How light industrial staffing agencies win warehouse clients
Warehouses, 3PLs and plants don’t pick a staffing agency the way they pick software. The decision is usually made by one busy person with a shift to cover. This guide is about reaching that person at the right moment and saying something worth their minute.
Who actually decides
In light industrial, the person who feels the shortage is usually the one who picks the agency: the warehouse manager, operations manager or plant manager. HR is often involved in paperwork and sometimes in the choice. The larger the site, the more likely there is an approved-vendor list, and the manager is still the person who asks for you to be added to it.
Start with the manager closest to the open roles. They know which shift is short and they have a reason to answer.
What they care about
- People who show up. No-shows are a complaint you will hear often.
- Second and third shift coverage, which is where many sites run short.
- Speed: how fast you can fill, and how fast you replace someone who doesn’t work out.
- Proof of skills where it matters, such as forklift certification.
- Safety and a clean record on site.
- One person to call who picks up.
Notice what is not on the list: the size of your candidate database and how long you have been in business. Lead with what they are short of, not with who you are.
When to reach out
- The week they post the roles you fill. This is the clearest signal there is.
- Before a known busy period for their industry.
- When they open a new site, add a shift or add a line.
- When the same posting has been open a long time, which suggests their current approach is not working.
The first email
Keep it to a few lines. Say what you saw, why you are relevant, and ask for one small thing.
Subject: Forklift operators for Secaucus
Hi Dana,
I saw Kestrel posted 4 forklift operator openings in Secaucus on Tuesday. We place certified forklift operators across North Jersey.
Worth a 15-minute call this week to see if we can help?
Sam
It works because it is about their posting, not about your agency. Follow up once or twice with a new angle, such as shift coverage, and then stop.
The first call
Your goal is a trial order, not a contract. Five questions get you most of the way:
- Which shifts and roles are you short on right now?
- What is going wrong with how you fill them today?
- How many people, and by when?
- What does a good hire look like here in the first two weeks?
- If we filled two of these well, what would happen next?
Then offer something small and specific: two operators for second shift, starting Monday, with a replacement promise you can keep.
Where ReqRunner fits
We do the part before the first call: spotting the posting, finding the manager, sending the email in your name and booking the meeting. You take it from there.