different. And learn from the experts, but put your twist on it. Everything they say, take 50, 60% of that, but then put your twist on it too, because that’s gonna make you feel more comfortable. I’m gonna tell you guys, I hate sales scripts. I used to get in trouble all the time back in the day when I first started staffing.

They’re like, ” That’s not the script.” I’m like, dude, I can’t cite this script. I just wanna talk like me. You’re fumbling over the words. “Hi, this is a BC staffing firm. We have a lot of clients here. We see you have a civil engineering job. We have a candidate for you. Would you like to hire?”

I’m like, I really – that’s the script? So I think scripts are kind of obsolete. You can have guidelines, but put your own little mojo and your voice into it.

Casey Wagonfield: I think there’s gonna be people listening that haven’t started building that personal brand, haven’t started their social selling journey. So real quick. Last question for you is, somebody’s got 10 minutes a day on LinkedIn to get started on building that brand.

How should they use it?

Richard Rosner: I think the first thing is though, tap into everybody else that has a brand already. So start liking their stuff, comment on it. Trying to be involved in some associations. You don’t have to build your brand by yourself. Like I said, we all build it together, so tap into everything, all the resources.

I mean, you could tap into myself. I know you guys, I’m always here to mentor people, but I think that starts. And then find a brand that you like. Put a couple taglines, it don’t have to be overbearing, but enjoy it and then post. You know, and post, I say in the beginning, the first month, just post stuff that’s related to what you do.

You know? And then you learn from that. ‘Cause you guys have been doing this for a while now, it doesn’t happen overnight. You just don’t build a brand and click your finger. You’re not Chick-fil-A, you’re not Nike or Apple. For people to know what you do, it takes time.

That time is well worth it. And, I think, just keep grinding, you know. But have fun during the journey. There’s so much you can do with this and with the platforms. Now, guys, it is so easy. I’m gonna tell you back when I first started in 2014, we didn’t have the platform advantage like we do now.

Like you could be a guru almost on everything because everything’s right there. You got Chat GPT to help you. You got the platforms to help you. They’re free. You could put yourself as a cartoon character, a real person video. Everything is there for you to be successful. But take it in bits and pieces because there’s a lot coming at you at one time, guys.

You know that. If you’re in sales, you’re like, should I go on this platform, this platform? Pick three platforms, LinkedIn as one, pick two other ones, and enjoy the ride the first 90 days and see where it takes you.

Rob Geist: Richard, man, thanks. That was a ton of fun that time really did fly by.

 And everything you would expect from the Staffing Shark himself, guys.

Casey Wagonfield: Richard, how can people get a hold of you? Where can they look you up? If we wanna go ahead and plug yourself here.

Richard Rosner: Alighty. They can look me up at Staffing Shark, or Richard Rosner, or just Google it. You’ll see me every podcast.

Anybody’s welcome to join one of my podcasts. They’re welcome to join anything. And if you just wanna have a talk, or chat, DM me. I’m always here. I’ll talk to you at 10 o’clock at night. You know? And, like I said, we are in this together. So, let’s go out there and let’s rock it in ’25.

Casey Wagonfield: Make sure you go check out, the Staffing Shark and his podcast, an awesome podcast. Make sure you go give him a follow, and keep an eye out as Rob and I will also be on the Staffing Shark’s podcast here soon. Talking everything VMS and growth. And shout out to everyone listening. If you take anything away from today, it’s this.

 You already have a brand. You just have to start showing people who you are.

Rob Geist: And we will catch you on the next episode of Staffing Made Simple. If you enjoyed today’s episode, make sure you subscribe. Please leave us a five star review. It would really help and we’ll see you next time.

The post Staffing Made Simple – Episode 3 with Richard Rosner appeared first on SimpleVMS.

We are thrilled to announce a new addition to the SimpleVMS family! Angie Carmichael Beaty joins us as the Director of Channel Partnerships, bringing with her an impressive wealth of experience and a passion for the staffing industry that spans over a decade. Angie’s journey in staffing began in 2009, and she has since held various roles that have equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of our industry.

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Get to know Angie

From her early days as a Recruiting Coordinator to her roles as an HR Business Partner and eventually as COO, Angie has cultivated a well-rounded perspective that is invaluable to our team. Her expertise in navigating the complexities of the staffing ecosystem—drawing insights from agencies, funding organizations, ATS, MSP, and VMS—positions her uniquely to foster and strengthen our channel partnerships. Holding both SHRM and PHR certifications, Angie approaches challenges with a pragmatic mindset, blending strategic insight with creative problem-solving.

Her experience in leadership ensures that she is well-prepared to align outcomes with the needs of business owners, delivering tailored solutions that make a genuine impact. Currently based in the beautiful city of Bend, Oregon, Angie embodies a balance of professional dedication and personal passion. When she’s not busy developing strategic partnerships, she’s training for her fourth marathon and enjoying the great outdoors. Whether it’s skiing, snowmobiling, camping, or floating down the river, Angie does it all!

She cherishes her downtime as well, savoring good wine, live music, and exploring the world. Recently, Angie checked off her 50th country on her travel list and plans to venture further this summer. Angie resides with her husband, their daughter, and two spirited Weimaraners. Together, they embrace the delightful chaos of family life, filled with adventure and joy.

Join us in welcoming Angie

We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Angie into our team. Her passion for the staffing industry and her dedication to fostering partnerships aligns perfectly with our vision at SimpleVMS. We believe her expertise will be key to driving growth and innovation in our channel partnerships. We look forward to the fresh perspectives she will bring to the table. Please join us in welcoming Angie Carmichael Beaty! We are excited to see the positive impact she will make here at SimpleVMS. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to grow our team and enhance our services!

The post Angie Carmichael Beaty – Director of Channel Partnerships appeared first on SimpleVMS.

Breaking Through the Noise: What Staffing Buyers Really Want

With Guest Eduardo Gonzalez, Manager of Workforce Planning at Arvato

In today’s competitive staffing landscape, standing out to potential clients isn’t easy. With inboxes full and phones ringing off the hook, what actually grabs a buyer’s attention—and keeps it? In this episode of Staffing Made Simple, Casey Wagonfield and Rob Geist sit down with Eduardo Gonzalez, Manager of Workforce Planning at Arvato, to dig into what staffing buyers really care about.

Eduardo oversees a contingent workforce of over 1,500 across 10 locations and knows firsthand what makes a staffing agency stand out—and stick around. Whether you’re struggling to get in the door or trying to strengthen existing relationships, this episode is packed with real talk from the other side of the table.

Casey Wagonfield: If you’re in staffing sales, you already know getting a buyer’s attention is tough, and it’s likely your competitors are reaching out to your prospects daily using every method they can, calls, emails, text, social media, dropping in by person. So how do you stand out from all the noise? How do you get your prospect’s attention and start building a real relationship? 

Well, on this episode we’re diving into the buyer’s perspective. What really works when prospecting, what makes a staffing agency worth considering and what keeps a great partnership going long term? To help us understand what’s on the buyer’s mind we’re bringing in someone who interacts with staffing firms on a daily basis, and manages a large multi-site contingent workforce, so stay tuned to this one.

Welcome to Staffing Made Simple, brought to you by SimpleVMS, the most vendor-friendly VMS on the market today. I’m Casey Wagonfield, 17-year staffing vet and subject matter expert at SimpleVMS. This podcast is all about tackling staffing’s biggest challenges with real actionable strategies. And with me, as always, is my co-host, Rob Geist, Senior Vice President of Growth and founding member of SimpleVMS.

Rob, this is going to be a fun one.

Rob Geist: Absolutely, Casey. Thanks a lot, man. Super excited to have our guest and I’m really excited to have a sales focused podcast.

Casey Wagonfield: Alright, let’s get to it. Today we are joined by Eduardo Gonzalez, manager of Workforce Planning at Arvato. Arvato is a global services company specializing in supply chain management and logistics. They’re also an amazing SimpleVMS client, and Eduardo uses the tool to manage his staffing partners across 10 locations that ramp up to over 1500 contingent workers. Eduardo, thanks for joining us. And, before we dive in, why don’t you just tell everybody about Arvato and yourself,

Eduardo Gonzalez: Casey, Rob, thank you for having me. So, as you mentioned, Arvato is a leader in supply chain management, we use a high number of contingent labor to sustain our business. For my role, I ensure that we have the right partnerships in place across the US from the west coast to the east coast, making sure that these partners are compliant with laws, processes, procedures that we have established. And in addition, any new partnerships that we need to add to the business, I am responsible for vetting them and making sure that they are compatible with servicing us.

Casey Wagonfield: You know, there’s always a debate on what’s the best way to reach someone these days. There’s so many ways to communicate and salespeople have more ways than ever to do that calls, emails, texts, messaging you on LinkedIn or just showing up at your facility. And I know a lot of salespeople use all of these methods, but in your opinion, out of those, what would you say is the most effective way for a staffing person to get your attention?

Eduardo Gonzalez: So I want to start off with, of course, I do get inundated with a lot of emails and phone calls on a daily basis. Daily, weekly, nonstop actually. And I don’t read all the emails. A lot of them are scripted. They do have some type of template that just, it’s generic, right? They send it out, they hope to receive some type of response.

They’re not going to get a response. If they make it personal, they will receive a response. I do want to share an example; they sent me an email with a joke actually so, if they can make me laugh. They grabbed my attention and so, I will entertain listening to them, and seeing what they have to offer.

So if they can be different, if they can stand out, then they’re going to grab my attention and I’m going to give them an opportunity to tell me about their company and what they have to offer.

Casey Wagonfield: So no matter whether they call, they email, as long as they’re unique, outside the box, something different to get your attention, you’ll usually entertain it.

Eduardo Gonzalez: Absolutely, yes.

Rob Geist: Probably from what I’m hearing, you don’t want a big mail merge and you’re just one of many. You can tell it’s a prescripted e-mail. That comes across, that’s not going to get your attention, right?

Eduardo Gonzalez: That is correct. So an example, there is this one email that was sent recently actually.

This is exactly verbatim. There’s a running joke internally here that we do our actual jobs for free and that were really paid to do is follow up. So that grabbed my attention. Something so simple, right? And so I give them a response, and we ended up meeting.

They had an opportunity to actually give me some information about their company and what they have to offer.

Rob Geist: I love it. And I think there’s something about being self-deprecating that attracts people as well. What other creative things have people done that have gotten your attention?

Eduardo Gonzalez: Sending pastries and not just any kind of pastries, specialized pastries. Cupcakes with the message, and even a cake with the message or company logo, their information. That stood out, and so that made me want to get to know them a little bit better. So that alone will just immediately grab the attention for them to actually have a chance to talk to me and get to know about our company and vice versa, for us to get to know them as well.

Rob Geist: What about some other things, Eduardo? Like knowing the industry that you’re in, having done some research about, the company that you work for. I mean , those are the little things that I do. There’s a lot of times I read industry publications. If somebody gets quoted in one of those, I’ll say, Hey, I , read you in the Business Courier.

Does that resonate with you at all?

