Dating agencies provide a more personalized and customized approach than online dating, dating apps and singles events. Most dating agencies will invite you to their office for a chat to find out more about your profile and preferences. And based on the profile, they will search for suitable matches for you. They would do all the work, and you just need to turn up and get to know your date. Many singles are attracted to using dating agencies due to the convenience as well as the confidentiality of not having the entire world knowing that they are looking for love. If you are still wondering whether you should join a dating agency, here are some pros and cons so that you can decide whether this is something for you!

Why You Should Join a Dating Agency (The Pros)

• One key difference between dating agencies and online dating sites is the gender balance ratio.

Men tend to use online dating sites, while more women prefer using dating agencies. Why do women favor dating agencies? Because at the very least, they know that the men have been screened by the agency. With online dating, you never know whether he’s really 30 or 13. No one likes getting catfished! Or with events, you’ll never know who might show up. So men, you can definitely meet a lot more ladies through dating agencies, and for ladies, they get the ease of mind that real consultants have filtered and screened their potential matches.

• Personalized matchmaking is done based on your profile as well as your dating preferences.

A good agency will match you with someone who meets 70 to 80% of your dating criteria. And you know that you in turn meet 70 to 80% of what your date is looking for.

• A one-to-one date allows you more time and opportunity to get to know your date.

You also don’t need to worry about ‘competition’. You can just relax and focus on your date.

Why You Shouldn’t Join a Dating Agency (The Cons)

• You have to trust your agency to make the right choice as it is essentially a blind date.

There have been times when we thought we made a match in heaven. And our intuition was confirmed by one party. He thought it was a wonderful date. But our hopes were dashed after speaking to the lady. So even though every match is handpicked and carefully selected, your agency cannot match chemistry. However, chemistry is usually built over time; many successful couples who have gotten married did not initially feel the chemistry immediately anyway.

• The investment is significantly higher compared to the other avenues of dating.

The investment in online dating sites is usually in the tens to hundreds. However the investment to join a dating agency is usually in the thousands. So, it is important that you do your homework before you sign up with a dating agency.

• It does not work so well for certain profiles.

I have a lady client who is really beautiful and attractive. Whenever she attends a singles event, men will flock to her like bees to honey. However, we do have problems setting up a one-to-one date for her. The reason? She is a divorcee and mother of a child. When people join dating agencies, they usually have a ‘checklist’, and since they are paying to join a service, they usually hope to find someone close to their ‘ideal person’. Most men prefer to date someone who has never been married before. They also prefer women who do not have kids from their previous marriage. Even when we tell the guys that she’s really attractive, and a really nice lady, the men tend to say, “Why don’t you introduce me to someone whose looks and personality are like her, but not a divorcee with a kid?”

So in this case, I advised her to attend more events, as her chances of meeting the right one might be higher. The men who approach her do not know her background, and by the time they find out, they already know her as a person, and might accept her for who she is.