The ultimate goal of any RPO or MSP is to meet your staffing needs. And in order to do so effectively, an MSP usually works with multiple staffing suppliers. If you are one of those suppliers, what do you need to bring to the table to create success for both the MSP and the end user? A transparent supply chain and effective communication.
But what might cause obstacles to that mutual success?
Inconsistent Or Unsatisfactory Communication
The MSP and its staffing suppliers need to have policies in place regarding access to and communication with customer managers. The MSP and each vendor should establish a single point of contact for taking/placing orders or giving/receiving feedback on candidates. This can be done through a vendor management system (VMS), or through direct access to managers.
Either way, they should establish guidelines for all communications, including email, phone conversations and meetings—including who will be involved and when. The VMS can be used on both sides to ensure that program data is tracked and measured seamlessly.
Job “Hoarding”
In some instances, MSPs have been known to “hoard” jobs for themselves and only release certain jobs to suppliers. However, this not only damages the MSP’s relationship with suppliers, but it can hurt the MSP’s reputation if they are not providing people with the right expertise. How to prevent this and keep things transparent? Implement a system of vendor neutrality, which can be defined two ways:
1. The MSP does not fill any jobs. All jobs are sent out to suppliers to be fulfilled.
2. The MSP can fill jobs, but jobs are distributed simultaneously to all suppliers, and the MSP’s performance is measured the same as that of the other suppliers.
Lack of Feedback
What if the MSP doesn’t give suppliers feedback on the candidates presented? Or what if suppliers submit resumes in response to requests from the MSP, but they aren’t updated on the appropriateness of these candidates or on the status of the job openings? If a supplier loses candidates because the position is already closed or because the MSP has not provided timely feedback on a particular position, that damages the relationship.
Implementing best practices to build and maintain communication, transparency and solid relationships throughout the staffing supply chain ensures the success of everyone involved.
At CSSvSource, we’ve been providing MSP solutions with exceptional results for years. If you’d like to find out more our Managed Staffing Program services, or to learn about the benefits of MSP programs, don’t hesitate to contact us!