Eduardo Gonzalez: Yes, it does. That stands out as well, because we know that they’ve done their research. They’re not just sending information to see who responds. They actually took the time to get to know us, to get to know something about our company. Or, if they see something

in a press release, saying ” You’re opening up new facilities at this location. That location – we’re here, we have two brick and mortars. This is how we can help support.” Things like that. That does stand out as well, because we know that they’re doing their homework.

Rob Geist: You want to know that somebody took the time and personally reached out to you rather than just a bot that’s sending you an email.

Eduardo Gonzalez: Yes.

Casey Wagonfield: I’d imagine with as many people that reach out to you, Eduardo, the only ones that do stand out are the ones that are personalized, right? And humor I think is huge. I mean, it just goes to show that the salesperson’s a real person.

Eduardo Gonzalez: Absolutely.

Casey Wagonfield: Let’s talk about what not to do. So, those are great things to catch your attention, but there’s I’m sure a lot of things that you don’t like. And I’ve seen a lot of salespeople pitch before they diagnose. They over promise and just sound like everybody else.

And I’ve even heard you mention how some people don’t respect the process when they go around, maybe, what your internal process is for becoming a staffing partner. What are some of the common mistakes that you see staffing people make in their outreach?

Eduardo Gonzalez: So the biggest one is being too pushy, too aggressive, constantly following up.

But then on the flip side, if you’re not following up enough, you’re not going to receive a response, right? But if they’re being too pushy. That’s just a red flag for me. The type of partnerships that we like, they’re relational, not transactional. And sometimes when they’re not personal and when they’re constantly reaching out. They’re just, they’re looking for a transaction. That’s exactly what they’re looking for.

We’re looking for long-term partnerships for years and years. And so being too pushy. That’s not going to give you an opportunity to even get your foot in the door to let us know about your company when you have to offer.

And another mistake is not following the process, right? So ,if they know there’s a certain process within an organization. For us, I am the gatekeeper and essentially the one that initiates everything when onboarding. So, a lot of times they want to bypass that, immediately go to other stakeholders within the organization trying to see if they can get their foot in the door. And that’s the biggest mistake that a lot of potential agency partners have made where they think that they could just, overstep. And so when that happens, they lost that opportunity with us.

Rob Geist: Tell us about people who over promise and does that make you skeptical?

Eduardo Gonzalez: Absolutely. It, I’ll give an example. During the start of the pandemic, right back in 2020. Companies could not find talent to work.

And so there were a few companies that wanted to service us and hey, “we have 50 people in the pipeline.”

And so they did reach out to an executive and sold them to that. Hey, we’re losing these people every day. “We have 50. They can start as soon as tomorrow.” Every week. That list shortened and shortened. So they over promised a high number. During that time when it came for them to actually perform when we brought them on board, about less than five and they did not work out. They ended up pulling out quickly because they could not sustain, they overpromised and under-delivered, just so that they could get that transaction.

Rob Geist: Yeah, I think that’s a really great point. 

I do see there being a disconnect at times with sales and operations in staffing, right? And you’re only as good as the recruiter that’s sitting at the desk filling the orders for you guys. So, salespeople promise you the sun of the moon and the stars, and then if the recruiter’s not delivered, it makes everybody look bad. It makes all the salespeople look bad.

To switch gears here. What if somebody actually walks in the lobby and catches you or, gets you on the phone? Tell us some examples of some things people have done to set themselves apart in that situation.

Eduardo Gonzalez: That has happened, and a lot of times they are not prepared.

It’s very common for a lot of agencies to have a hundred no’s and then two yes’ before they’re even given that chance to let them know about their business, right, and what they have to offer, what differentiates them. And so it has happened a few times. Perfect timing, I’m at the front, there’s a potential agency partner there, and I’m the perfect person for them to speak to.

And so it has happened. They’re just not prepared for it. And so what I do, I take them to the lobby, just get to know them, and I let them give essentially their elevator pitch. What do you have to offer? Tell me about your company . And I keep them in my library of potential agency partners actually.

Casey Wagonfield: That’s a good lesson if you’re going in, expect to talk to somebody and know what you’re going to say.

Uh, yeah. Yes. And, and even though, you know, a lot of times for staffing salespeople, there’s a small chance you get to talk to the decision maker, but always be ready in case you do.

Eduardo Gonzalez: Always be ready, yes.

Rob Geist: And this is kind of a reoccurring theme already, but being prepared. So would it be helpful if the person walking in who’s speaking with you knows a little bit about your business, and the potential peak seasonality of it, and can reference other clients that they do business with?

It’s probably a pretty small network of people in the area you’re in, you probably know a lot of the other folks in the same roles that you have.

Eduardo Gonzalez: Yes. So I come from the staffing industry, and so I do have a lot of connections, a lot of individuals in my network that I can reach out to.

They work for other 3PL companies or even in the staffing industry. That is key, being prepared. I think these salespeople just expect to drop off their information. Here’s a brochure, here’s something about our company, but they don’t expect to actually talk to a stakeholder during that time, so that it is always important for them to be prepared.

And that is one of the questions that I ask, what do you know about our company? What do you know about Arvato? If they are not prepared, if they haven’t done their homework, then again, they’re just looking for that transaction. Just, “Hey, I’m checking off this box.” But they really need to be prepared. If they are targeting specific companies and doing their research, doing their homework. And also their reputation, right? I am going to look them up and seeing what the reputation is in the local area.

Casey Wagonfield: That’s a good point. I’ve even had people that when I was in staffing that came into my office because of our Google reviews, we had four and a half star reviews and a couple hundred reviews, and it was better than a lot of the agencies in that area. That was a multimillion dollar client. But your brand and what other people are saying about you goes a long way.

I wanted to talk a little bit about timing because I know timing can be everything, especially in staffing, because I’ve been there. You’re 99% staff today, you’re probably not thinking about meeting a new agency partner.

We all know those scenarios can change fast too in staffing. So how important is timing when a staffing agency reaches out to you?

Eduardo Gonzalez: Timing is everything and timing is key, but once again, it’s always going to be up to that follow up, whether that’s a month, every quarter. I do have an example of a partner that we currently have right now. It took them about four years to reengage with us. They serviced us back in 2018, 2019. They didn’t stop. They continued every year here and there. Once a quarter, “Hey, checking in. Whenever there’s a need, we’re still here.” It’s important for them to give that notice and to just check in because you never know when that time, it’s going to be right, and we’re going to have a need to engage or reengage once again. So 2018, 2019, we stopped working with them. We kind of went our separate ways. And then 2023 we reengaged with them and they have been very successful since inception- reception, I should say, of the partnership with us.

Casey Wagonfield: Yeah. So, I think it goes back to when you said, ” Don’t be pushy, don’t overdo it.” There’s a fine line between staying in touch with you, being persistent, but not being a pest, I guess.

Rob Geist: You know what never ceases to amaze me is. Once someone gets engaged with me, if they’re trying to sell me something. A lot of times I’ll give them a homework assignment, because I want to see if they actually have the capability to follow up.

So once they’re engaged with you, don’t they need to stay on top of it and follow up with you when they say they were going to follow up with you. For example, if they said, “Hey, I’m going to give you some references from some of our clients who are in the same industry”, and then you never get those references. I’m sure that’s not going to help their case and getting in the door next time you guys are adding a new supplier into the program.

Eduardo Gonzalez: That is correct. Yes. So they have to really keep their word and say, “Hey, I’ll follow up with you.” And some of them are very on top of it. I do keep in touch with some potential agency partners if there’s ever a need, just in case we ever do have that need. Uh, they do follow up, check in every month, every quarter. “Hey, are things going?”

It’s not a pushy, aggressive. “Just want to know how the business is. What are we looking at at the moment?” Very friendly, just conversation. But just for them, it’s important because we know that they’re still there. Because when the time comes, right, as timing is key, we will be giving them a call. Especially those that are in the radar.

Casey Wagonfield: Absolutely. And, uh, kind of wanted to talk a little bit now because you gave some great insight on how agencies can stand out to buyers, get their attention. But after an agency gets your attention, what’s the typical next step for you? How do you evaluate whether or not they’re worth working with or meeting with? 

Eduardo Gonzalez: Number one is a reference check. I reach out to my contacts, my connections, my network and see if they’ve used this agency before. Even from my experience alone, to see if they are a compatible partner for us.

So some of the things that I’ve done is mystery applicant, right? I’ve done that with some potential agency prospects that we were looking into partnering with. So I wanted to make sure, get some insight on their onboarding, welcoming process, for new applicants.

And so I wanted to see a couple of things. I visited a couple of different offices. I wanted to see how well they treated other applicants, and see what that process looks like. How extensive it is, how easy it is for the applicant. And I came in as a Spanish speaking only applicant to see if they even have processes in place to give them a good candidate experience, and see if they have personnel that is able to help them in the system. And not just, “Hey, you’re going to have to go home and talk to somebody that you know that’s able to translate or help you do the application.”

So I do like to scope out like that and just to make sure, because I have had some bad experiences where sometimes the candidate doesn’t have a great experience, very poor. And if you get treated like that, what’s to say they’re not doing the same with everybody else.

Casey Wagonfield: No, that’s a great point. Great way to see exactly who you’re going to be working with, to your point.

Yeah. If they’re not going to treat the candidates well, how do you know they’re going to work out in the long run.

Rob Geist: First time you told me that, it blew me away. That you, were that passionate about what you do, that you would take the time to do that. Are there any other things you can think of that a staffing firm can do to engage the workforce that they’re going to be able to send out to you that’ll make them better workers for you guys at Arvato?

Eduardo Gonzalez: Engagement is always key. Depends, what does that engagement process look like for them? Once they apply how do they keep them hot and ready, as I like to say. Just ready to go. And so, do they have some type of technology established where they can constantly get their status, if they’re still available or not, and if they’re willing to start as soon as possible, all that information. That is key, always, the engagement piece. From the agency to the applicants, just to make sure that they have that great experience, set them up for success and ready to start with us.

Rob Geist: Yeah, there’s a pizza chain that might already have that, uh, (slogan)

Eduardo Gonzalez: that, yeah…

Casey Wagonfield: .. Eduardo, let’s talk about a success story. Can you share an example of a staffing agency that exceeded your expectations and what they did differently?

Eduardo Gonzalez: Absolutely. So one of our partners really comes to mind when it comes to exceeding our expectations. This partner came to us proposing to create a video, onboarding video for their applicants to see before day one. They’re already assigned to us, they’ve been onboarded by them, but this video would help them loosen that anxiety on day one.

So this video consisted of: what this parking looked like, the break room, where to clock in, what does the facility look like, what are they going to be doing. So that they could really know what to expect on day one. And so I know that has helped a lot with retention especially on day one with those individuals that decide not to take the position, right, and just don’t show up on day one. So that has helped significantly. And so that really exceeded our expectations because no partner has really came to us, “Hey, we want to create this video where we want to make the onboarding experience that much better for all these prospects starting on day one.”

So that really exceeded our expectations. The team was onboard with it, they made it happen. And so far, so good.

Casey Wagonfield: That goes a long way. And I used to do something similar called a job preview. There’s some agencies that don’t do that. And I’ve seen a lot of instances where somebody shows up, they don’t know what door to go in, they don’t know who to ask for, and just kind of feel lost.

