What To Expect From Your Recruitment Software Provider

What to Expect from Your Recruitment Software Provider

We have the opportunity to speak to a large range of clients each day who are at different stages of the process of sourcing new recruitment software for their recruitment agency. Getting the most from your recruitment software is a two-way partnership between your agency and your recruitment software provider but it helps to know what to expect.

Below are the 4 most common problems clients express to us with their current recruitment software provider that has taken them to market.

1. “Small Fish in a Big Pond” Customer Service

It is paramount to focus on assessing any new recruitment software’s functionality, but it is also paramount to take into account the size of the recruitment software provider you’re partnering with, and their approach to ongoing customer service. A lot of clients believe that a quality recruitment software CRM is only linked to one of the global recruitment software brands, which is not always the case. 

When dealing with some of the global recruitment software brands, some clients advised they felt being a”small fish in a big pond”, competing for attention with their larger clients and receiving a poor customer experience.

2. Mis-sold Functionality

A particular bug bear in the technology market is the regularity with which sales teams over promise the capabilities of their software, with functionality often being misrepresented or even mis-sold throughout the sales process.

3. Lack of Helpdesk Support

There will be instances where problems occurs or you have questions regarding the software’s functionality. To tackle this, you need an expert to understand the issue, provide a solution or give advice on how to resolve it. Unfortunately, in a lot of cases, helpdesk support might be an additional premium for which you hadn’t budgeted for. In other cases, the customer service and delay in fixing the problem may cost your recruitment agency valuable time and money.

4. Hidden Costs 

Many low cost recruitment software solutions offer inexpensive licence plans or packages, but within this often hides additional or hidden costs. Cheaper software packages will frequently charge a premium with software installation and setup, ongoing software updates, additional modules/software functionality or helpdesk support.

Finding the Right Recruitment Software Provider 

To avoid these problems, you’re looking for an open and consultative approach from your new software provider, right at the beginning. If both parties commit to put in the time required during the sales process, your recruitment agency can reap the benefits in the long term.

Your software provider should:

  • Ask detailed information about your agency, your specific sector and what has taken you to market for a new recruitment software solution.
  • Understand your business objectives, strategy and future goals and how recruitment software can help support them.
  • Provide a transparent picture of the software’s functionality and honestly advise you if it is the “right fit” for your agency.
  • Provide as many demos as you need to assess the software’s functionality first-hand, so you are equipped to make a decision whether it is the right solution for your agency. We suggest you form a steering committee with staff from different departments represented, who can address the most important issues that affect them.
  • Provide detailed information regarding their helpdesk support packages and options.
  • Inform of their post-sales and implementation customer service offering, including account management to assist you as your business grows.
  • Inform of any additional costs for implementation, training, data migration or any renewing annual costs for licences or software upgrades.

The decision to change your recruitment software can take a little more time than you anticipate, but if you spend that time effectively, you can ensure your agency doesn’t suffer in the long term. Don’t settle for a recruitment software provider that isn’t dedicated to finding the right solution for your business strategy and growth plans.

For more recruitment insights, download our free eBook, 7 Secrets of Successful Recruitment Agencies.

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