How PEAK Saved a Global Rail Company $2.4M While Increasing Fill Rates By 23%

Sourcing technical talent in remote areas can be challenging, especially for companies dependent on sole suppliers. A global rail company faced this exact challenge, spending hundreds of millions of dollars to source contingent workers while struggling to keep those positions filled. PEAK’s comprehensive Managed Staffing Program (MSP) provided a more cost effective option, both increasing fill rates and reducing costs less than three years after implementation.

Challenge: Difficulty Sourcing Critical Talent in Remote Areas

For several years, the client—a rail manufacturing company with a footprint of 25,000 employees—operated in aggressive acquisition mode, boosting its global market position and expanding its presence. However, this expansion also required the client to staff workers in remote parts of the world, where critical technical talent pools are tighter and procurement is more difficult.

Prior to engaging PEAK, the client outsourced their contingent staffing program to a well-regarded provider in the industry. However, this vendor was a sole supplier, limiting the client’s talent pool access in an already difficult market. As a result, the client’s return on investment was less than ideal.

PEAK’s Strategic Solution: Comprehensive Managed Staffing Program (MSP)

The client then engaged PEAK for our Managed Staffing Program (MSP) services, seeking to simplify the logistics of procurement, team management, workforce reporting, employment compliance risk, and more. By integrating typically fragmented processes, our MSP services eliminate headaches, inefficiencies, and unnecessary costs.

PEAK tailored our MSP solution to the client’s specific needs, offering the following components:

• Strategic workforce planning that leveraged data-driven insights and market analytics to align all procurement efforts with the clients’ business objectives and program needs
• Transitioning the client from a sole supplier to our extensive network, easing the supply of contingent labor in remote areas
• Efficiently managing the client’s staffing needs through cutting-edge Vendor Management System (VMS) technology
• Implementing PEAK’s comprehensive compliance strategies, which were tailored to legal and regulatory requirements of the rail industry
• Providing real-time workforce insights, performance analytics, and reporting to drive ongoing, strategic decision-making

Before implementing PEAK’s MSP program, the client had numerous areas of rogue spend, but could not pinpoint or address them. One of our first objectives, then, was to identify and rein in this spend. Additionally, we instituted standard “Vendor Rules of Engagement” to maintain legal compliance.

Impact & Outcomes: Increasing Fill Rates by 23%

As a result of PEAK’s MSP program, the client not only filled more positions in their remote locations, but significantly improved the cost effectiveness of their talent procurement efforts:

• Increased fill rate from 65% to 88% in the first 12 months
• Saved $2.4M (8%) over the program’s first 31 months

The return on investment of our MSP program is clear and indisputable. This, in addition to our team’s above-and-beyond commitment to excellent service and forging trusted partnerships, has led to a long-lasting, productive, and profitable relationship.

Conclusion: PEAK’s Managed Staffing Program

Many technical companies are overwhelmed by the complexities of workforce management: invoices, facility management, compliance, and more. In many cases, their sourcing partners are not equipped to keep up with their demands—as was the case with this rail manufacturing company.

PEAK’s Managed Staffing Program (MSP) enables companies to secure critical technical talent in today’s tight market by leveraging multiple suppliers, organizing and streamlining complex processes through cutting-edge technology, and tailoring our approach to your specific needs and industry requirements.

Are you dealing with a similar procurement challenge and want to see results like these? Contact PEAK today to see how we can help.