As much as Brits dislike the daily weather forecast, Arsenal hate Tottenham and workers despise taxes – recruiters love to hate their CRM. It’s Erika Clifford, Managing Director of Just Recruit‘s mission to flip that script and change attitudes towards the platforms that are designed to support and enhance but often just end up royally ticking off and being the source of many-a-bugbear.
It is possible to love your CRM and most importantly, take maximum value from it. As with any tech, it can be a very subjective matter and just because somebody you know raves about a system, it doesn’t mean it’s going to be the perfect fit for you but rest assured, the perfect fit is out there. Here are some steps to take to help you find ‘the one’.
As a start-up you may be wondering if you NEED a CRM – the answer is a resounding YES. The reasons are outlined in this article here.
If you already have one, assess if it’s actually right for you
If you don’t yet have a CRM, skip straight to point 2
It’s common to adopt whatever system you used at your previous company but start-ups often find quite quickly after the contract is signed, that those legacy systems are total overkill and with an eyewatering price-tag to boot.
Consider how much of the functionality available you actually use, how easy it is to do everyday tasks and how effective it is with keeping you organised while minimising admin. The right system should streamline your processes, be customisable to your workflows and remove a lot of the mental load of agency recruiting.
It could just be that you’re not using your existing system in the most effective way for your business. If this is likely, get in touch with your account manager and explain any issues or annoyances and don’t hold back on those pain points – now is not the time to be shy – maximise this opportunity. If you’re presented with effective solutions that work for you and you’re therefore confident this actually is the right system for you, arrange a training refresher. Recruitment technology is constantly evolving so if you’ve not been reading those sporadic update emails that come through from your provider, there’s a good chance the functionality has changed a little (or perhaps a lot) since you had your demo and were onboarded. A few tweaks and a little extra knowledge could go a long way and might make all the difference.
If you’re not 100% satisfied, you should consider making a change.
Look at the options
Consider your existing frustrations, your ideals and future-proof your spec to increase your chances of never having to change system again.
DO
look around
get a trial
ask about customer service processes, contact channels and response times, etc.
find out about additional / hidden costs and how often their prices change (ask about how their prices have tracked in the past three – five years)
enquire about data migration costs and process early on
look at the nuances of workflows. Many people focus on the specific functionality on offer (the what) and forget to consider ‘the how’. It’s worth noting most frustrations outside of price and poor customer service come from clunky processes rather than what a system does or doesn’t do.
DON’T
get swept away on the demo by shiny functionality you’re unlikely to use day-to-day – it will just clog your system up and slow you down
let the thought of learning a new system put you off – the right one won’t be difficult to adopt
let the overinflated thought of ‘data migration stress’ be the glue that sticks you to a system that simply isn’t right for you
just stick to the ones you know. There are comparison tools out there such as Rectec to help you unearth the best possible fit and it could be one you’ve never heard of before.
Bring any other users of the system on the journey
Before you get stuck in to any of the above, make sure you’ve got the right people involved. If you have a business partner, or consultants from day one then include them in the search process. If there are people in your network that you expect to bring into the business down the line, get their thoughts on what’s important in a CRM and ones they’ve liked / detested.
Once you’ve got the right system in place, determine best practice with all the people using it. A constant complaint is consultants not logging information – get them involved in defining the processes and they’re more likely to be invested and onboard with the rules.
Take the plunge
When done in the right way, it shouldn’t be taxing or too time-consuming. Lots of people stick to systems because of the worry of learning new processes or legacy data. In reality, the best systems out there are so intuitive, embedding it into your business should be a breeze.
If you’re early in your start-up journey, you may think it makes sense to adopt a CRM once you’re busy – this is a terrible idea. You’ll never have more time than now to properly dedicate to bringing in the right CRM. Once you’re busy with jobs, embedding a new bit of tech is the last thing you’ll want to do (trust me, I learnt this the hard way).
The bottom line is, that as much as recruiters love receptionists handing out mobile numbers, you can love your CRM! If you’d like any advice or tips on any of the above, please reach out – I’d love to hear from you.
Just Recruit provides CRM/ATS functionality on a slick, modern system, with the option of a fully integrated website – an affordable package perfect for start-ups. Baffled by extortionate fees for clunky, over-priced systems, Just Recruit was created with the belief that the best things don’t need to be the most expensive.
Chat to our team today on 0203 475 1789 or email us on hello@justrecruit.co – we can’t wait to help you on your journey. www.justrecruit.co
The post How to Minimise the Drama and Increase the Value of Your CRM appeared first on UK Recruiter.
“}]]