So preparing them when they show up, they know they’re going to a warehouse, right? This isn’t data entry. But going through all of the different things they need to set them up for success. And a lot of times you can weed out the people beforehand that might not show up on that first day.

Eduardo Gonzalez: Exactly.

Rob Geist: So it sounds like to me from your staffing partners, engaging the candidates is important. That plays a huge factor in retention and productivity of the workers they send out to you.

Can you tell us a little bit more about that and how important that is to you and your organization?

Eduardo Gonzalez: Absolutely Rob. So engagement is key, and that’s from the applicant process up until they’re an active worker. So we have seen partners that have huge engagement, better retention rates, actually they do have less turnover. Versus, partners that don’t have a lot of engagement, and that’s from the applicant process up until their actual active worker for us. And so if they’re engaging during the applicant process, onboarding process, they have multiple touch points, etc… The likelihood of that individual starting on day one and not ghosting is going to be close to that one hundred percent.

They will show up, and if they are happy with their company, they are going to produce, they’re going to be there every day. And so it’s also going to minimize absenteeism. They’re going to look forward to coming into work, and be a good worker because of that engagement. And so something that stands out from an engagement perspective that one of our partners currently does, they have an actual training center where they are able to upskill workers to become forklift drivers. And so they do incentivize them, “if you are putting in the work and investing yourself and being a good worker, we are going to give you an opportunity to upskill you.” And so that is key. And so upskilling them is going to be a win-win for us because they’re going to upskill them to the forklift driver and we’re going to be able to use them. And that individual, that worker’s going to be receiving more money.

Casey Wagonfield: Yeah, I think that’s huge. Especially nowadays, being able to upskill people, to make sure they have the provided skills that you need at your facility. Because sometimes that can be, especially forklifts, can be a position that’s harder to fill.

And being able to go after different demographics that might not have those skills, and might not have them just because companies don’t want to certify somebody that just doesn’t have those skills. So being able to upskill taps into a whole new demographic that they can recruit for.

Eduardo Gonzalez: Exactly.

Rob Geist: I think it’s super interesting because, when you see the surveys of workers, it’s not just about how much they make. It’s about their opportunity for advancement.

And it’s really an interesting perspective knowing that the staffing agencies are playing a huge part in this process, even though they’re working at the Arvato facilities.

Eduardo Gonzalez: Yes, exactly.

Casey Wagonfield: I mentioned about reaching out to peers to vet agencies, and I think that’s a great way to talk with people that may have already worked with those agencies before. But what are some of the other ways you vet agencies before you start working with them?

Eduardo Gonzalez: Casey, that is a great question.

So one of the things I like to do is my own research. See if there are any news articles on this agency, something that they’ve done that. They have , maybe, crossed the line when it comes to compliance. Maybe they weren’t coding correctly when it comes to workers’ comp. I don’t want to see dirty laundry. I have seen the owners that they’ve been arrested. I have seen some companies doing worker workers’ comp fraud. If I see any of those and you’re coming and asking for business, that is a huge no. You are going to be on the list, but we’re not going to do business with you at all.

And so that’s one thing that’s very important, very key to me when I am vetting these new potential prospects. Of course, reputation, I ask the workers, “Hey, how is this agency? How have they treated you?” and usually I get a mixture of a little bit of everything, right. But if it’s more positive than negative, then hey, they are good.

Casey Wagonfield: How important is the internal staff’s tenure at the agencies you work with? I know a lot of agencies use that as a value proposition when they have tenured staff, and sometimes it can tell you a lot about them, right? If they’ve been there a long time, it probably means their company treats them right and they want to work there. 

I think the industry average for an internal employee was 18 months by the ASA which can be cumbersome when you’re trying to train new recruiters every six months. How important is it for your partners to have some good tenure within their internal office?

Eduardo Gonzalez: Casey, I’m glad you mentioned that, because it is common in the industry.

For a high turnover 18 months, that’s very minimal. Right? A healthy employer should have their employees active for a minimum of three years. 18 months is definitely very minimal. That’s constant turnover. They have to start all over. We’re getting to know your business. And so if they’ve been in business for 20 years but their staff is six months, three months,

that they’ve been there with the organization, that’s a red flag. That just shows that their turnover is extremely high. And so I like to hear if they’ve been there for 3, 4, 5 years. We do have partnerships currently where they do have tenured individuals, actually 10 plus years that they have been with the organization. And so that’s something we do appreciate because we don’t have to constantly train them, and make sure that they understand our business. If they’re there long term then they are able to continuously support us to our expectations.

Casey Wagonfield: What about technology? Is that significant when it comes to vetting agencies before you work with them?

Eduardo Gonzalez: The one question I always ask when I am vetting potential staffing partners is, have you worked with the VMS platform? And so there are many common ones out there, but of course the one I like to hear is SimpleVMS because it’s in its name, simple. And so they do have experience and they currently do work with SimpleVMS. That is going to be an easy onboarding for them because they’re already established and have a relationship with the SimpleVMS team. We use SimpleVMS, so we do appreciate if they do have that experience.

Rob Geist: So you mentioned retention. What other metrics are you looking at as keys to success from your suppliers?

Eduardo Gonzalez: Retention is number one, and within retention we separate, overall negative turnover and then also to initial turnover. Initial turnover is key. We want that to be minimal. Initial turnover for us is turnover within the first seven days.

That is very important to us. We invest a lot of time, effort, money, training these new workers coming in. So it’s very critical that they last more than seven days. So initial turnover for us is huge. We want that to be as minimal as possible. Another metric is, time to fill. We do give an SLA of three days to provide labor to us.

Rob Geist: How about reporting, how important is it when you’re working with the staffing agency and what other metrics do you look at?

Eduardo Gonzalez: Reporting is key. Especially thanks to the tool, of course, SimpleVMS. That helps tremendously. Another metric we look at, we call them the drops, right? The, the ghosts. Those individuals that are scheduled, they got vetted, they’re scheduled for day one, and they don’t show up. That can tell you a couple of things, right? If they send 10 people to work and only five show up, something’s going on with the vetting process. And so that, we look at that, that’s key for us. We know that there’s some type of gap, especially if only 50% are showing up. So that is key for us, we want to make sure that they’re doing everything and anything on their end to vet them properly to ensure they schedule 10, 10 are going to show up on day one.

Rob Geist: Interesting.

Casey Wagonfield: Yeah, I think a lot of these things have a trickle effect, right? You mentioned somebody shows up and they don’t know they were going to be unloading. Well, had they been through a job preview before they started, they know exactly what they were getting into, which goes back into employee experience. When you talk about long-term partnerships, something I’ve always felt was huge is communication.

Especially I think in light industrial staffing, have that communication with the branches that you’re working with and them have the communication with you and your supervisors and knowing you know what your needs are.

Eduardo Gonzalez: Absolutely. So I’ll add the analogy of, this is a marriage, right? You have to lay everything there, the good, the bad, and the ugly, and communication is key.

Casey Wagonfield: And it sounds like overall you’re looking for a partner, right? A partner that’s going to bring different ideas and things to the table.

Eduardo Gonzalez: Exactly.  

Rob Geist: One other thing I was curious to ask you, we did a quarterly business review with a client of ours not long ago, and one of the requests they had from their staffing agencies was they wanted to have a relationship with someone that wasn’t a recruiter. They wanted somebody more strategic.

So do the salespeople that come in and sell to you, do they maintain the relationship with you? Would you prefer that they do because there’s high turnover in that recruiting role? So, you might need a person to bridge that gap when that turnover happens.

Eduardo Gonzalez: So that is an expectation for us to have, that accessibility to all levels within that agency, right? From the recruiter all the way to the top executive. We want everybody to be involved. We want everybody to get to know us, and that really shows that they value our partnership as well, because everybody’s involved, not just that sales person that made the sales and then they’re gone.

Rob Geist: Yeah. I think it’s so important for the sales person who actually came in, told you something, promised you something, they stay in front of you and follow up that they’re continuing to provide the service that you expect.

So to me, that’s an essential part of sales.

Casey Wagonfield: Eduardo, how do you define a successful partnership with a staffing agency? Like what separates a good partner from a great one?

Eduardo Gonzalez: That is a great question, a great partner is a partner that puts everything on the table.

What I mean by that, a lot of times these agencies, they are scarred by certain clients. And I’d be the first one, in my experience, I was scarred by some of these clients. Where sometimes that scar prevents you from putting certain things on the table with certain clients. For us, I welcome everything on anything.

Just because one of your clients, it was a hard no for them for a certain ask, ask us. We can say yes, we can say no, but that is something that stands out a great partner from a good partner. Somebody that comes with ideas and somebody that is not afraid to ask if something could be done. If we can go a certain direction, if they can try something new, we are open. We may say no, but somebody that comes to the table with other ideas, suggestions, we really value that and appreciate that.

Casey Wagonfield: So somebody with good communication, good thought leadership, bringing outside of the box ideas to you.

Eduardo Gonzalez: Yes.

Casey Wagonfield: Awesome. So basically everything you’ve been talking about for the past 30 minutes combined into one, uh, that’s a great partner.

Eduardo Gonzalez: Absolutely. I’ll share a story actually, one of our partners, during the pandemic, we just could not get labor. We couldn’t fill the positions. They brought this idea, “Hey, let’s bus people from 45 minutes away.”, and they made it happen. Actually they came to us, and so that’s what we, when we are having struggles, challenges, certain departments, certain areas, bring ideas to the table. That bussing strategy really helped us out. We rolled it out for two years actually, and that really helped us through, during peak times.

Casey Wagonfield: And that probably strengthened that relationship with that agency too, right? Because they’ve helped you.

Eduardo Gonzalez: Absolutely. Yes.

Rob Geist: Eduardo, this has been great and can’t thank you enough for all the insight you’ve given us. One of the last questions, is there any advice you’d give to salespeople trying to build lasting relationships with buyers like yourself?  

Eduardo Gonzalez: My last piece of advice is don’t be afraid to spend money to make money.

What I mean by that, not a lot of companies are willing to make that investment. A lot of times companies always look at the short term games. They may make a loss now, but that is small compared to the long-term relationship and the long term return that they will be receiving. That is my biggest piece of advice; sometimes that sacrifice and investment is worth it, especially with a huge company like Arvato because we are here for the long term, not the short term. So you may have a loss for a certain quarter, maybe two quarters, but then in the long term you’re going to be making a ton of money. So that, I would say that’s probably the biggest piece of advice. Don’t be afraid to take that risk.

Rob Geist: So what it sounds like you’re saying is you want partners to be proactive instead of reactive when they’re doing business with you, which is business 101.

Casey Wagonfield: Eduardo, this has been an awesome conversation. Rob and I, with decades of sales experience, we were super excited to talk with you today.

And to our listeners: Thanks for tuning in to Staffing Made Simple, brought to you by SimpleVMS, the most vendor friendly VMS platform on the market. If you found this episode helpful be sure to like and subscribe.

Rob Geist: And if you’d like to learn more about SimpleVMS and how we can help support you as a buyer or as a staffing agency partner, check us [email protected].

