“Clients quickly achieve the results they were looking for by partnering with experts who understand how to get the most from the software.”
Scout Talent is a Services-Enabled-Software provider. If you are like most HR directors, Recruiters and Hiring Managers that we talk to, you frequently lack the time to learn new software, troubleshoot candidate attraction issues and create the dashboards and reports that will provide real insight for success.
If you are nodding your head in agreement, then read on, because I am going to explain why Services-enabled Software providers will be able to help you.
SeS vs. SaaS (vs. another SeS)
So what’s the big difference? Plenty, and the word services should not be overlooked. In a 2009 paper authored by David B. Black, Technology Partner at Oak Investment Partners, he writes about “Software-enabled Services” which is admittedly a slight twist on Services-Enabled-Software, but bear with me.
Black writes: “With SaaS, the company’s core business is writing and delivering software, which other people use to run their own business, whatever it may be.” In other words, SaaS providers are in the business of selling software that their customers run. They certainly provide support of some sort, but their primary goal is to sell software.
By contrast, with Software-enabled Services, “the software is not the business – the software is an essential, mission-critical aspect of the service the company provides.” In other words, SeS providers use software to provide a service. Of course, the customer also uses the software, but the true value is providing a service that utilizes a valuable, proprietary tool. Note, the emphasis is on the service.
With Services-Enabled-Software, the reverse is true. Services-Enabled-Software firms provide mission-critical services to amplify the impact of the software. The emphasis is simply reversed.
The important takeaway is that in both cases, it’s akin to buying a tool versus partnering with a team that really knows how to use the tool. By partnering with experts who understand how to get the most from the software, clients quickly achieve the results they were looking for in the first place.
Left to their own devices, they could certainly solve that problem, but at a high cost in time and resources.
Why SeS Should Matter To You
Let’s face it, Applicant Tracking Software is sophisticated, and Recruitment is complex. Let’s look at three key areas where a services partner is going to quickly and efficiently get the most out of your investment.
1. Getting Up-to-Speed
For the majority of our customers, they simply don’t have the time or bandwidth to quickly get the results they need. However, they are feeling a real need to quickly solve a problem that is preventing their organization to reach new heights – hiring the right people.
SeS providers support their clients more as trusted advisors, and there is inherent value in that relationship. When Scout Talent engages with a new client, we determine what their most urgent need is. We then partner with them to use Scout’s Recruitment Services and/or Scout’s Recruitment Software to solve that problem.
If immediate results are what your organization needs, partnering with a trusted advisor – and investing in that relationship – is crucial.
2. Trouble-shooting
What happens when your HR manager leaves or your complex system of excel spreadsheets and emails just stops working? With the many factors that go into recruitment, errors in who you hire can cause very big headaches.
Many SaaS ATS providers have large libraries of support documents that let their customers troubleshoot the software problem. They do not however have the documents or support to help you with a recruitment problem.
SeS providers support the client in ensuring that the software is providing the solution – the service – that was ordered. Frequently, Scout Talent clients have a problem with their processes, not with our Software. Scout Talent’s Recruitment Specialists help to find the problem and we proactively help you to edit these processes before you get off track.
In addition, because the Scout Talent team have years of experience in managing recruitment campaigns, as well as a wealth of proprietary information around what job boards work and what don’t, we are able to quickly pinpoint the problem and get things back on track.
Once again, if immediate fixes to your processes are required, partnering with someone who will get on the phone and work through the problem is crucial.
3. The “Next 15%” out of it
We didn’t come up with the name of the concept itself, but we couldn’t agree more with the concept of squeezing out the “next 15%.” Crossover Health blogged about using a leading cloud-based practice management, electronic health record (EHR) services provider. They found that by using these tools since 2009, they were able to find a 15% uptick in revenue. However, “these advantages could be had by implementing probably most any reasonable EHR/PM software system.”
It was the “next 15%” in gains that they were looking for. It was the partnership with their vendor that would pay dividends in helping them get the “next 15%” and beyond. The operative word is partnership. SeS providers leverage the massive knowledge gains from working with an array of clients to improve the performance of others. That knowledge is hard-earned.
Many companies are using Applicant Tracking Systems to run their recruitment campaigns, and are looking for an advantage.
Scout Talent has worked with many of them. Over time, the team has developed a high level of understanding and expertise with the intricacies of Recruitment and fine-tuned our software and our services to work better and more efficiently. We partner with companies to squeeze out the “next 15%” to improve organizational growth.
To get started on your new SeS partnership with Scout, simply fill out the form below and book a time with one of our Recruitment Specialists.
