THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 3, 1996 TAG: 9608030343
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LON WAGNER, staff writer
LENGTH: 52 lines
First there were frequent-flier programs. Now there is a frequent-hire program.
A Virginia Beach temporary help service earlier this year began offering repeat clients a free temporary worker for one day.
Susan Caplan, marketing director of Snelling Personnel Services, came up with the promotional idea that she named ``First Call.'' The plan is a take-off of frequent-user programs, such as movie rental punch cards that offer a free video after a card is used up or a shop that offers a free pound of coffee after buying 10 pounds.
``It's just a new twist on the frequent-flier thing,'' Caplan says.
A business hiring temporary workers through Snelling would earn a ``free temp for eight hours'' after employing Snelling workers for 240 hours - the equivalent of hiring one worker for six weeks.
Snelling offers other prizes to those who might not use the service as often but still want to cash in. A client can win a Snelling vacation planner after logging 16 hours of hires, a coffee mug after 40 hours, two movie passes after 120 hours, or a $10 gift certificate to a favorite restaurant - or a temp for four hours - after 160 hours.
John Farris, who owns Omnibus Staffing Services in Hampton Roads, said Snelling's program is somewhat similar to others in the industry. Some temporary help agencies offer discounts to their bigger clients or provide a temporary worker for the first four hours so a company can try out the employee.
Snelling's program comes during a labor crunch. When the unemployment rate is low, companies can have a tough time finding workers and turn to the agencies to help fill jobs, Farris said. That makes the already flooded personnel service business even more competitive.
``When unemployment is low,'' Farris said, ``you want to induce your clients to use you more than they use others.''
Snelling provides secretaries, data entry clerks and light-industrial workers, among others.
Snelling set up its ``First Call'' program to try to attract new clients. Caplan says the response has been ``amazing.'' She's signed up 146 clients for the program since the beginning of the year, and 19 of them have redeemed their hires for prizes. ILLUSTRATION: Color staff drawing by John Earle/The Virginian-Pilot
Rent twelve workers... get the thirteenth free!
KEYWORDS: TEMP SERVICE TEMPORARY WORKERS by CNB