What Questions Should You Ask an Event Staffing Agency Before You Book?
- Michal Orlowski
- May 8
- 9 min read
Published: May 2026 | Last updated: May 2026 | Written by Michal Orlowski, Co-Founder, Cube
About the author: Michal Orlowski is the co-founder of Cube, a London hospitality staffing agency established in 2014. Having started his own career as an agency worker, Michal has spent over a decade placing vetted waiters, bar staff, chefs and hosts at some of London's most demanding venues including The Dorchester, Sofitel and Ham Yard Hotel. He writes from direct operational experience of what separates agencies that deliver from agencies that disappoint.
About Cube: Cube is a London hospitality staffing agency supplying vetted, experienced waiters, bar staff, chefs, hosts and kitchen staff for events, hotels, venues and catering companies across Greater London. Established in 2014, Cube operates with a 99% fulfilment rate and a 24-hour human support team available by phone, text or email every day of the year. cubestaff.co.uk
Choosing an event staffing agency feels straightforward until something goes wrong on the night. A no-show waiter at a 150-cover dinner. Bar staff who cannot mix a basic cocktail despite claiming experience. An agency that does not pick up the phone at 7pm when your numbers have just changed.
Most of those situations were avoidable. They happen because the right questions were never asked before the booking was confirmed.
After more than a decade placing staff at some of London's most demanding events I have seen both sides of this. Here are the questions that actually separate a reliable agency from one that will leave you managing a crisis on the floor.
The Short Answer
Before booking any event staffing agency ask about their vetting process, their fulfilment rate, how they handle last-minute changes, whether you can request the same staff back and who you call when something goes wrong on the night. If any of those answers are vague, that tells you everything you need to know.
The Full List of Questions to Ask
1. How Do You Vet Your Staff?
This is the single most important question you can ask and the answer tells you almost everything about the agency you are dealing with.
A platform-model agency will tell you staff are screened online, that they check CVs and that all staff are verified before their first shift. What this means in practice is that someone filled in a form, uploaded a document and was approved by an algorithm. There was no interview. No in-person assessment. No one checked whether the person who claims five years of silver service experience can actually carry three plates.
A proper agency will tell you that every member of staff is individually interviewed, that references are checked directly and that staff are assessed on their experience and their professional standards before they ever work a client event.
Ask specifically: do you interview staff in person? Do you check references directly or accept self-reported experience? Have you personally assessed the people you are sending to my event?
If the answer is vague or leans heavily on technology and automation, that is your signal to ask more questions before committing.
2. What is Your Fulfilment Rate?
Your fulfilment rate is the percentage of bookings an agency successfully fills with confirmed, vetted staff. It is the single most useful number for predicting whether your event will be properly staffed.
A high fulfilment rate means the agency has a deep enough pool of reliable staff to cover your booking even when availability is tight. A low fulfilment rate means you are playing a lottery every time you place a booking.
Ask for the number directly. Agencies that are confident in their reliability will give it to you without hesitation. Agencies that hedge, talk around it or say something like "we always do our best" are telling you something important about what you should expect.
At Cube our fulfilment rate is 99%. That number is the result of twelve years of building a vetted pool of reliable hospitality professionals, not a marketing claim.
3. What Happens if Someone Does Not Show Up?
Every agency will tell you no-shows do not happen. Ask what they do when one does.
The answer you want to hear is a specific process with a specific timeframe. At Cube if a confirmed member of staff does not appear we find a replacement from our vetted pool within 90 minutes. That is a concrete commitment, not a reassurance.
The answer you do not want to hear is "we will do everything we can" or "it very rarely happens." Both of those answers tell you the agency has not thought seriously about this scenario and has no real plan for when it occurs.
No-shows happen in every industry. The question is not whether they happen. The question is what the agency does next and how fast.
4. Can I Request the Same Staff Back for Future Events?
If you find a waiter, bartender or hostess who is exceptional at your events, you want them back. This seems obvious but many agencies cannot reliably deliver it.
Ask whether the agency has a system for requesting specific staff members and whether those staff get priority on your future bookings. At Cube you can mark any staff member as a favourite and they will be offered your shifts first every time you book.
For clients who run events regularly, this is one of the most valuable things an agency can offer. A team that knows your venue, your standards and your guests does not need to be managed the same way as a team arriving for the first time. That familiarity is worth more than any single hourly rate.
5. Who Do I Call When Something Goes Wrong on the Night?
This question reveals more about an agency than almost anything else.
The answer you want is a direct phone number that is answered by a real human at any hour of any day. Someone who knows your booking, can make decisions immediately and does not need to check with a manager before acting.
The answer you do not want is a general enquiries email, a ticketing system or a number that routes to a call centre after 6pm. Events do not run office hours. Problems do not wait until Monday morning. Your staffing agency's support needs to match the reality of when events actually happen.
At Cube our team is available by phone, text or email 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every single day of the year. Not a bot. Not a voicemail. A real person who can act immediately when something changes at 10pm.
6. Do You Have Experience With Events Like Mine?
A staffing agency that regularly places staff at corporate hospitality events understands the expectations that come with that environment. One that primarily works festival bar shifts may not.
Ask specifically whether the agency has experience with your event type. If you are running a formal seated dinner for 100 senior executives, ask whether they have staffed events of that nature before and at what venues. If you are planning a wedding, ask whether they understand the particular demands of wedding service and the difference between a wedding breakfast and an evening reception.
