Client Requirement Process
There are various ways in which a client can request agency
staff. One such way, which tends to still be the most popular, due
to its personal nature, is via telephone.
Telephone Requests
A client can call up and their data can be entered in one of two
ways - through a Simple or Power input mode.
Simple
The simple mode is quick and easy to use and allows the
operations team the ability to quickly enter the client's request
while on the phone; as the process is carried out the user will be
provided with more specific options. For instance if a client
requests only male staff, immediately all the female staff will be
discarded as possible options.
Selecting a shift will display default and most recently used
options, meaning that the same employee may be supplied for a
company that they have previously worked for. For example perhaps a
client requests to have the same twenty staff that they hired last
time, the user doesn't then have to search for them one by
one, they will be automatically displayed.
There is an option to select one or multiple dates, and single
or multiple shifts. The required number of employees may then be
chosen for the particular shift. A customer reference, as well as
the client who is requesting the shift may be added at this point,
and this saves time later on. Also if the client has been used
before, their information will automatically be filled in. Key
information automatically generated, such as department codes,
charges and pay rates.
At this point the selection is saved, a unique reference is
generated, the request is time stamped and the operator entering
the request is added automatically.
The shift can then be programmed into the staff member's
availability diary, and their availability is then
updated.
Power
This is in fact very similar to the simple mode but it allows
further information to be linked to the request. There are over
sixty additional categories of information that can be linked to
any given request allowing for a truly flexible and perfectly
fitted match. Put simply it allows an agency to be in total control
when it comes to fulfilling its customer's requirements.
Contract
Contracts involve the expansion of single day or shift bookings
to allow the meeting of repeated requirements. These contracts are
automatically generated in advance; both a start date and end date
can be specified, and the end date can be edited at any given time,
or the contract can run indefinitely. Notes can be added to the
contracts through the power input method, if the need arises.
Retrospective
If a staff member is self-booking the input usually takes place
through a completed time sheet. New shifts can easily be added from
the time sheet window.