Casey Wagonfield: Thanks for listening. We’ll see you next time on Staffing Made Simple.   

The post Staffing Made Simple – Episode 2 with Eduardo Gonzalez appeared first on SimpleVMS.

Meet Katie Patton, our Sales Enablement lead! Her enthusiasm and expertise will undoubtedly be a great asset to our projects. Katie, with a history in staffing, is uniquely experienced and will help push forward the goals of SimpleVMS including continued improvement of our workforce technology. We’re excited to integrate her fresh ideas and perspectives as we work together to achieve our goals.

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Get to know Katie

Katie brings a wealth of experience to her position at SimpleVMS and has already proven to be a valuable asset to the team. She spent the last 5+ years of her career in Healthcare Staffing, where she was a Senior Recruiter. Katie staffed Travel Nurses across all 50 states. An expert relationship builder, Katie prioritizes building trust and strong, lasting relationships with clients.

She was born and raised in Ashland and later moved to Cincinnati to attend the University of Cincinnati. She graduated with a degree in Marketing and International Business. Katie has now lived in Cincinnati for 9 years and lives with her husband, Ross, and cat, Rocky. 

In her free time, she enjoys traveling to “literally anywhere”! So far, her favorite place to visit is Banff, Canada. Katie also enjoys ATV riding and playing any recreational sport she can, including softball, sand volleyball, and basketball. She also enjoys reading books, cooking new recipes for her family, and watching football- especially to cheer for Ohio State University.

Join us in welcoming Katie

Katie has already been an integral part of the team, drastically improving software and processes within multiple workforce technologies. Katie’s support will ensure our Sales Executives can deliver exceptional workforce solutions and a seamless experience for our clients and vendors. Additionally, her extensive background in staffing and recruiting will be imperative in driving forward SimpleVMS strategy and sales. We are ecstatic that Katie has joined our team, and we are confident Katie’s presence will (and already has) make a great impact at SimpleVMS!

The post Katie Patton, Sales Enablement Specialist appeared first on SimpleVMS.

Staffing Made Simple – Staffing Law

With Guest Lia Elliot, Attorney and Founding Partner at Staffing GC

The legal landscape of the staffing industry is continually changing, creating unique challenges that agencies must navigate to ensure compliance and foster growth. With federal, state, and local regulations shifting rapidly, how can agencies navigate these complexities while still differentiating themselves to clients? In this episode of Staffing Made Simple, we are joined by Lia Elliott, managing partner at Staffing GC, to break down some of the key legal considerations agencies face today. 

Join us as we dive into key challenges facing staffing agencies today—from immigration laws to complex client contracts and navigating highly regulated markets. Gain valuable insights to stay compliant and competitive in an evolving industry!

Casey Wagonfield: Over the past several years, the staffing industry has changed more than ever before. Rob and I have a combined 30 years in this business. We’ve seen a lot when it comes to staffing law, shifting regulations, new technology, evolving work models and changing immigration laws. It’s no longer business as usual. For staffing agencies keeping up with these changes isn’t just important, but it’s become necessary to survive. Legal compliance has become a bigger challenge and agencies that don’t stay ahead of the curve could be putting themselves at serious risk. So, how do we navigate all this without losing our minds? Well, if you’re in staffing, stick with us. We’ve got you covered.

Casey Wagonfield: Hey everyone. Welcome to Staffing Made Simple, brought to you by SimpleVMS, the most vendor-friendly VMS on the market. I’m Casey Wagonfield, a 17-year staffing industry vet, subject matter expert at SimpleVMS, and cohost of this podcast. Our goal for this podcast; to make staffing easier by tackling the toughest challenges in the industry with practical strategies that actually work. And joining me today, my cohost, Rob Geist, Senior Vice President of growth and founding member of Simple VMS.

Rob, always a pleasure. My friend.

Rob Geist: Pleasure is all mine, Casey. Thank you. 

Casey Wagonfield: All right, today we’re diving into one of the trickiest parts of staffing, which is staying compliant with staffing laws. Regulations at the federal, state, and local levels are changing constantly, and if agencies don’t keep up, they could be facing major headaches like lawsuits, fines, and even losing clients.

So, the reality is, change isn’t coming, it’s already here. But there is good news. There are ways we can stay compliant without overcomplicating things. And to help us break it all down, we’ve got an incredible guest. We’re thrilled to welcome Lia Elliott. Lia is an attorney and managing partner at StaffingGC, the first legal services firm built specifically for staffing companies.

Before that, she spent 15 years as general counsel at Elwood Staffing, one of the largest light industrial staffing firms in the U. S. She’s been in the trenches helping agencies navigate compliance and legal matters while still growing their businesses. So, Lia, thanks for joining us.

Lia Elliot: Well, thank you, Casey and Rob.

It’s a complete delight to be here with you guys today.

Casey Wagonfield: Likewise. All right, Lia. We are going to start with a big-picture question. What makes the legal landscape for staffing different from any other industry? 

Lia Elliot: Well, I think it’s a pretty multifaceted response, right? We have multiple states often that staffing firms are working within assuming a U. S. based operation. So, you could have up to 50 different states you’re operating within and you’re operating across such a diverse group of clients, right? So those end using clients and the work sites, so many distinct work sites across the country, it adds a huge amount of variation for staffing firms. And when you layer over the top of that, the high volume and industry-specific legislation. It feels like you’re running just multiple operations across multiple clients and states, and trying to keep up with all the moving parts. It can be pretty intense.

I don’t know any staffing owners or principals who are sitting around not doing anything else. And so, it’s not like we’re bored. But lots of legal complexities for the staffing firms, and that doesn’t even take into account, the client relationships, the business side, and the operational pieces, but lots of activity in that space.

Casey Wagonfield: For sure.

And staffing agencies, they deal with a ton of legal challenges, as you know, but if you had to pinpoint one of the biggest areas agencies should focus on, what would they be?

Lia Elliot: Yeah, I think it’s a great question, and it gets to the heart of prioritizing risk. And that’s something that not all firms are really proactively engaging in on a regular basis.

And not all risk is created equal. So, some of it’s catastrophic. Some of it will never trigger and is really inconsequential. And so, from my perspective, when I think about the highest risk legal issues for a staffing firm, I’m thinking about what sits in that bucket that’s going to sink the ship.

That catastrophic uninsured risk-and for me, that often falls within wage an hour. For a staffing firm, we hire people, we place people to work. It’s very important the at we are 100 percent on wage an hour all the time. There’s really not much room for error in that space. Noncompliance there leads to class actions. It’s typically uninsured. Right? That that is a sink the ship issue.

The secondary one, which doesn’t always fall within legal’s kind of responsibilities, you don’t always go to your lawyers for this but it’s uninsured equally and can result in catastrophic loss, which is tax and financial compliance. Very, very important that you get your taxes, right?

You’re withholding correctly. You’re submitting on time and in correct amounts. And then for me, the third to kind of round out just sort of a top three. Right now, very big topic for a lot of employers, not only for staffing firms, but data privacy protection and cyber security are huge in our space.   

Rob Geist: Hey, Lia, it’s Rob. Those are some great points, but other than those things, what are some other legal items that are keeping staffing agencies, CEOs, and executives up at night?

Lia Elliot: Yeah, based on the inbound calls and emails and texts that I’ve been getting in the last 60 days, I would say immigration is topping the list right now.

We’re, in a time period with a great deal of enforcement. There’s a lot of end using clients who are putting downward pressure onto their suppliers around wanting reassurances that their staffing providers are compliant with federal law with regards to work authorization and identification of workers.

And so, fielding quite a few demands in that space right now. Immigration is definitely one thing that’s keeping owners up at night. And it probably wasn’t something I would have said 6 months ago. So really a very kind of recent development with the new administration. And then beyond that, I think we get the basic stuff. The state-by-state complexities we talked about. The variation between state regulation can be wide with regards to things like pay, transparency, meal and rest periods, onboarding forms, the packages can be different based on the state. That’s typically a concern that maybe not owners, but definitely those that are in charge of making sure that gets done, tend to lose some sleep on that. 

And then the third, what keeps CEOs and ownership, and leaders awake at night? I think, is a little bit more simple in the sense of where are we getting in our own way? Like, where are we creating our own friction points and increasing our own liability potentially in our own legal risk through either inefficiencies, not having the right process or procedure in place, not having the right people in the right seats, right?

Those kinds of things, really round out what I hear about keeping staffing firms awake at night.

Casey Wagonfield: Yeah, totally makes sense. Some of these states can be so different too, right? So, it’s probably hard to keep up with the ever changing laws.

Lia Elliot: It’s night and day. If you have a staffing firm that has operations in Kentucky and in California, you are running two very, very different operations between those two states, right?

Just night and day.

Rob Geist: Yeah, I’ve actually had my phone ring several times over the last 6 to 8 weeks asking if I’ve heard of any ICE enforcement or people coming into facilities. Do you have any real-world examples of that at all that you’ve seen?

Lia Elliot: We have, and really just in the last month or so. In January, the headlines were a lot more about the arrests and detentions, things of that nature. So we saw a lot of that. In the last month, our staffing firm clients are sharing with us that several of their clients have been subject to visits from ICE.

A few have been subject to raids. Most of those raids seemed to have been in employee-friendly states. So we saw them in Illinois, saw some in New York, New Jersey, some of those types of places. But then have recently learned from just a small handful of staffing firms, that ICE had paid visits to the staffing firms. Which is really a little bit on the unusual side, at least this early in the process, because what typically happens is the end using client is either served with a subpoena to produce I-9s, there’s a raid, something of that nature. And then ICE, which is the division in charge of enforcement, goes to the suppliers to close the loop and say, let’s get the full picture.

So the staffing firms are kind of a tag-along and a little bit of an afterthought, whereas now they seem to be visiting. And what I’ve seen is, basically canvassing, which is interesting. You know, going in asking the person at the front desk, if they’re aware of their employer hires any illegal immigrants. Asking if they know if any of their clients are asking them to hire illegal immigrants. And it’s interesting because I don’t think it’s staffing industry targeted because with the three clients that I’ve heard about this through, and they’ve been in more employer-friendly jurisdictions.

So not the California, Illinois, New York’s of the world, but you’re more employer friendly, Midwestern locations and South. They’re going to every establishment within a building or within a strip mall, so it’s this interesting approach that I don’t think we’ve seen before,

Casey Wagonfield: That they’re going to agencies offices versus the worksite.

Lia Elliot: Absolutely. They’re kind of tag teaming this a little bit with, prioritizing raids where they know the workers are going to be and then blanketing everyone else. It’s PR and kind of marketing outreach almost.

Rob Geist: It’s a slippery slope, right? For your clients, they can’t share this information with the end client. It’s personal private information that, opens the client up to potential issues. So, what steps can the staffing agencies, your clients, take to protect themselves in these situations?