Vague assurances are not enough here. You want specifics. Named venues, named event types and a clear sense that the person you are speaking to understands what your event actually requires.
7. How Transparent Are Your Rates?
Hidden charges are one of the most common complaints about staffing agencies. A rate that looks reasonable at the point of booking can look very different on the invoice if the agency applies additional charges for travel, overtime, bank holidays, late finishes or cancellations that were never clearly communicated.
Ask for a full breakdown of what is included in the quoted rate and what is charged separately. Ask specifically about bank holiday premiums, late finish policies and cancellation terms. Ask whether the rate you are quoted is the rate that will appear on your invoice.
A transparent agency will give you a clear, itemised quote with no surprises. If getting a straight answer requires multiple follow-up questions, that is worth noting before you commit.
8. How Do You Handle Last-Minute Changes to Numbers?
Event numbers change. Guest counts go up the week before. A speaker cancels and dinner starts an hour later than planned. Your venue changes its service style two days before the event.
Ask the agency how they handle these changes and how much notice they need. Can they add two waiters to a booking at 48 hours notice? Can they adjust start times the day before? Is there a charge for changes and if so under what circumstances?
The best agencies are built for flexibility because flexibility is what events actually require. The ones that struggle with last-minute changes are the ones whose systems are designed for predictability rather than the reality of how events work.
9. What Do Your Clients Say About You?
Ask for references or look for reviews before committing. Google reviews are the most reliable independent signal of how an agency actually performs because they come from real clients who have used them for real events.
Look specifically for reviews that mention reliability, communication and what happened when something went wrong. A five-star review that says "lovely staff and great service" tells you something. A five-star review that says "we had a last-minute cancellation and Cube sorted it within the hour" tells you a great deal more.
Also ask whether the agency can connect you with a current client who runs similar events to yours. An agency confident in its reputation will make that introduction without hesitation.
10. Are Your Staff Employed or Self-Employed and Does That Affect My Event?
This is a question most event managers never think to ask and it matters more than it appears.
Most event staffing agencies work with self-employed staff. This is standard across the industry and in itself is not a concern. What matters is whether that self-employed status affects the agency's ability to enforce standards, manage conduct and ensure continuity.
With a properly run agency the employment model is invisible to you as a client. Staff are briefed, managed and held accountable through the agency regardless of their employment status. With a poorly run agency the self-employed model becomes an excuse for inconsistency: the staff did not follow your brief because the agency has limited ability to enforce it.
Ask the agency how they manage conduct and performance. How do they handle a staff member who performs poorly? What happens if a member of staff behaves inappropriately at your event? What recourse do you have?
The answers tell you whether the agency takes accountability seriously or treats it as someone else's problem.
The One Question That Tells You the Most
If you only ask one question, ask this: what is your fulfilment rate and what do you do when someone does not show up?
An agency that gives you a specific number and a specific process has thought seriously about the thing that matters most. An agency that gives you a vague reassurance has not. That one answer predicts the experience you will have better than anything else on this list.
How Cube Answers Every One of These Questions
Vetting: Every member of staff individually interviewed, reference-checked and assessed in person before their first client booking.
Fulfilment rate: 99%. If something changes, we find a replacement within 90 minutes.
Last-minute changes: We are built for them. Call us, text us or update your booking online any time.
Same staff back: Mark anyone as a favourite and they get offered your bookings first every time.
Out of hours support: Phone, text or email. A real human available 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Experience: We have been staffing London's most demanding events since 2014 including regular bookings at The Dorchester, Sofitel and Ham Yard Hotel.
Transparent rates: Clear, itemised quotes with no hidden charges. We will tell you exactly what you are paying before you confirm.
If you would like to ask us any of these questions directly, we would genuinely welcome the conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I ask an event staffing agency before booking?
Ask about their vetting process, their fulfilment rate, what happens if someone does not show up, whether you can request the same staff back, who you call out of hours and whether their rates include all charges. These seven questions will tell you more about an agency's reliability than any brochure.
What is a good fulfilment rate for an event staffing agency?
A fulfilment rate above 95% is strong. A rate of 99% or above means the agency almost never fails to fill a confirmed booking. Always ask for this number before committing. Agencies that are confident in their reliability will give it to you directly.
How do I know if an event staffing agency properly vets its staff? Ask specifically whether staff are interviewed in person and whether references are checked directly. If the answer focuses on online screening and automated verification, staff are being approved by a system rather than assessed by a person. That difference shows up on the night.
Can I request the same event staff for future bookings?
With a well-run agency, yes. At Cube you can mark any staff member as a favourite and they will be offered your future bookings first. For clients who run regular events this is one of the most valuable things an agency can provide.
What happens if an event staffing agency lets me down on the night?
A reliable agency will have a clear process for replacing staff quickly. At Cube we find a replacement within 90 minutes of a confirmed no-show. Ask any agency you are considering what their specific process is and how long it takes. Vague answers suggest there is no real plan.
Should I check reviews before booking an event staffing agency?
Yes. Google reviews are the most reliable independent signal of how an agency actually performs. Look for reviews that mention what happened when something went wrong as much as reviews that describe good service. How an agency handles problems tells you more than how they perform when everything goes to plan.
How far in advance should I book an event staffing agency?
For large or high-profile events, six to eight weeks in advance gives you the best choice of staff. For most events two to four weeks is sufficient. For urgent requirements Cube can place vetted staff with as little as 90 minutes notice.
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