Why most agency calls waste your time
You are short staffed. Someone promises "reliable hospitality professionals". That sentence fits every agency in London. The useful filter is operational, not marketing.
Ask these seven questions. If the answers are vague, keep calling.
1. Who answers the phone when service is on fire?
You want a named person, or a number that rings through to someone who can book. A form that replies on Monday morning does not help a Friday night walkout.
2. Have they staffed a venue like yours?
Hotel banquet is not a 40-cover restaurant. Events are not breakfast. Ask for a comparable job, not a logo wall.
3. How do they brief the worker?
Ask what the worker sees before they arrive: role, times, dress, contact on site, allergens if relevant. If the agency cannot describe their own briefing, you will brief strangers at the door.
4. What happens if someone does not show?
Get a straight answer. Who you call. Whether they try to replace. How fast they tell you. Silence until you chase is not a process.
5. Right to work and insurance
Ask whether right to work is checked before someone is sent, and what cover they carry. You do not need a lecture. You need a yes and a document trail if your building asks for it.
6. How do rates get agreed?
You should know when the rate is confirmed and what changes it. Public sites that publish a full rate card are often guessing. A clear conversation before the shift is better than a surprise invoice.
7. Will they say no?
A good agency turns down work they cannot fill properly. An agency that says yes to every role at every hour is selling hope. You want the person who tells you on Wednesday that Saturday is thin, not the one who finds out with you at five o'clock.
How to use the answers
Score them against your worst night, not your best brochure. If two agencies both sound fine, pick the one who answered the phone fastest when you tested them. That is usually the one who will answer when you are short.