Lia Elliot: I think that’s a great question. And it’s one that’s definitely jumping to the front of the line right now. And a lot of this involves just training. And when I say training, I’m not talking about like a two-day conference, and taking people out of their substantive day-to-day work, but really just preparing your internal team for what to do if, they get a visit if they’re served with a subpoena, training that frontline person and then extending some of that training to your clients. So I have a lot of staffing firms who are training and hosting sessions and webinars with their end using clients to try to proactively help educate them with regards to what they’re legally required to do and what they’re not, right? What the rights of everyone are when a 3rd party, whether it’s ICE law enforcement or some random 3rd party, comes into your work site? What do you have to do? When do you have to do it? And their agenda when they come in is going to be to produce a result and to secure information.

And you may or may not be required to produce that information on the spot. A lot of staffing firms are trying to outreach with their clients and help them to understand, what the rules of engagement are. And I think and end-using clients appreciate that they want to know that their staffing partners are thinking about and proactively planning around the same things that are keeping them awake. I think it’s a great way to solidify those business relationships while simultaneously reducing the risk. 

Rob Geist: So, what you’re basically telling me is they need to get in touch with somebody like you, who knows all the rules and regulations and intricacies, and to have somebody at hand.

Because you never know when it’s going to pop up.

Lia Elliot: Absolutely. I mean, they should engage with either their legal or HR resources, right? Develop that workflow, and this isn’t a workflow any of us really prioritized anytime last year. Because if your people get caught off guard, whoever it is that ICE would encounter when they first walk into an office or they first walk into your end using clients work site, that person could accidentally volunteer to let ICE into a private area that they’re not otherwise entitled to be in.

And that’s huge. And that’s what we saw with raids early on, where that front desk staff thought they had to let them in, right? They’re coming in. It feels very military. They are wearing bulletproof vests. There are cameras strapped to their chest. They have, weapons, just like police officers on belts, right?

It feels very intimidating to someone who’s never encountered that before. So, helping them to understand that this is what could walk through the door, and they don’t have to be an expert in it. They just need to know who to call and tell them just have a seat and I’m going to get you the right person who can talk to you about this.

Casey Wagonfield: Have you heard from any of your clients that the end clients are maybe, doubling down on E Verify or requiring more?  

Lia Elliot: We’re not seeing compliant requests, anyway. We’re hearing a lot of requests coming in from end-using clients asking for things that I think they don’t realize are not legal. So, I’ve, had a few, even just last week, a staffing firm called me and said- Hey, one of my biggest client’s operations manager, kind of a facilities manager, reached out and said they wanted to start doing E Verify and they wanted to start with all the currently working people on assignment. That’s about as illegal as it gets. And so that’s really where staffing firms have the opportunity to be that expert resource to their clients and help them not shoot themselves in their own foot.

Basically saying, look, we can explore using E Verify as a tool going forward, but we’re gonna do it in a way that’s compliant for all of us and doesn’t increase legal risk for us. And so, we are seeing a lot more requests that border on being unlawful and are things that staffing firms can’t legally comply with. 

Rob Geist: Isn’t there a unique, E Verify number that could be provided to the client? So, at least, they know that it’s being done.

Lia Elliot: There is. Yes. And so, when clients ask for things like, if you’re already running E Verify for your currently working people, they might ask for an E Verification number, which is the number it spits out at employment confirmation result, the employment being authorized.

We also see, Staffing firms providing attestations to their clients and saying -you’re asking for these, that’s high risk, we can’t just give you our I9s. But what we can do is go in, conduct an audit and report our findings and give you an attestation that affirms under oath that our I 9s are compliant -and that does the trick quite a bit.

Casey Wagonfield: Speaking of risk and compliance, with just all the advancements with technology, I’m sure there’s still agencies that use paper I9s. Would you suggest they ditch the paper forms if possible?

Lia Elliot: It is yes, it’s a double-edged sword It’s really interesting because electronic I9s are actually more regulated than the paper I9s, which is hard to believe given how complicated the i9 is to begin with, right?

Just the paper form is challenging enough. But with the right vendor partner and ensuring that your partner is compliant with those retention and auditing and tracking, all the requirements that are required for electronic completion and retention of the i9. Assuming all those are met absolutely go with electronic, right?

You’re going to reduce human errors. You can really take advantage of technology and automate retention periods and things of that nature. So, you’re not over retaining. And if you do still have boxes of those I-9s sitting in a warehouse from 1992 that just shipped off and nobody ever retrieved and no one’s gone through since, now’s a really good time to dust off the shelves and identify which I-9s are eligible for destruction, right?

You’re only required to keep I 9s for a very specific period of time. If you retain too many, those are subject to audit, which subjects them to penalties and fines. So, you don’t want to over-retain, you don’t want to under-retain, but you don’t want to retain stuff that’s that old.

Casey Wagonfield: No, that’s great stuff. 

We’re going to switch gears here, though. We’re going to talk a little bit about the patchwork of federal state and local regulations. There can be conflicting rules. So how can agencies make sure that they’re staying compliant with those?

Lia Elliot: Yeah, I wish there were a one size fits all solution and if there were, I would have sold it and I would have retired a long, long time ago.

I would be joining you from Tahiti right now, but I, alas, I’m not and it takes work. It has to be intentional. And really, compliance has to be part of the culture and an expectation within an organization. Not every staffing firm can have a legal team, or a fully staffed risk team to monitor the status of all the bills being introduced across the country and the status and when they pass and when they’re vetoed and when they’re amended, right?

It’s really, really difficult to stay on top of that with essentially 50 different countries. And that’s how I’ve had it described to me. Some of our clients come in from other countries, either from Asia or from European countries and they’re amazed when they come. Picture that emoji with its head exploding because that’s how they feel they’re like, it’s so much easier to do business in every other country except this one.

It’s so much. And so really, staying connected to the industry is so, so important. So, it’s, it’s attending webinars, it’s following podcasts like this, it’s subscribing to email services and for, getting outside of that bubble of your own organization.

So, staying plugged in with industry organizations like ASA, SIA, state local chapter, NATHO, for health care organizations. They have so much of that information already distilled and tailored to our industry that it really can help you to see where you might have a blind spot that needs to be addressed.

Casey Wagonfield: What about some of those highly regulated states? So, we all know the New York and California, but there’s more than just that. A lot of agencies are hesitant to go into those markets, but they have a ton of opportunity in those states. What have you seen from agencies that thrive in those states? What do they do well? 

Lia Elliot: Some of our clients have already been in California, and they’ve just grown up in that space and that’s where their staffing firm started. It makes everything else seem like a cakewalk, it’s all really easy to go from California to somewhere else.

But we see states like Illinois and Minnesota, where regulation is becoming much more prevalent and much more industry targeted. And so, we’re also experiencing a lot of staffing, and some that go into California, but some firms are, having to navigate those similar regulatory burdens and as much as possible they’re taking us with them. They, love the staffing firm and they say, I like you so much, I’m going to take you with me to Los Angeles. Awesome. You know, we need 200 people in two weeks. Engage as quickly as you can, with your legal and HR professionals. I think sooner you can do so before you enter the market, the better. That helps to frame some of the issues that you might not know about or might not be thinking about. And then those that are really successful in a state like California, you really see a centralized process for compliance. Someone oversees compliance for that state. They’ve got really solid alignment on what sort of risk tolerances they’re willing to take and what they might need to be batting a hundred on. They assign owners of those risks. It’s never an assumption that, well, if it’s part of our onboarding process, I’m sure H. R. is, is making sure the right onboarding forms are there. No, they’ve mapped it out. And so, mapping out and having a look all the things in your process and seeing proactively what needs to be tweaked for that state can be really important.

And beyond that, some of those states also have independent registration obligations. So staffing firms have historically not had to register for, a quote unquote business license. But in states like Illinois, now there is, right? And it’s actually illegal for end using clients to work with a staffing firm who’s not properly registered under the Illinois Department of labor. And so very important to try to get as much of a runway ahead of you as you can in those states if you’ve not been in them before, just because there will be some additional administrative burden.

But to your point, Casey, there’s a ton of business, the pricing can compensate for your additional administrative burden and costs. No one expects the pricing in California to be the same as the pricing in Nebraska. It just simply will not.

Casey Wagonfield: Now, if an agency does want to expand or open up one of those high regulation states, other than call you first, what’s the first step from a legal standpoint?

Lia Elliot: Make sure you have an arbitration agreement incorporated into your onboarding process of your temporary workers. That’s so, so important across the country, whether it’s in a highly regulated state or not. If it’s not been reviewed in the last several years, have it reviewed once a year, right?

That’s really one of the only defense tools a staffing firm has available to it to try to minimize risk associated with class actions. And in those highly regulated states, class actions are more prevalent. So that’s why we, prioritize that arbitration agreement.

And then secondarily is to conduct a review of the onboarding documents, having a look at what you’re having your folks fill out, sign, what is your handbook say, is your contract template okay, all those things. Whether you’re onboarding a client or you’re onboarding talent. For that highly regulated state, have a look to see if anything needs to be modified. You want to make sure that if you’re not allowed in that state to ask about criminal convictions, that your application doesn’t include that question on the application. So as much as we want to try to make forms and process very uniform. Some firms just simply develop all of their content to the highest regulated state, because then it complies with all 50. So, you can go either way.

Casey Wagonfield: Now, as regulations evolve, what resources should agencies use to stay compliant?

Lia Elliot: Yeah, I think staying close to your lawyers and your professional advisors is really important.

I think allowing staff to be plugged into the industry and to industry trade groups is really critical. I think it’s very easy for staffing firms and their teams to feel isolated in the bubble of their own organization. And we really get a lot of value from engaging with other people who are sitting in a similar position with us, and at a minimum, we know we’re not alone. 

We, as a group and as an industry, there’s a whole lot of things that we can do with people that maybe we compete with on the sales and the order fulfillment side, but when we’re talking about legal compliance and legislation targeting the industry and things like that, we should be, linking arm and arm to combat and be informed on those issues.

So really permitting that networking and that staying plugged into the industry piece to me it’s just so important.

Rob Geist: I have a question about, staffing agreements, staffing contracts.

Back when I was in staffing many years ago, I’d walk in with my four-page agreement. I’d get it signed, and we’d start staffing for them, except for the enterprise clients. A lot of times they’d have a MSA where we had to sign their agreement. And I’m really starting to see that go down market into the SMB space. What should the staffing agencies be looking at as landmines in these MSAs that these, companies are having them sign?

Lia Elliot: Isn’t it interesting? I love those four-page agreements. I always say a staffing agreement doesn’t need to be more than four pages; it’s not that hard. We get orders, we fill orders, we bill you, you pay us, right?

So easy peasy, right? But yeah, it used to be the big Walmarts and Amazons of the world had their own customized staffing services agreements. And now, it’s definitely I think most of my staffing firm clients are experiencing the same thing you’re describing, Rob. That so many of them are handing them their contract and they’re 20 plus pages long now and it’s really overwhelming for folks.

In my experience with client-drafted contracts, it’s not always about what’s in them, but it’s about what’s missing because they won’t often include what their duties and responsibilities are. So, they’re not spelling out in their own agreement, when they drafted on their paper, that they’re going to supervise your people or that they are directing the work or that they’re providing a safe work environment.

