How to Choose a Staffing Software Partner, Not Just a Solution

One of the age-old questions in staffing is “What staffing software should I use?” This question is often followed by a cascade of very valid, additional questions, such as: “Should I go with one that has a lot of bells and whistles? Should I go with an all-in-one solution? Should I go with a well-known solution in the industry?” What often goes unquestioned, however, when assessing staffing software solutions is, “How do I choose a staffing software partner?” Partner is the keyword in that question.

Your staffing software solutions provider should be more than just a program; it should be a long-term partnership. When you decide to switch software, it’s a process that will take time and cost money. It’s not something you want to do every couple of years, so when assessing software solutions, it’s important to go into it with a long-term mindset. What solution can I see long-term growth with, and which software provider is a company I want to work closely with?

At the end of the day, we are all in the people business! In staffing, you form relationships with your candidates and customers. You try to provide value to them, not just a transactional relationship. Similarly, as you search for staffing software solutions, you want to find a partner that is going to help you grow and that understands your business. In a perfect world, you will never have to look for staffing software again once you find the right solution and partnership.

We will highlight key traits to look for in a staffing software provider that helps you form a long-term partnership and sets your company up for future growth.

Good Customer Support is Vital for Staffing Software Solutions

Good customer support is essential to your staffing software experience. If you have a question or are experiencing an issue, it’s important to be able to reach someone in a timely manner. When assessing software, some key questions to ask about support include:

• What is the average response time for a Support Ticket?
• Where is the Support Team located?
• Are you able to easily reach someone on the phone?
• Is there a cost per support ticket? You don’t want to be in a situation where you are nickel-and-dimed!

These basic questions can help you understand what your future customer experience may be like. At the end of the day, the support team members are the people you will likely be talking to most frequently, so it’s important that these questions aren’t overlooked.

When considering a staffing software partnership, you want an actual relationship, not just a transactional question-and-answer one. If that is the extent of your partnership with your staffing software, there is much more to be desired. A good customer support team will be there to answer your questions, but will also go beyond basic support to help you succeed in your business.

Customer Growth Beyond Support

Questions to consider when assessing staffing software solutions include “Are you going to grow using this solution, and is it scalable?” and“Will you need to get another solution in a couple of years because you outgrew it?” Part of this growth goes beyond the solution and also beyond support.

Avoid a Transactional Question and Answer Relationship

A true customer experience goes beyond the support tickets and helps you grow. Leading staffing software solutions are constantly evolving and adding new features based on industry needs. As a user, it can be hard to keep up with the latest features and ensure you are using the staffing software to its full potential. This is where training, meetings, webinars, and videos come into play.

Are you able to easily schedule training or a meeting with a customer success representative? One-on-one meetings and training sessions can help ensure you are using the software to its fullest potential. Often, users may not even be aware of certain features that would be beneficial to them. Instead of assuming the software doesn’t have a feature you would like to have, ask if they have it or perhaps there is a workaround. Working closely with your software provider will help you stay successful as a software user and will maximize your output from it.

On-Demand Webinars and Continuing Education

On-Demand webinars and videos are also important for user success, as these are ongoing support resources that you can take advantage of. Always ask what resources are available besides day-to-day support and a customer success team. Regular webinars, on-demand videos, podcasts exploring staffing industry trends and news, and more are all helpful tools that will help you be successful software users for continued education, and also when you need to look up something quickly.

Investment in Research and Development

An important factor in any staffing software solution is research and development. Are new features and products consistently being released? How often are there new developments? You want to partner with a software provider that invests in its software. If investment and new developments aren’t being made, then you aren’t going to grow either.

It’s also important to be cautious about shiny new objects being released quickly. Quick development and releases can often be glitchy, unreliable, and unfinished. A software solution that constantly innovates and produces quality products is one you want to partner with.

Staffing Software Company Track Record

Another essential factor to consider when assessing a staffing software partner is the company’s track record. How long have they been in business? Are they a new kid on the block, or do they have longevity in the industry? Staffing software solutions that have been in the industry, know the industry, have experience, and are most likely not going anywhere. If you are a risk-averse person, then going with a staffing software solution that is stable and has been in the industry might be a better option for your software partnership and long-term growth.

Additionally, check software review sites like G2 and ask for references as you are getting close to making your selection. A company’s history and number of years in business speak for themselves, but customer experience can only be heard through the words of the customer. It can also be helpful to ask how many long-term customers they have. Customers who have been using the software for a long time are your end goal, remember. Your staffing software investment is not just a software; it’s a long-term partnership to set yourself up for growth.

Staffing Industry Involvement

Lastly, you will want to partner with a software solution that is active in the industry. Does the software provider frequently attend local and national staffing conferences? How involved are they with staffing associations? Do they conduct industry webinars and presentations with staffing associations as leaders in the industry? Industry involvement is key. You are in the staffing business, so your staffing software provider needs to understand the business. As you know, the needs and landscape of the staffing industry are constantly changing, and your software provider needs to understand these needs to equip you with technology that helps you stay at the forefront.

The Only Recruiting and Staffing Software You Will EVER Need

Your staffing software is more than just a solution; it’s a partnership. When assessing staffing software solutions, remember to look for a long-term partnership that will help you grow. While desired features are important when assessing software solutions, you also need to think of the important non-feature side of the business: support, customer experience, research and development for the solution, industry involvement, and their experience and track record in the industry. You are making a big investment in the staffing software solution, and you want to ensure you get the experience you invested in to gain a competitive edge in the industry.

As you assess staffing software solutions, hope this article helps you find the only recruiting and staffing software you will ever need.

Ready to find the only recruiting and staffing software you will ever need? Automated Business Designs is proud to be celebrating 43 years in business with an award-winning Support Team and solution. Contact Us today to learn more about Ultra-Staff EDGE Staffing Software and how we can partner together to grow your business!

Written by Jennifer Roeslmeier Mikels

Jennifer Roeslmeier Mikels is a Sr. Digital Marketing and Brands Manager at Automated Business Designs, developers of Ultra-Staff EDGE Staffing Software. Jennifer regularly publishes articles about key topics surrounding the staffing industry with both local and national staffing associations.

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