For over 40 years, Express Employment Professionals has been guided by a simple vision: help as many people as possible find good jobs by helping as many clients as possible find good people.

Since 1983, the full service staffing franchise has worked with job seekers in all fields to help them find the right job for their skills and experience, whether that’s a full-time, part-time or temporary position. Today, Express annually employs more than half a million people across hundreds of franchise locations worldwide.

When Bill Stoller and Bob Funk founded Express, the goal was to master the business of people while doing business differently. “Our founders, Bob and Bill, have created an incredible organization,” said Dina Overholt, Senior Vice President of Sales Support. “It's a place that ultimately puts people first. Express is made up of high integrity, good hearted people with a singular mission.” 

The journey to where Express is today was decades in the making, marked by a passion to help people build better lives for themselves and their families, while helping communities grow and prosper. 

What Express Brings to the Market

Express offices are locally owned and operated, allowing for a highly personal staffing  experience that’s not common among the competition.  

“We're a global company that has incredible support from corporate headquarters for our clients and for our franchisees — but also for their clients,” said Overholt. “But more importantly, it's truly a company where local and community relationships are built. For our owners, every single transaction matters.”

Having such strong relationships among clients also allows for a more efficient hiring process. By getting to know each client, Express is really able to discover what the brand is about and what type of employee would be best suited to what role. 

“We’re really getting to know people and finding out how we can meet their needs,” Overholt added. “It’s not just about skills and experience, it's also about finding the right culture fit.”

Meanwhile, applicants will benefit from the ease of the application and interview process. “We've made it more user friendly and adapted to online applications and phone interviews where needed,” said Dan Gunderson, Senior Franchising Director. “They still need to come in and go through the testing procedures and our recruiters will need to see them face-to-face before they place them on a job, but we’ve made it as easy as possible. There’s direct deposit and we have pay cards, so there’s no need for them to come back to the office once they apply.”’ 

On the recruiting side, an app is used for employees to efficiently have a relationship with their recruiter and help them stay employed. For example, if they are working on an assignment and it ends, they can get on another one right away and keep that employment going before eventually getting hired permanently, if that’s what is desired. 

“Things have really advanced on the technology side here the past few years, as well as the ease of the whole process,” said Gunderson. “We’ve streamlined the process and offer as much support as we can provide to make the client's life easier.”

Why People Keep Coming Back

One of the top ways Express stands out is by showing clients and applicants how much they care. 

“When someone comes in and fills out an application, they’re going to be treated well,” said Gunderson. “They’re going to be taken care of and, when they walk out that door, they  know that Express is going to be there for them.”

This unique quality is evident in all areas of the business. For instance, on someone’s first day of work, the office will call them that evening to check in and find out how it went or if they had any issues on the assignment. Additionally, if an assignment ends for whatever reason, Express is going to do their best to get them on another job.

“When we talk to them we thank them for what they’ve done and give them recognition for that accomplishment — not every staffing company does that,” Gunderson added. “Word travels and if we treat them well, they’re going to share that with their friends and family when they’re in search of a job. They’re going to remember that interaction.” 

For client companies, the fact that Express is owner-driven makes a world of a difference. Owners have a vested interest in that relationship with the client and are going to go through any challenges of hiring and staffing with them. Gunderson noted that clients knowing they can get in touch with the owner, who truly cares about them, is a huge differentiating factor.
 

“It goes back to the personal relationship that we have with a client,” said Overholt. “It's about knowing that every transaction matters and has a way of either building that relationship or chipping away at it. Not only are we staffing for them, but we are truly a trusted adviser and a business partner in the business that they do.”

Express Serves a Wide Variety of Industries 

Unlike others in the industry, Express is very broad based. Typically when looking at staffing, there's a lot of niche type companies out there that focus on one area. 

“You have medical staffing companies, some that only do accounting or you have day labor companies,” Gunderson explained. “At Express, we do a little bit of everything. So chances are, we can offer the service that a client company is looking for.” 

This means that applicants of all kinds can be served by Express. Express understands that, in today’s world, people are looking for more options when it comes to employment, so understanding what applicants are looking for and being able to offer that to them is key. This means staffing services range from direct hire placement and executive searches to temporary contract roles and more. 

When it comes to clients big or small, Express is there to help. “We work with clients that, for everyone else, might get missed,” said Overholt. “Maybe they aren’t big enough to get special attention from other brands, but at Express we can provide excellent service no matter what the size of your company is.” 

The initial investment ranges from $100,000 to $220,000 to open an Express single traditional model, with a franchise fee of $40,000. For more information on franchising with Express, visit: https://expressfranchising.com/.