Winning new clients is essential—but retaining them is where your agency truly scales. Retaining and growing enterprise clients not only provides steady revenue but also reduces the costly cycle of continuously hunting for new opportunities. According to a study by Bain & Company, increasing client retention by just 5% can boost profitability by 25-95%. Here are detailed, proven strategies recruitment agencies can adopt to retain and expand their client relationships effectively:
Your contractors are your agency's frontline ambassadors. Their satisfaction significantly impacts your client's perception of your agency. Research shows that highly engaged contractors are 59% more productive and 87% less likely to leave prematurely. Implement contractor engagement programs that include frequent check-ins, career development opportunities, and prompt resolution of concerns. When contractors feel valued and supported, their productivity and tenure improve—leading to higher client satisfaction, reduced churn, and repeat business.
You can speak to us at Oncore about how to do this - we've been taking care of contractors for more than 25 years. You can find out more about our Contractor Care program here.
Here's an interview with one of our long term contractors - it might be a repost, but Matt's thoughts on how to motivate a contingent workforce are still true today!
Enterprise clients demand reliability, clarity, and proactive updates. Establish structured communication protocols to ensure regular dialogue on contractor performance, project milestones, and potential issues. Use periodic reviews and performance dashboards to keep communication transparent and actionable, enhancing your credibility as a trusted partner rather than just another supplier.
Carl Oates, Oncore's Enterprise Key Account Leader: we use multiple communication strategies for enterprise clients, including broadcast messages via the client's systems, email, and via our client portal messaging system. It's been important to use more than one channel depending on the client's preferences and the urgency of the communications.
Operational excellence is the foundation of client trust. Errors in payroll, compliance breaches, or invoicing mistakes can seriously damage client relationships. A survey by Staffing Industry Analysts revealed that 72% of clients rank compliance and payroll accuracy as top factors influencing their satisfaction with recruitment agencies.
Outsourcing these critical processes to a specialised provider like Oncore enhances your operational efficiency, mitigates compliance risks, and ensures accurate, timely payments.
Lauren Sharp, of Sharp People explains why she uses Oncore as her partner to grow her business with contractors:This competitive advantage allows you to focus more strategically on client relationship building and business growth.
Expand beyond basic recruitment services by identifying and offering supplementary, high-value services such as workforce analytics, comprehensive talent market insights, specialised compliance guidance, and contractor onboarding support. Offering these value-added services enhances client relationships and positions your agency as an essential strategic partner.
According to Deloitte, agencies that provide strategic insights into workforce management can achieve 33% higher revenue growth than those solely focused on transactional recruitment services.
Soliciting and acting on client feedback fosters trust and demonstrates commitment to continuous improvement. Regularly scheduled feedback sessions, surveys, and performance reviews offer insights into client satisfaction levels, highlight areas for improvement, and present new growth opportunities.
Engage stakeholders across multiple client departments, understanding diverse perspectives and needs, to strengthen overall stakeholder relationships and broaden your reach within client organisations.
Automate short, focused surveys that trigger immediately after key interactions—such as contract renewals, milestone completions, or onboarding new contractors. CRMs like HubSpot or Salesforce can automate these quick, event-driven surveys to provide immediate insights into client satisfaction and sentiment.
Incorporate IVR technology to capture client feedback directly after scheduled check-in calls or support interactions. Automating IVR surveys using integrated telephony or VoIP solutions (like Aircall integrated with your CRM) makes capturing immediate, emotional reactions from clients effortless.
Use embedded feedback widgets integrated into your client portals or contractor management dashboards. Tools like Hotjar or Qualtrics can embed interactive feedback modules directly in platforms clients already use, making feedback collection seamless and contextually relevant.
Leverage AI-driven sentiment analysis tools integrated into your CRM (e.g., Salesforce Einstein or Gong.io) to analyse the tone and sentiment in emails exchanged with clients. This provides continuous, passive feedback, helping identify shifts in satisfaction or engagement without additional effort from clients.
Innovatively request short video testimonials or feedback via automated requests triggered through CRM tools or apps like VideoAsk. Video responses often yield richer insights into client perceptions, enabling you to assess emotional engagement and authenticity more effectively.
Implementing these methods provides dynamic, timely insights into client satisfaction, enhancing retention and identifying new growth opportunities.
Recruitment agencies often limit their interaction to one or two stakeholders within client organisations, missing significant opportunities. Actively work to identify and engage additional stakeholders across other departments, showcasing how your services—particularly when backed by Oncore’s robust back-office support—can benefit multiple aspects of their workforce strategy.
Effectively communicating your comprehensive service offering—including compliance, payroll funding, and accurate contractor payments through Oncore—can open doors to wider engagement within your existing clients.
Positioning your agency as a ‘scaling enabler’ can dramatically increase the scope and longevity of your client relationships.
Here are strategic ways recruitment agencies can effectively engage multiple stakeholders within a client's organisation, leveraging tools like LinkedIn, networking opportunities, and industry events:
1. LinkedIn Stakeholder Mapping and Targeted Engagement2. Co-Hosted Webinars and Roundtables
3. Leveraging Industry Events and Conferences
Identify key industry conferences and events attended by stakeholders from various departments. Arrange face-to-face meetings, informal coffee chats, or dinners around these events.
Use speaking opportunities or panel participations to position yourself as an industry thought leader, attracting diverse stakeholders from your client organizations.
4. Internal Client Networking Events
Organize or sponsor internal networking events or workshops within your client's company. Facilitate cross-departmental discussions about trends in contingent workforce management, compliance best practices, or contractor engagement. This approach positions your agency as a proactive collaborator invested in the client’s organizational success.
Regularly produce insightful, tailored content—such as LinkedIn posts, short videos, infographics, or podcasts—that directly addresses challenges faced by various departments (HR, Finance, Compliance, Operations). Tag relevant stakeholders on LinkedIn, driving engagement and increasing your visibility within different segments of the organisation.
Effective client retention and growth require a deep understanding of various contingent workforce models. From managed service provider (MSP) frameworks to vendor management systems (VMS) and direct sourcing, staying informed allows your agency to advise clients accurately and effectively, enhancing your reputation as a trusted expert.
Educating clients on best practices, common pitfalls to avoid, and strategies for effective implementation across diverse models further strengthens your advisory role.
Handy Oncore Resources:
You can use our handy Contingent Workforce Glossary to get across any of the industry jargon, and to learn more about models of contingent workforce programs you can learn more in our comparative analysis here.
Get in touch with the team today so we can answer your questions and support you with your client retention strategies.