Introduction Agencies - Facts about Introduction Agencies

Many introduction agencies are now using the term ' Bespoke' for the service they offer to potential clients, as it obviously gives a more upmarket feel to their agency and the service they offer. But unfortunately for the majority of agencies, bespoke is not what they provide..

I do provide a complete ' Bespoke Service ' for my clients, which is custom-made from scratch, so I have been amazed at how many introduction agencies are using this term, when in actual fact the service they offer is not at all tailor-made!

Definition of bespoke, " an item or service that is custom made to a customers specifications " " Tailor-made, bespoke, traditionally drafted from scratch for the customer, not from any previous or ready-made, off the peg item or service"

If agencies are going to use this term, then they must provide a service which is ' bespoke' and not match people, members, clients from an in-house data-base of names and call it bespoke. As the founder of the Association Independent Introduction Agencies I am extremely aware of the terms agencies use to upgrade their service in the eyes of the public. Even Dating Direct, a mass market online dating website use the term ' introduction agency ' on Google for their paid marketing. Again I'm surprised at the term ' introduction agency' being permitted by Google as Dating Direct are not an introduction agency, they do not meet every member, they are an online dating community, where people who join self-create profiles that are not checked or vetted. That is what an introduction agency does.

Coming back to bespoke introductions, a bespoke introduction must be where the agency takes instructions from their client as to the type of person they wish to meet, and then place searches to bring the clients introductions forward to their personal specifications, or network outside their own in-house data-base of names on a list, otherwise clients are paying a higher membership or client fee to be basically matched from the same computer base of names as members paying a lower fee..
that is not bespoke!

Introduction Agencies already receive considerable bad press from the general public, and when agencies using such terms as bespoke, when clearly they use a data-base to match clients, I can see why. The AIIA, is very strict on their agencies not using terms that can mislead the general public, and strives to improve services provided by member agencies to build trust and good relations with the general public.

Jill Rhodes-Harvey
Rhodes-Harvey Introductions 

Published Author from Date to Mate 2009
Published articles with Elite and Elan Magazines
BBC Radio - programs on Dating in Later Life
(c) Jill Rhodes-Harvey 2009
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