The lifeblood of recruitment businesses are undoubtedly its people followed very closely by its technology - or database / CRM to be more precise! As we all know, the nuts and bolts of your database are your candidates / clients, but the workflows that stem from this such as CV's, Interviews and Placements all contain crucial bits of information. In my experience, many of these workflows were managed via an in-depth reporting / analytics tool. Qlikview has been my most recent preferred tool of choice, but there are various alternatives available which all do a great job.

So it was an eye-opener to see the results from a recent survey by Vacancy Filler software that only 11% of those surveyed "were using an effective method of reporting via their Applicant Tracking Software". 68% were using Excel, whilst 21% didn't report at all (I'm genuinely stunned by this last one!)

Now, I'm a huge advocate of utilising resources to their maximum so this really struck a chord with me. It's a clear example of how a trick is being missed which, if remedied, can provide a huge insight into optimising performance, identifying trends and allow for realistic projections to be made.

To that end, I've listed 5 key components of your Recruitment CRM that you should be using to their maximum capability. By the way, if your CRM does either not have these features or not fulfilling the needs of your business, then we need to talk!

Workflow
Getting information into your CRM and then working with this information should ideally be as minimally laborious as possible, yet also stringent to ensure high-quality data is pumped in. Common tasks such as importing CV's, booking out temps, arranging interviews should be slick and effortless to aid the Consultant. There is a balance to be had between spending X amount of time adding a new candidate to the system to then ultimately working with them to get them out on interview and then ultimately employed.

Automation
So the time spent perfecting this profile for the candidate is great, but wouldn't it be wonderful if your CRM could actually proactively help you increase the chances of gettting them placed?

It's not only in an ideal world that your CRM should TELL YOU, when a great candidate has been added or updated. "Advanced" features like this are actually prevalent on today's Recruitment CRM market. It's very much the tip of the iceberg, but features such as this can only save time and increase productivity. However, it's important to note that many CRM systems are bought "off the shelf" - so time spent configuring these intricacies and tailoring them for your business is time very well spent.

Compliance
Depending on your sector, you will have specific requirements which need to be met and your CRM should support your business in this respect. I'd imagine that any CRM system which deals with Temps should have incorporated legislation such as AWR by now, but in my opinion, just including the legal aspects should not be enough. Your CRM should flag up any working restrictions / qualifications / documents which have expired as an absolute minimum. The ability to include pre-screening questions before you send across a profile to your client should be there also.

These are all very basic aspects, but if configured and utilised correctly, can undoubtedly improve the quality of your overall service.

Integration
There a multitude of 3rd party products which can be "hooked up" to Recruitment CRM systems - either by way of API's or even a good ole' fashioned CSV file! Whether this be to the backend of your website so you can directly import candidates who register on there or tools such as Mailchimp which allow you to send out marketing material to your client base (make it useful - not SPAM!)

This area in the past has not always been the slickest in reality. But things have come a long way in a relatively short space of time and linking your CRM, Website and Marketing Tools should now be seen as a key area of your technology setup. Throw your Social Media channels into the mix and you have a valuable marketing setup right there!

Reporting
Bringing me back to the survey I mentioned previously, the importance of analysing data that your business itself produces can not be understated. The smallest snippet of information can potentially help you gain a deeper understanding of the workings of your business and assist you in making effective decisions.

I'm a huge fan of Microsoft Excel and still use it heavily, but your Recruitment CRM should be able to provide you with much of this data - in an easily accessible and readable format.

Now, I'm not trying to pitch one system or another as there really is no "one size fits all" when it comes to recruitment CRM's. But I think it's a topic which Recruitment Agency Owners / Directors need to look at, because there is a plethora of valuable information right in front of you, but by digging a little deeper it's possible to open up some very promising opportunities.

If you would like to discuss options on Recruitment Software or would like us to help you tailor your existing systems to your business, then please drop us a line on 020 7971 7976 or visit http://www.syunconsulting.com/