Now, I’ve been pleasantly surprised a handful of times. I’ve actually seen some end using clients using the ASA template, which is awesome. And it’s really having kind of a list of what’s important to the staffing firm around what do we expect for our clients to be doing, let’s make sure that’s in their business terms. What’s not in there that we want in there? We probably want some late fees, if they’re not paying on time. We want 30-day payment terms, not 120-day payment terms, those kinds of things. And then of course, I think I’d get kicked out of the lawyer’s club if I didn’t mention it, but it’s indemnification, right?

I mean that’s always the big one in terms of where the back and forth starts happening in a contract is, when those clients supplied, contracts are trying to push so much financial responsibility to the staffing firm that you’re almost then like an insurance policy. And so, I typically advise firms that, absolutely you indemnify for what you can control. If it’s not within your control, it’s really not reasonable for you to pay the tab on that one. 

And that’s what indemnification is. It’s just who’s going to pay for it when you know what hits the fan and staffing firms can do things wrong. If they don’t conduct the screen that they committed to, if they breach the contract, right, all those things. Absolutely you stand behind your commitments, but you likewise are expecting your clients to supervise properly, not allow hostile work environments. Those are things you can’t take responsibility for.

Rob Geist: As a salesperson I’ve never wanted an agreement to stop me from getting a deal, right?

And there’s a battle between leadership and sales in that oftentimes. What are your recommendations for people to keep deals moving along while minimizing risk in those situations?

Lia Elliot: We could do a whole session on, and I’ve done it before too. I mean, like the contract negotiation piece, the panels, those are always the best.

And my biggest thing is that it feels awkward when you’re negotiating a contract. Like this is usually a potential new client. It’s like a prenup, right? Everybody’s excited. You’re about to have the wedding ceremony and you say, no way. We got to plan our breakup.

If things go horribly awful, we would like a plan in place for that. So, it’s just it’s such a Debbie Downer, cause it just feels like you’re planning for the end, but it is important. And what I try to counsel firms on to get these things to yes, is we’re not looking for perfection and we don’t want to over lawyer it.

If you take that indemnification provision that the client drafted, and you take the whole thing out and you put a whole new one in. Yours goes to the bottom of the pile and all your competitors are getting the work. So really evaluating the opportunity against the risk and strategically plugging in some escape hatches for the staffing firm.

And that might be other places in the contract. It might not be in the indemnification provision where it shines a spotlight on it, but somewhere else you might commit the client to provide a safe work environment and supervise and not allow your people to drive. And then in the indemnity section, when you put in that they’ll indemnify for their breach of contract it doesn’t look so bad, right? It’s just a little tweak. It’s not a complete rewrite.

And so, if you over lawyer the agreement, the deal is dead. With speed being the name of the game it’s really critical that you identify what are your top issues and care abouts, what are the risks in this contract that maybe our insurance, which is our safety net, doesn’t cover and let’s really focus on those.

Rob Geist: So, what I’m hearing you say is there are ways to make them win win, even if they do seem kind of insurmountable at times by working things in other parts of the agreements.  

Lia Elliot: They are. And it can be a balance too to make sure that the folks in the field are talking to the right person within the client company, sometimes it can be hard to escalate that and get that to someone with some authority. It can be great to solidify and deepen the bench in terms of your contacts within the client. If you can continue to move up that poll a little bit. I’ve had contracts that have come in that just looked, I think I saw 1 a few weeks ago.

I opened it and it said it was like, 72 pages long. And I just thought, I’m going to kick the can on this one until I’m in a better mood, right? I need some real ability to focus on this.

It was a low-risk work comp code, it didn’t involve driving, right? So, you take into account all the factors that are coming into play and it was a really reputable potential client. And so, we’re going to very surgically identify where tweaks need to be. I’m sure most staffing firms can count on one hand; how many times they’ve had to sue a client not being related to collections. Staffing firms don’t make it a habit to sue their clients under the contracts.

Rob Geist: Yeah, you’re not going to sue them anyway. What are you going to do? Put a bad mark on yourself and then nobody else wants to work with you because of that.

Casey Wagonfield: And I would say from personal experience, especially with agencies that maybe don’t have a general counsel is having somebody with that staffing experience is huge.

So, my previous experience is staffing I was in charge of looking through the contracts, and I’ve worked with multiple different lawyers some that had no staffing experience, and those would be the ones that like to rewrite the whole agreement because they just have never been in the staffing industry.

So, it was a blessing when I got to work with Lia because she knows not just the legal, within a contract, but the business things too. What are the bad business decisions to accept within an agreement, right? They want 360-hour conversions. No, we’re going to change that to 520. So, it’s nice being able to work with somebody that knows all of those things without you having to tell them. 

Lia Elliot: So, from everything we were talking about, this all kind of falls under compliance. Are you seeing any staffing firms use any technology to help them stay compliant in these areas?  

Absolutely, and heavily relying on technology for that. The ATS systems, for example, that staffing firms rely on to run the day-to-day business. It’s one of the most important pieces of tech that they have in their stack to make sure that that’s compliantly calculating something like overtime pay rates, or the timing of pulling the hours correctly for the right, work week period. All those kinds of things can be very, very important just even in the operational ATS systems that we’re using day in and day out.

And I just went to a conference a few weeks ago and heard one of the leaders at LinkedIn talking about AI, which is what everybody’s talking about, and it’s really clear that staffing firms who aren’t committed to technology and continuous technology improvements are really going to be left behind. They’re not going to be as quick. They’re not going to be as reliable. They’re not going to be as good at making the matches and optimizing the efficiencies. And so, the companies that are wildly successful are the ones that are committed to incorporating tech anywhere and everywhere that they can help their teams do their jobs better

Casey Wagonfield: From a tech solution standpoint, as they are evaluating different tech, what should they be asking vendors before making a decision?

Anything important?

Lia Elliot: I always ask about data protection. What information are we going to be plugging into this platform? A lot of times it’s very sensitive and confidential information, right? It could be, if its benefits-related, there could be medical info, social security numbers, dates of birth, all that kind of stuff.

So, data protection, what is their parameters of that? How are they protecting that information? And are they willing to stand behind it? What is their commitment to data protection? Are they going to indemnify the staffing firm? If they suffer a breach and they trigger a data violation on to our folks. And then just the second one, which is really basic and isn’t nearly as legally flashy, but the longer the demo period you could request the better. And I only say that because most of the calls that I receive around vendor contracts is, we signed a five-year contract we’re a year in, and we don’t like it anymore. Or we never did, and we haven’t been using it. And especially right now, as staffing firms are sharpening the pencils and trying to reduce optional spend. Really making sure that someone is thinking about your tech stack and your tech solutions and making sure it’s the right fit at the beginning and not just rolling the dice and saying, okay, here we go for 5 years with increasing rates and all that kind of thing. Just the certainty around the product itself before you commit to long terms.

Casey Wagonfield: If there’s an evergreen, make sure, you’re looking at that before it renews.

Rob Geist: Well, you mentioned AI automation. I think in the last five, seven years, I’ve seen the staffing agencies leaps and bounds, embrace tech more than they ever have in the past. I think they’re using it as differentiators. Are there any legal boogeyman that they need to be looking out for when it comes to AI and automation?

Lia Elliot: If they’re not thinking about it, or if they don’t think their people are using it, they need to be thinking about it, number one, and their people are all using it. I mean, that’s just what’s happening. The younger generation is very tech-savvy. They’re going to do their work in a way that makes sense to them, which involves using technology.

And so, it’s really important for staffing firms to have an AI policy and SOP. They’re in charge of creating that road map for folks, so because we know they’re using it put some boundaries around that.

And the opportunities are so great that you can’t ignore them. And I really feel very strongly about equipping employees with as many tools to make them successful as possible. And AI is probably one of the number one tools that’s currently available. But you do want to, like I said, set that road map and those parameters, the bumper lanes down the bowling alley, and a lot of that involves confidentiality. Making sure your folks understand what information is and is not appropriate to populate into an AI platform. It can also include what AI platforms are you comfortable with them utilizing? You know, there’s new market players in that space every day.

Rob Geist: Yeah. Great point.

Lia Elliot: And then what vendors do you want to partner with?

And there’s a ton of opportunity there for vendors with the ability to engage with your applicants for sales, for content, for marketing. I mean, every which way we’re seeing AI make a meaningful difference.

Casey Wagonfield: Well, Lia, we appreciate all of the great legal insights you’ve given us today.

And it’s been an awesome conversation. Before we wrap up here, any final advice you want to give agencies trying to stay ahead of compliance issues?

Lia Elliot: Stay curious. Stay proactive. The more time that a firm spends curious about issues and optimization and solutions, and the more proactive they can be, the less time they’re going to spend on that reactive stance defending against claims, and challenges, and friction points. So, staying proactive and curious and just really embracing that change management philosophy.

Casey Wagonfield: And if somebody wants to work with you or learn more about Staffing GC, what’s the best way to reach you?  

Lia Elliot: Oh, you can connect with me on LinkedIn. Lia Elliott and happy to connect with anyone who’s in the industry or outside the industry to answer any questions anyone may have.

Casey Wagonfield: Yeah, I highly recommend. I’ve personally worked with Lia. Lia, thanks again for being here. It’s always a pleasure. We appreciate your time and insights, and to our listeners, thank you for tuning into Staffing Made Simple, brought to you by SimpleVMS, the most vendor-friendly VMS platform on the market. 

If you got value from this episode, make sure you like, and subscribe. We’ll be diving into more strategies, trends, and solutions to help you navigate the staffing world.  

Rob Geist: And if you’d like to learn more about SimpleVMS and how we support our end clients and agencies, visit our website at simplevms.com. Thanks everybody for listening and we hope you join us next time on another episode of Staffing Made Simple. 

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Empower Your Staffing Agency: Revolutionizing Sales Strategies and Partnerships with SimpleVMS

SimpleVMS

As a staffing professional, are you under the impression that employers only care about results, not the methods used to achieve them? If so, you’re not alone; many staffing providers are. But times have changed. In today’s technologically driven world, companies have evolved in how they manage talent, and they expect their staffing agencies to keep pace. 

Thus, staffing agencies face a tough challenge in standing out amidst competitors. Simply offering white glove service is no longer sufficient, especially when it seems like every agency offers the same level of service. To add to this challenge, many employers are consolidating their bulky staffing programs, lowering the number of vendor relationships to enhance efficiency. 

To survive, agencies need to evolve into strategic partners. This requires transforming your operations by being equipped with versatile solutions tailored to client – and talent – needs. Consider it like having a Swiss Army knife in your back pocket. With the right set of tools, your agency can offer a range of solutions for any situation. Whether it’s advanced reporting, mobile capabilities, or streamlined timekeeping, agencies must demonstrate technological prowess to meet evolving demands.  

“Employers are raising the bar for their staffing vendors. They’re no longer just looking for talent providers; they want strategic partners. Contingent workers play a crucial role, aiding businesses in managing labor costs and offering flexibility in workforce size according to demand. And companies want more than just bodies—they want innovative solutions and better transparency to meet their evolving needs.”  

