I’ve been implementing software with teams of all sizes in different industries with different goals for quite some time now. One constant always remains: People either use software or they don’t.
It seems like an obvious statement, but when some systems carry a hefty price tag, it’s key to avoid the common mistake of buying and implementing a tool that no one will use.
I’ve noticed three key reasons why software is either an integral part of a team’s daily routine or avoided like the plague. The good news is being aware of the common pitfalls can help you avoid the trap of buying a system only to see it sit idle.
First trap: Your software doesn’t help you do your job better
First off and probably most obvious, your ATS + CRM should solve a problem. Ideally, it should solve more than one. If it doesn’t make your job easier, faster or better, it’s simply not a good fit.
Team members might log in on occasion, but eventually it will become a burden to use. Like the awkward elephant in the room everyone is trying to avoid “don’t make me use that” is the common mindset here. It slows employees down and actually makes them less productive.
At Loxo, we see this frequently with legacy systems. The legacy ATS has been around forever, and each month finance cuts a check to the software provider. But for what? Its housed data for a decade, but outside of that, no one logs in unless upper management sanctions it. If your software is just a database, it’s time to make a change.
Managing your data is key, but with the revolution of Web 3.0, your software should be doing more than housing data. It should eliminate mundane tasks and improve your workflow, making you more competitive in your sphere. It should give you a leg up on everyone else.
When evaluating tools, ask yourself simple questions like:
- Does it make my life easier?
- Will I use it?
- Does it eliminate steps in my daily tasks and expedite other routines?
This will help you avoid pitfall number one: paying for software that no one uses.
For example, most ATS require data entry. Even typing the phrase, ‘data entry’, makes me want to take a nap out of boredom. But with the revolution of smarter systems, you shouldn’t be wasting time manually entering information.
With Loxo you can source directly from Indeed, GitHub and AngelList. With one click, you can drop stellar candidates into your database with resumes, contact information, work experience and more. In your second click, you can begin engaging them with an email, text message or call — all straight from the system. Sounds efficient? It is.
How about creating email automations to automatically send candidates email messages based on stages in your hiring pipeline? You could set automatic “Thank you for your application!” email confirmations to candidates once they apply to your job. You could even create a three-piece drip campaign to engage with passive sourced candidates instead of creating disconnected follow-up tasks on sticky notes.
Automating tasks like these leaves you more time for building relationships and making hires.
You could also bulk email a personalized message to a targeted list of potential candidates narrowed down by a powerful search with a click of a button. Loxo’s bulk email and power search allows you to do just that.
Your system needs to give you back time, not take it away.
If you find yourself looking around the office or in a team meeting and no one is using your current software, ask yourself: is it solving any of our problems? If the answer is no, it’s time to make a switch.
Tune in next week to learn how to avoid Pitfall 2: End Users weren’t part of the planning + Implementation process.