How Staffworks Saved $1.1M per Year with AI Agents
$1.1M
in annual labor cost savings
74%
increase in recruiter productivity
25%
engagement rate from AI sales outreach
Modernizing Staffing Operations Without Sacrificing Growth
Before implementing AI, StaffWorks was already operating on what Todd Consilio considered one of the best ATS platforms in the industry: TempWorks.
Throughout his career, Todd had worked across multiple applicant tracking systems and integrated teams using competing platforms. TempWorks stood out for its usability, stability, and reporting flexibility. New recruiters ramped in weeks instead of months. Todd could write his own SQL reports and maintain full control of the company’s data.
The system of record was strong.
But even one of the best ATS platforms cannot drive modern staffing performance on its own. To stay competitive, it needed faster innovation and best-in-class automation layered on top.
The foundation was there.
What was missing was an intelligent automation & AI layer.
At the same time, StaffWorks was at an operational inflection point.
Like many staffing organizations, they were facing rising labor costs, increasing inbound applicant volume, and pressure to grow revenue without expanding headcount. Reception roles had turned over. A dedicated sales position had been eliminated. Recruiters were working remotely. Manual processes were straining under volume.
“We weren’t lacking effort. We were lacking leverage,” said Todd Consilio, Vice President of Business Operations at StaffWorks. “Our recruiters were working hard, but too much of their time was spent chasing candidates instead of placing them.”
Todd Consilio
Vice President of Business Operations at StaffWorks
With approximately 1,000 inbound applicants per week, recruiters simply could not contact everyone. The company was paying for leads that were never reached. Inbound calls interrupted workflows. Sales outreach was inconsistent. Administrative work consumed high-value staff time.
Leadership needed more than incremental improvement.
They needed automation layered directly into their existing system of record.
The Shift to an AI-Powered Operating Model
StaffWorks implemented Whippy AI directly into its existing TempWorks workflow to automate communication, screening, and engagement across the staffing lifecycle.
TempWorks remains the system of record. AI powers the interaction layer.
Here is how the end-to-end workflow operates:
Nothing lives outside the ATS. Everything is documented automatically.
1. Job Creation: Recruiters use System IQ within TempWorks to generate structured job descriptions, which are posted to job boards as usual.
2. Applicant Engagement: As candidates apply, Whippy immediately identifies the new applicant and associated job description inside TempWorks.
3. Automated Screening: The AI recruiter engages each applicant instantly, 24/7, in any language. It asks pre-set and custom screening questions tailored to the role. Every applicant receives a response.
4. Qualification and Scoring: Responses are evaluated against job requirements. Candidates are scored based on fit and readiness. Recruiters receive structured summaries rather than raw applications.
5. Automatic Write-Back to TempWorks: All screening data is written directly into TempWorks, including:
a. Candidate score
b. Screening transcript
c. Updated interest codes
d. Qualification notes
“AI handles the first layer of engagement so our recruiters can focus on decisions, not data entry.”
AI Recruiter Transformation
Comparison before and after using Whippy AI
“AI didn’t replace our recruiters. It removed the repetitive work that was slowing them down. Now they focus on conversations that actually convert.”
By automating initial engagement and screening, recruiters now speak exclusively with qualified, scored candidates. Productivity increased while headcount decreased without sacrificing revenue.
Eliminating Front Desk Bottlenecks
StaffWorks operated six branches, each staffed with a receptionist responsible for answering inbound calls and routing candidates.
In reality, those calls included:
- Call-offs from workers scheduled to start that day
- Injury notifications
- Payroll and paycheck questions
- W-2 requests
- Assignment confirmations
- General candidate follow-up
When receptionists were unavailable or overwhelmed, calls went to voicemail. Candidates grew frustrated. Recruiters were interrupted mid-placement to handle administrative issues. Time-sensitive calls were sometimes delayed.
“We were constantly interrupting recruiters to handle issues that weren’t revenue-generating. At the same time, candidates were waiting on hold. That’s not the experience we wanted.”
AI was initially introduced to improve responsiveness.
The result:
- Receptionists reduced from 6 to 0
- $382,000 in annual receptionist labor savings
- Instant responses to payroll, W-2, call-offs, and FAQs
- Seamless transfers to recruiters or sales when required
Calls are now answered immediately, 24/7. Routine questions are resolved without interrupting recruiters. Time-sensitive issues are captured instantly.
Rethinking Sales Outreach
Sales fuels staffing. More touchpoints generate more job orders, which drive placements.
Traditionally, outbound sales relied on manual daytime cold calling, often blocked by gatekeepers or unanswered phones.
StaffWorks needed more consistent outreach.
“We knew touchpoints mattered. If we’re not staying in front of decision-makers, we’re not going to get the job orders.”
Todd introduced an AI-powered after-hours outreach strategy:
- Call after hours
- Bypass gatekeepers
- Leave a personalized voicemail
- Follow up automatically the next morning
The goal was measurable engagement without manual dialing.
Branch result after using Whippy in the first two weeks
The company eliminated its dedicated sales role while increasing documented prospect engagement.
“AI is touching more prospects than one salesperson ever could.”
Financial Impact
The combined impact across recruiting, reception, and sales produced significant annual savings:
Total annual impact
Revenue did not decline. Recruiter productivity increased 74%, and performance remained strong.
Expanding the AI Advantage
With screening, inbound calls, and outbound sales automated, StaffWorks expanded AI across additional workflows:
- Assignment confirmations and start reminders
- No-show reduction through automated check-ins
- Database reactivation campaigns
- Ongoing candidate engagement
- Structured documentation inside TempWorks
What began as recruiting automation evolved into operational infrastructure.
The next phase is even more transformative.
StaffWorks is preparing to deploy Search and Match across its 160,000-candidate database, leveraging resumes, past placements, screening transcripts, talent tags, and communication history to intelligently match candidates to new job orders.
The strategy is clear:
- When a new job order comes in, search the internal database first.
- Before posting externally.
- Before spending on job boards.
- Before waiting for inbound applicants.
“We’ve already paid to build that database. Why wouldn’t we activate it first?”
By proactively engaging qualified candidates already inside TempWorks, StaffWorks expects to reduce job board spend, increase internal fill rates, shorten time-to-fill, and strengthen redeployment.
But the strategy does not stop at filling open orders.
StaffWorks is now using AI to revive a proven but traditionally labor-intensive strategy: Skill Marketing.
Instead of waiting for job orders, AI identifies highly qualified candidates and proactively markets them to companies that have hired similar talent in the past.
The system can:
- Identify candidates with strong, verified skill profiles
- Generate tailored presentation emails to targeted hiring managers
- Automatically follow up with AI-powered phone outreach
- Re-engage past clients who previously hired similar roles
- Introduce talent to new companies that may benefit from those skills
This transforms the database from a passive repository into an active revenue engine.
Even when no job order exists.
For example, if a screened candidate has 10 years of welding experience, certifications, and leadership history, AI can automatically construct a professional presentation and introduce that candidate to companies that regularly hire welders.
The same model applies to professional placements, including attorneys, patent agents, and other specialized roles.
StaffWorks is also exploring automated “Hero Calls,” where AI identifies companies that have recently posted roles and proactively presents a qualified candidate who matches the job requirements, whether the posting is open or recently filled.
The objective is simple:
Turn the database into a proactive marketing engine.
Candidates no longer collect dust.
They generate conversations. They generate meetings. They generate new job orders.
The goal is not just automation. It is intelligent activation of existing assets and conversion of candidate inventory into revenue.
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