~ Rob Geist, VP of Growth, SimpleVMS

Indeed, as more employers ask, “What tools do you have to meet our needs?” It’s clear that exceptional service isn’t enough; agencies must deliver innovative solutions to stay ahead. Today’s employers demand tangible evidence of reliable talent pools, enhanced metrics, and streamlined invoicing processes. Without the right technology, meeting these expectations becomes a cumbersome, manual ordeal that doesn’t just fail to generate revenue—it risks alienating both agencies and recruiters.  

But with the right solutions in hand, agencies can possess an arsenal of tools designed to address the specific needs and challenges of their clients. By leveraging advanced capabilities like timekeeping systems, scheduling software, and mobile outreach tools, staffing agencies can deliver a seamless staffing experience. They can also anticipate and address labor demands in real-time, ensuring a reliable and responsive supply of talent.  

Think about it: if you can offer innovative solutions that not only meet but exceed your clients’ growing needs, while helping your recruiters place and manage talent more efficiently, you will not only differentiate, but elevate, your agency, solidifying your position as a trusted business partner. 

Navigating the VMS Landscape: Empowering Staffing Agencies to Thrive

VMS solutions have historically faced skepticism among staffing professionals. They are often seen as costly, user-unfriendly, and prone to creating unnecessary barriers between the agency and its clients. Moreover, even the most widely used VMS solutions often fall short of meeting client’s needs to manage their workforce effectively. 

But not all VMSs are created equal. And as employers increasingly turn to VMSs and MSPs to oversee their contingent work programs, it’s crucial for agencies to assert control by selecting the right VMS solution that aligns with both their own needs and those of their clients.  

“Every day, I’m contacted by a staffing client complaining that they’re getting implemented by yet another expensive VMS. They need a tool to combat this. When this happens, I always ask: ‘Do you want to take charge of the implementation process or risk being stuck with an inefficient system that could end up costing you more?’ VMSs don’t have to be seen as a necessary evil. Instead, they offer a chance to provide your clients with a superior tool that empowers your agency and enhances your services.” 

~ Rob Geist

It’s clear that staffing professionals must reconsider their perspective on working with a VMS. For employers, VMSs provide the convenience of managing multiple vendors as easily as working with just one. This streamlined approach is particularly beneficial for staffing agencies, especially when employers want to simplify managing their staffing programs by using fewer vendors. So, there are clear advantages for your agency when a client adopts a VMS solution.  

But with so many VMS options available, how can you determine which one works best for your agency and clients? 

Why SimpleVMS? Unveiling the Benefits of the Right Solution for Staffing Agencies and Clients

Fortunately, staffing agencies now have a solution that resonates with both agencies and their clients – SimpleVMS. It stands out as one of the few VMS solutions ardently appreciated by recruiters and agencies alike. Why the praise? SimpleVMS is uniquely designed by staffing professionals for staffing professionals, offering the transparency, reporting, consolidated invoicing, and timekeeping features that employers and their vendors desperately need. 

SimpleVMS offers: 

• Integrated Timekeeping System: Managers no longer need to juggle multiple systems for approvals and management. With SimpleVMS, they have a single timeclock option to streamline their operations and better manage workforce attendance.
• Transparent Invoicing: SimpleVMS provides a single, transparent invoice for the entire contingent workforce, meeting the demand for greater visibility into staffing program costs.
• Enhanced Metrics: In today’s metrics-driven world, clients seek comprehensive data on their staffing programs. SimpleVMS delivers detailed metrics on time-to-fill, tenure, and more, empowering clients to make informed decisions.
• Streamlined Operations: SimpleVMS helps agencies overcome decentralization and lack of cost-management by automating non-revenue generating activities like report generation. This frees up time for recruiters to focus on what matters most – recruiting top talent. 

And by partnering with Avionté, a leading enterprise staffing technology provider serving over 1,800 agencies across North America, SimpleVMS now offers recruiters the industry’s first fully integrated ATS/VMS solution to create a true end-to-end staffing platform. No more toggling between platforms; recruiters can now enjoy faster placements and differentiate themselves from the competition. 

With recruiters no longer having to manage multiple systems, they receive automatic updates on job openings and show-up rates, enabling them to respond instantaneously. Moreover, Avionté’s integrated mobile staffing solution further enhances this efficiency by allowing recruiters to quickly notify a larger pool of loyal talent about any opportunities, resulting in faster placements. 

Ultimately, when employers can accurately measure the value provided by their vendors, price becomes less of a sticking point. While companies often negotiate to lower costs in a market where expenses are rising, research indicates that price isn’t the sole determining factor in their agency selection process. Instead, they prioritize superior service and are willing to invest more accordingly.  

Demonstrating your agency’s value through metrics redirects the focus away from price during negotiations, making SimpleVMS a transformative force in an increasingly cost-conscious market. 

Elevating Staffing Agency Success with SimpleVMS: Transforming Sales Conversations and Fostering Strategic Partnerships

As contingent workers continue to play an increasingly vital role in today’s workforce, the significance of staffing agencies likewise grows. However, despite their importance, staffing agencies still face challenges in achieving substantial growth, capturing only 2-3 percent of the market share. Even with the staffing industry projected to grow by a modest 4% in 2024, it has remained relatively stagnant at around 2% of total U.S. employment for nearly three decades. 

To stand out in this competitive landscape, staffing agencies must differentiate themselves. SimpleVMS offers a solution tailored to the needs of both agencies and their clients, providing the transparency, reporting, and streamlined operations necessary for success. By leveraging SimpleVMS, agencies can position themselves as strategic partners, offering innovative solutions to labor issues and providing a stable pipeline of talent. 

And by adopting SimpleVMS, staffing agencies can now transform their sales approach. Instead of introducing themselves as just another staffing provider, they can begin conversations by asking key questions, such as: How are you measuring your labor costs? Are you struggling to manage multiple vendors who are using disparate systems? Do you have true transparency into your staffing program?  

With SimpleVMS in hand, your agency can now offer innovative solutions to clients, shifting the conversation away from issues such as price, and instead positioning yourself as a valued partner by demonstrating your commitment to solving client challenges and driving mutual success. And if you think employers wouldn’t pay more for that kind of service, think again! 

“Employers are seeking more than just service providers from staffing agencies – they want genuine partners who will go above and beyond to bring creative solutions and technology to tackle challenges and meet their business needs. What’s remarkable is that with the right VMS in place, even smaller agencies can rise to the occasion and compete shoulder-to-shoulder with industry giants, delivering exceptional value to their clients.” 

~ Rob Geist 

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VMS vs MSP – Choosing the Right Solution for Your Contingent Workforce

In recent years, there has been a significant shift towards contingent workforces. For businesses like healthcare facilities and call centers, hiring temporary workers has become easier and more cost-effective. But how does a company best manage its temporary staffing needs? In today’s dynamic business environment, managing a contingent workforce efficiently is essential. Businesses have two primary solutions to consider: Vendor Management Systems (VMS) and Managed Service Providers (MSP). Both play critical roles in contingent workforce management, but they serve different functions and offer unique benefits. Choosing the right system is crucial for effective and efficient workforce management, impacting cost, control, and overall operational efficiency. Understanding these differences will help you make an informed decision tailored to your company’s needs.

What is a Vendor Management System (VMS)?

A Vendor Management System (VMS) is a software-based platform designed to help businesses manage their procurement and staffing services. It automates various recruitment processes, providing a streamlined approach to handling contingent labor.

Key Features of a VMS:

• Automation of Recruitment Processes: Automates tasks such as job posting, candidate tracking, and onboarding new hires.
• Real-Time Analytics: Provides insights into workforce performance, helping businesses make data-driven decisions.
• Direct Communication Channels: Facilitates seamless communication between the company and preferred staffing agencies.
• Comprehensive Vendor Management: Manages relationships with multiple vendors, ensuring compliance and performance standards are met.

Benefits of Using a VMS in Various Sectors:

• Cost Savings: Reduces administrative costs through automation and improved efficiency.
• Improved Compliance Management: Ensures that all staffing activities comply with industry regulations and company policies.
• Enhanced Operational Efficiency: Streamlines workforce management processes, leading to better resource allocation and productivity.

What are Managed Services Providers (MSP)?

A Managed Service Provider (MSP) is an outsourced agency that manages a company’s contingent labor program. MSPs handle all aspects of the staffing lifecycle, from recruitment to offboarding, providing a comprehensive solution for managing temporary and contract workers.

Roles of MSPs:

• Managing Relationships with Staffing Agencies: MSPs act as intermediaries, maintaining relationships with multiple staffing agencies to ensure a steady supply of contingent workers.
• Overseeing the Contingent Workforce: They manage the entire workforce, ensuring alignment with the company’s strategic goals and compliance with legal standards.
• Expert Handling of Recruitment and HR Tasks: MSPs bring expertise in recruiting, onboarding, and managing contingent workers, relieving internal HR departments of these responsibilities.

Benefits of an MSP Solution:

• Centralized Management: Provides a single point of contact for managing all contingent workforce activities, streamlining processes, and improving oversight.
• Expertise and Efficiency: MSPs offer specialized knowledge and experience, leading to more efficient and effective management of the contingent workforce.
• Time and Cost Savings: By handling all aspects of contingent labor management, MSPs free up internal resources and reduce costs associated with staffing and HR tasks.

Comparing VMS and MSP: Key Differences and Considerations

When deciding between a Vendor Management System (VMS) and a Managed Service Provider (MSP), it’s important to understand the key differences and factors to consider for your specific needs.

Control:

VMS: Offers greater control over the recruitment and management processes. Businesses can directly oversee vendor relationships and staffing activities.

MSP: Provides outsourced control, where the MSP manages all aspects of the contingent workforce. This can be beneficial for companies lacking internal resources or expertise.

Cost:

VMS: Typically involves a subscription fee for the software system, which can lead to cost savings through automation and improved efficiency.

MSP: Often charges based on a percentage of the contingent workforce spend, which can be higher but includes comprehensive management services.

Expertise:

VMS: Requires internal staff to manage and utilize the system effectively. Best for companies with strong internal HR and procurement teams.

MSP: Brings specialized knowledge and expertise in managing contingent labor, reducing the burden on internal teams.

Integration with Existing HR Systems:

VMS: Easily integrates with existing ERP and HR systems, enhancing data accuracy and streamlining processes.

MSP: Manages integration as part of their service, ensuring seamless operation but with less direct control by the company.

Scenarios to Consider:

VMS may be more beneficial for: Companies with a robust internal HR department, a need for greater control, and significant investments in existing HR systems.

MSP may be more beneficial for: Companies that prefer outsourcing, have limited internal resources, or require comprehensive management of a large contingent workforce.

Factors to Consider When Choosing:

Scale of Contingent Staffing Needs: Larger programs may benefit more from MSPs, while smaller, more controlled environments may suit VMS.

Preferred Level of Control: Decide if your company prefers hands-on management (VMS) or outsourced expertise (MSP).

Existing Internal Resources: Evaluate the capability and capacity of your current HR and procurement teams to manage a VMS.

Why SimpleVMS Could Be the Right VMS Provider for Your Business

SimpleVMS offers a unique solution that combines the best aspects of both VMS software and MSP provider, making it a versatile and powerful tool for managing your temporary workers.

