Automating feedback after placement: a step by step guide for staffing agencies

Why manual feedback collection does not work

Many agencies start with good intentions. After every placement the recruiter calls the candidate to ask how things are going. In reality this quickly breaks down. Recruiters are busy, forget to follow up or do it inconsistently. The result is incomplete data, blind spots and missed warning signs.

Automation solves this. By connecting feedback flows to your ATS, surveys are sent automatically at the right moments, regardless of how busy the recruiter is. The recruiter only receives a notification when action is required, for example after a low score or a critical comment.

Agencies that move from manual to automated feedback measurement typically see response rates triple and cut the time recruiters spend on follow up roughly in half.

The building blocks of an automated feedback flow

A solid automated feedback flow always has five building blocks:

1. 1Data source - your ATS or CRM with candidate and client data
2. 2Trigger - an event or date that activates the survey, for example three days after the start date
3. 3Survey - the specific questions for this touchpoint
4. 4Delivery - automatic email or SMS to the respondent
5. 5Action - what happens after a response, such as dashboard updates, alerts for low scores or automatic follow up emails

Step 1: Connect your ATS to Feedback Analytics

The first step is connecting your ATS to Feedback Analytics. You can do this through our data table connection or a direct API integration.

The data table approach works with any ATS. Export a CSV with the relevant fields, such as candidate name, email address, start date, recruiter and client, and import it into Feedback Analytics. The table can be updated manually or via an automated job.

For more advanced setups we provide a REST API so you can synchronise data in real time from systems such as Carerix, Mysolution, Bullhorn, Connexys and other common ATS platforms.

Step 2: Design your surveys

Create a separate survey for each measurement moment and keep each one to a maximum of five questions. Use your agency branding so surveys feel familiar and trustworthy.

Recommended surveys for staffing agencies include for example:

• Candidate intake feedback - three questions, triggered 24 hours after the intake meeting
• Week one candidate check in - three questions, triggered on day three after the start date
• Month one evaluation - five questions, triggered on day 28 after the start date
• Candidate exit survey - five questions, triggered on the contract end date
• Client placement satisfaction - four questions, triggered 14 days after the start date
• Quarterly client survey - five questions, triggered every 90 days
• Pre renewal client survey - four questions, triggered 42 days before the contract end date

Step 3: Configure smart triggers

Triggers decide when a survey is sent. In Feedback Analytics you define triggers based on date fields in your data table.

Examples of effective triggers include:

• Send 24 hours after intake date for candidate intake feedback
• Send on day three after start date for the week one check in
• Send 28 days after start date for the month one evaluation
• Send on the end date for the candidate exit survey
• Send 14 days after start date for client placement satisfaction
• Send 42 days before contract end date for the pre renewal client survey

Step 4: Set up alerts for low scores

Alerts are the heart of your automation. Configure them so the responsible recruiter immediately receives a notification when a candidate or client gives a low score, for example an NPS of six or lower.

A useful alert includes at least the respondent name, the score, the survey that was completed, any open comments and a direct link to the full response in the dashboard.

Define a clear service level as well, for example that the recruiter contacts the respondent within 24 hours and that this follow up is actively monitored.

Step 5: Analyse and optimise continuously

After the first four weeks you have enough data to start analysing patterns. Look at for example:

• Response rate per survey - below thirty percent usually indicates a timing or length issue
• NPS per recruiter and branch office - big differences point to best practices or structural problems
• Recurring themes in open comments - these are your priority improvement areas
• Correlation between week one scores and dropout rates - this validates your early warning hypothesis

Common mistakes when automating feedback

• Using too many questions per survey - more than five questions quickly leads to drop offs
• Scheduling triggers too late - feedback two weeks after a start date is less actionable than feedback after three days
• Not following up alerts - an alert without action undermines trust with candidates and clients
• Skipping open follow up questions for low scores - an NPS score without context is hard to interpret
• Sending surveys without agency branding - generic emails usually have lower response rates

Conclusion: automation as a competitive advantage

Staffing agencies that automate feedback measurement gain a structural advantage over agencies that do not. They detect problems earlier, solve them faster and build stronger relationships with candidates and clients.

Start small with one survey, such as the week one candidate check in. Review the results after four weeks and then expand step by step. Consistency matters more than perfection.