The age old question that is so often talked about in staffing is what staffing software should I use? 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? These are all valid questions to ask yourself when assessing staffing software solutions. What is often not asked though is, “How do I choose a staffing software partner?” Partner being the key word in that question.

Your staffing software provider should be more than just a software for you, it should be a long-term partnership. When you decide to make a software switch, it’s a process that is going to cost time and 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 what 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 and 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 a partner that understands your business. In a perfect world, you will never have to look for software again once you find the right solution and partnership. 

In this article, we will look at 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. 

Your Customer Experience with Support

If you experienced bad customer support in the past, you might have chuckled at the heading of this section. 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 are the people you will likely be talking to most frequently, so it’s important these questions aren’t overlooked.  

Additionally, when thinking about a staffing software partnership, you want there to be an actual relationship and not just a transactional support question and answer relationship. 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 customer support to help you succeed in your business.

Customer Growth Beyond Support

A couple of questions to think about when assessing staffing software solutions is “Are you going to grow using this solution and is it scalable?” 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

Above we talked about the transactional question and answer relationship with Support. A true customer experience goes beyond the Support tickets and helps you grow. Leading staffing software solutions are constantly changing and are constantly adding new features based on industry needs. As a user, it can be hard to keep up with the latest features in the software and ensure you are using the software to its fullest capability. 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 Continued 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, 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 quick. 

Investment in Research and Development

An important factor in any staffing software solution is the 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 their 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 of shiny new objects being released quickly and at a rapid pace. Quick development and releases can often be glitchy, unreliable, and unfinished. A software solution that is constantly innovating and producing quality products is a solution you want to partner with. 

Track Record as a Company

Another essential factor to consider when assessing a staffing software partner is their track record as a company. 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 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 speaks for itself, 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 that have been using the software for a long time is 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 the needs to equip you with technology that helps you stay at the forefront. 

The Only Recruiting and Staffing Software You Will EVER Need 

Hopefully this article can help give you a new perspective on staffing software partnerships. 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 features and needs you have are also important when assessing software solutions, you also need to think of the important non feature side of the business: Support, your 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, you want to ensure you are getting the experience back that you invested in to have 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!