SimpleVMS provides all the technological benefits of a traditional Vendor Management System. This includes automation of recruitment processes, real-time analytics, and comprehensive vendor management. These features enable businesses to streamline their operations, reduce manual effort, and gain valuable insights into their workforce.

In addition to its robust software capabilities, SimpleVMS also offers service and support that are akin to what you would expect from a Managed Service Provider. This means you get expert assistance with implementation, ongoing support, and help with optimizing your workforce management strategies. This dual approach ensures that you are not only equipped with the right tools but also have the necessary support to use them effectively.

SimpleVMS understands that every business is unique. The platform can be customized to meet the specific needs of your contingent workforce program. Whether you need detailed compliance management, seamless system integration, or advanced reporting and analytics, SimpleVMS can be tailored to provide the solutions you require.

By leveraging the combined strengths of VMS technology and MSP-level support, SimpleVMS helps businesses enhance their operational efficiency and optimize workforce management. This leads to cost savings, improved compliance, and better overall performance of your contingent workforce.

Ready to transform your contingent workforce management? Discover how SimpleVMS can provide tailored solutions and enhance your operational efficiency. Schedule a demo today to learn more about how SimpleVMS can meet your business needs and schedule a personalized demo.

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SimpleVMS, a Division of Avionté, Named Major Contender and Star Performer in Everest Group’s Vendor Management System (VMS) PEAK Matrix^® Assessment 2024

BLOOMINGTON, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SimpleVMS, a division of Avionté, is honored to announce its recognition as a major contender and star performer in Everest Group’s Vendor Management System (VMS) PEAK Matrix^® Assessment 2024, a comparative assessment of 22 leading VMS providers. As employers rely more on the contingent workforce, VMS solutions are becoming more crucial as the core technology for procuring and managing contingent work. Everest Group’s VMS PEAK Matrix Assessment provides organizations with a roadmap for evaluating which VMS provider is best for them.

Krishna Charan, Vice President at Everest Group, highlighted SimpleVMS’s strategic position and robust offerings: “SimpleVMS is poised to create an end-to-end contingent talent acquisition ecosystem through deep integrations with Avionté. Its offerings, particularly appealing to midsized organizations, include robust blue collar-specific capabilities, and a comprehensive suite of timekeeping tools and invoicing functionalities. In addition, Avionté’s backing and strong staffing supplier partnerships position SimpleVMS well to meet its clients’ needs. These factors have contributed to its Major Contender and Star Performer positioning in the global VMS PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024.”

A complete solution for employers to manage their contingent workforce all in one place, SimpleVMS offers powerful functionalities for clients of all sizes in the clerical and light industrial (CLI) space. SimpleVMS’s ability to harmonize data integration among VMS, timekeeping, business analytics/reporting, invoicing, and applicant tracking system (ATS) successfully eliminates duplicate workflows, redundant data entry, and billing discrepancies. With SimpleVMS, employers can manage their contingent workforce seamlessly while optimizing for cost, quality, continuity of service, responsiveness, and scalability.

“Everest’s designation validates our dedication to breaking down the barriers between VMS and staffing ATS technologies while delivering value to employers, staffing agencies, and talent,” said SimpleVMS President Jason Oswald. “As the staffing industry continues to evolve, SimpleVMS and Avionté remain steadfast in our commitment to deliver a comprehensive solution for managing contingent labor. Our customers give us high marks for offering an easy to implement, user friendly, high value platform that is designed to support both high volume and midsized contingent workforce programs. Our unique, end-to-end staffing platform delivers a seamless experience across the supply chain of labor.”

As organizations look for efficient and scalable solutions to manage their contingent workforce, SimpleVMS is well-positioned to meet and exceed these demands. Key SimpleVMS functionalities include:

• Timekeeping: A fully integrated, no-cost solution provides full visibility into the contingent workforce through real-time dashboards. The platform automates schedules, tracks attendance, and allows the contingent workforce to transfer between cost centers.
• Job Order Management: A central portal to manage vendors and multiple hire types in one system. Distribute job requisitions in seconds to specified suppliers.
• Visibility: Full transparency for the staffing program, including vendor performance metrics.
• Invoicing: Single invoice for all suppliers, customized to support the client’s accounting requirements.
• Implementation: Simplified implementation, taking an average of four to six weeks.
• Support: Unlimited and direct access to the support team.
• Reporting: Robust business intelligence platform features visual dashboards with drill-down capability and over 100 stock reports.

Download a copy of the Everest Group 2024 Vendor Management System (VMS) PEAK Matrix® Assessment on our website.

About SimpleVMS

A division of Avionté, SimpleVMS is a vendor-neutral vendor management system (VMS) developed by staffing industry professionals to enhance the relationships between clients and their staffing partners. The cutting-edge platform delivers complete workforce visibility and streamlined workflows, providing everything from job order management to invoicing and analytics, paired with an integrated timekeeping solution. More than software, SimpleVMS provides the hands-on support that employers and agencies depend on to manage their variable labor programs. For more information, visit https://simplevms.com.

About Avionté

Avionté is a proven leader in enterprise staffing platforms, providing a comprehensive end-to-end, cloud-based technology solution designed for scalability and growth. The Avionté platform delivers a complete front and back office, a robust mobile talent application, and a powerful VMS. With a single staffing platform, agencies can now manage the entire supply chain of labor, from employer to agency to talent and back. Learn more at https://www.avionte.com.

Contacts

Michelle Meek
PR for Avionté
[email protected]

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SimpleVMS was named a Major Contender and Star Performer in the Everest Group Vendor Management (VMS) PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2024. Read the report here.

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Total Workforce Accounting: Using a VMS Solution to Track Contingent Workforce Costs

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Do you have visibility into your total labor costs? If your business uses freelancers, consultants, or temporary staff on a regular basis, it’s crucial to use tools that let you manage these costs with the same rigor you use for your full-time employees.  Unchecked expenses can lead to inaccurate data, making it challenging to evaluate performance and impeding growth. 

What’s more, businesses are increasingly relying on contingent workers to quickly scale based on market needs. Oxford Economics reports that 83% of executives are planning to expand their use of contingent workers over the next three years. What’s more, Gartner projects that by 2025, contingent labor will compose a staggering 35 to 40% of the global workforce. 

For many organizations, outdated technologies fail to offer a complete picture of your total labor expenses. So, how do you know if your current systems fall short?

Consider the following:

• How many temporary employees and contractors are working for you this week?
• How much are you paying them?
• Are they delivering as expected?
• Are there performance issues?
• Who’s in your building right now? 

You should be able to answer these questions in near real-time. But for many companies, disconnected systems make it hard to access this data quickly. And without these answers, you’re most likely running an inefficient staffing program and wasting money.

But those who can readily answer these questions have a strong competitive advantage, able to swiftly enact tactical adjustments that make a meaningful impact on productivity and quality, resulting in tangible cost savings. Without the right systems in place, your organization won’t have full visibility into its labor expenses, which, as these costs grow, can give rise to additional risks and result in unfavorable outcomes.    

No matter the conditions, having the tools that allow you to manage total labor costs is essential. In a strong economy, scalability is your ally; in a downturn, precise control of labor costs is your shield.

Selecting the Right VMS Tool for Your Business

Early VMS (Vendor Management System) solutions, initially intended as procurement tools, are increasingly being used to maintain labor cost control, boost productivity, and streamline operations. However, not all VMSs are created equal. These early systems often disappoint because they lack essential features needed for efficient labor cost management and ongoing supervision of contingent workforce operations. 

However, modern VMS solutions have evolved to serve as highly efficient tools for managing contingent workers. These systems offer comprehensive capabilities for centralizing the tracking, management, and analysis of temporary and contract employees within a single platform. 

Now, more than ever, companies are realizing the vital importance of using advanced tools to efficiently manage their contingent workforce, exploring versatile VMS solutions that offer thorough insights into workforce expenses, providing comprehensive labor cost data down to the last penny. These tools empower companies to achieve complete visibility into their labor costs and operations and gain precise knowledge on how much was spent, and where.

And when these VMS systems seamlessly integrate with your HR solution, they allow for the accurate attachment of labor costs to your general ledger. This helps companies easily drill down labor costs by categories like cost center, department, vendor, or project, allowing for detailed analysis to enhance workforce planning and streamline operations. With the right tools in place, you can oversee and monitor your contingent workforce expenses with the same precision as you do your permanent employees.  

What Sets SimpleVMS Apart? A Unified Solution for Contingent Workforce Cost Management

To address the challenges of efficient contingent labor accounting, companies should opt for a modern VMS with seamless integration, a unified timekeeping system, and enhanced data access. This data should be available in a single location, featuring user-friendly dashboards for easy breakdown of labor expenses as required. 

SimpleVMS stands out as the solution tailored to these needs. With its user-friendly, secure, web-based system, SimpleVMS empowers organizations of all sizes to consolidate their contingent vendor pools, ensure HR policy compliance, and streamline operations. 
 
A few key benefits offered by SimpleVMS include:

• A single, integrated timekeeping system that allows distribution and logistics partners to track costs in real-time, making quick adjustments when needed. Managers can see timesheets and expenses across different departments and cost centers, simplifying worker tracking, and allowing finance teams to analyze specific expenses.
• Real-time dashboards that make it easy to track critical performance measures, predict labor costs, and effortlessly access recruiting and spending data for accurate billing and invoicing.
• A common portal for staffing requests and vendor communication to help streamline the distribution of job orders to multiple agencies, serve as a document management tool, and allow easy tracking of important vendor metrics, such as turnover and order distribution.

How One Company Streamlined Vendor Management and Achieved Cost Savings with SimpleVMS

To illustrate the advantages associated with adopting SimpleVMS, a large warehousing and logistics company located in Northern Kentucky faced significant challenges managing their contingent workforce program reporting. In fact, they had to hire a full-time worker just for this job, which resulted in higher labor costs and left them in a difficult spot if that person couldn’t work. 
 
Initially, they considered developing their own tool or integrating their disparate systems, but both choices proved to be expensive and ineffective. However, after evaluating various options and service providers, the company recognized that a VMS was the ideal solution they had been searching for. 

Thanks to SimpleVMS, a task that once required the full-time commitment of one employee can now be completed in less than five hours. In fact, the company managed to cut down its administrative reporting workload by a remarkable 87%, saving both time and money while making their workforce operations smoother. What’s more, it ensured that data wouldn’t be lost in the event of this employee’s absence or departure.  

Notably, the client also avoided any added expenses associated with the development of their own reporting tool. SimpleVMS was able to seamlessly integrate with their current systems, providing a user-friendly dashboard for efficient oversight and management of their entire contingent workforce, in near real-time, without the need to start from scratch, which underscores the powerful impact of SimpleVMS on operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness. 

In today’s dynamic business environment, where temporary, freelance, and contract workers are vital to daily operations, a solid understanding of your temporary labor costs is not an option but a fundamental necessity for achieving your strategic workforce goals. Choosing the right management tool for this labor force segment is pivotal for success. SimpleVMS offers a modern VMS platform tailored to address the complex requirements of effective contingent labor supply chain management with one simple goal: to save clients time and money in overseeing their contingent labor costs. 

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