Changes In The World Of Transfer Agents – Good News For Issuers

Unfortunately the relationship between transfer agents and the companies and investors with which they do business isn’t always peaches and cream. As of late, it seems as if the industry is suffering – overcapacity, lack of trained service people, and ill communication between agent systems have led to frustration on both ends. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t any good news in the world of transfer agents.

For instance, the Securities Transfer Association (STA) now has a ...

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Changes,in,the,World,of,Transfer,Agents,Good,News,for,Issuers

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Unfortunately the relationship between transfer agents and the companies and investors with which they do business isn’t always peaches and cream. As of late, it seems as if the industry is suffering – overcapacity, lack of trained service people, and ill communication between agent systems have led to frustration on both ends. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t any good news in the world of transfer agents.

For instance, the Securities Transfer Association (STA) now has a website offering information for investors and there is a trend toward strengthening agent systems to avoid confusion, costly mistakes, and other problems that plague the transfer agent industry. Although every company does need a transfer agent, pressure from the competition (brokers and asset managers) will hopefully encourage the industry to improve current circumstances.

The transfer agent enterprise is actually a very simple one, so it’s worthwhile to continue using the services it provides to your advantage. Transfer agents that know how to keep things uncomplicated and straightforward are coming to the forefront and, hopefully, will force everyone in the business to follow suit. With basic bookkeeping and accurate typing as the two primary facets of the industry, unnecessary complications should not bog down the business.

For the transfer agents who are beginning to do things right, it’s a low cost business that can truly provide a much-needed service to the investing world. In the past, huge fixed costs complicated the system, but now, efficiently run transfer agents that utilize modern technology don’t have to spend a lot to keep afloat. And with the practice of mailing paper certificates disappearing, costs are being cut even more. A large staff, the most expensive part of any business, is no longer needed to type and mail these certificates. And the trend toward outsourcing means even more cost cutting.

In addition, more and more transfer agents are realizing that being on top of the game – doing things properly from the get-go, anticipating questions, providing answers before they’re asked, and staffing knowledgeable employees – lowers costs and benefits for everyone. As the industry as a whole becomes a well-oiled machine, transfer agents are expected to impress instead of disappoint.

Another auspicious trend is the movement in the direction of consolidation. As transfer agents merge and simplify the business, it is hoped that the state of the industry will improve and savings will be passed on to all involved in the process.

Working with a transfer agent will remain a viable option as long as investing continues to increase. If current trends are any indication of the future, troubles with transfer agents have the potential to become a thing of the past.

Executive Search Agents Get Results

Recruiting a senior manager or director for your business can be expensive. Placing adverts in the right papers and journals is a huge expense in itself. If you’re recruiting at the top level in your business, it may be more cost-effective for you to use an executive search agency.

Did you know that, in some cases, the fee charged by a recruitment agency may actually be less than handling the recruitment in-house? People often turn to an executive search firm when they hav...

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executive jobs, executive recruitment, executive search

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Recruiting a senior manager or director for your business can be expensive. Placing adverts in the right papers and journals is a huge expense in itself. If you’re recruiting at the top level in your business, it may be more cost-effective for you to use an executive search agency.

Did you know that, in some cases, the fee charged by a recruitment agency may actually be less than handling the recruitment in-house? People often turn to an executive search firm when they have had trouble recruiting for a certain position. They may have had a low response to adverts, or discovered that all the CVs that have been sent in are from people who are under qualified or inappropriate for the role. This can be very frustrating, particularly as it is very expensive to place recruitment adverts in the local and national press.

Businesses who don’t have a full-time Human Resources function, or who are too busy to handle top recruitment themselves often outsource to an agency. Whilst it has a cost attached, it removes the majority of the recruitment burden from the company’s internal resources and makes sure that the best candidates are put forward for the job. This use of external expertise is really no different from using a design agency to run a website, or a sanitary company to do the cleaning, and leaves the company’s management free to approach the interview stage fresh and enthusiastic.

Executive recruitment is normally for specialised roles and candidates therefore need to have a very well-defined set of skills and experience. For this reason, businesses are often less concerned with the time taken to employ someone than they are with the quality of the person they eventually hire. This can turn the search and selection process into a long one and managers can go through several sets of candidates before offering the position.

Specialist recruitment agencies come into their own here. Their databases help to search out possible candidates who have the right combination of qualifications, experience and skills, and can even undertake the first round of interviews on the company’s behalf, so that the final list includes only the best candidates available. This outsourcing of basic recruitment functions allows the company to concentrate on running the business and leaves them feeling confident that the candidates that come for interview are all suitable for the job.