Batteries Plus super charges its hiring process through an easy-to-use ATS.
By Patty Luebke
As one of the nation’s fastest growing specialty retailers and franchise opportunities, Batteries Plus is currently approaching 500 locations in 46 states and Puerto Rico. Maintaining such rapid growth requires robust hiring processes to ensure the right employees are hired in a timely manner, helping to propel the company’s success. The following case study examines how our company selected an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to support not only our corporate needs, but also the needs of our growing number of franchise owners. Through the selection of a robust ATS we were able to provide our franchisees with a cost-effective, powerful tool to manage both recruiting and hiring.
Expecting More, Paying Less
Central to our company’s hiring strategy is the ATS—responsible for posting, collecting, tracking, and managing the entire application process. However, when we needed to expand the capabilities of our current ATS system to include online applications, assessments, reporting capabilities, analytics, and more in-depth tracking tools, we found these additions cost-prohibitive with our current provider. More importantly, we wanted an ATS that was price-sensitive for our franchise owners. As most Batteries Plus owners only post jobs several times a year, we didn’t want to implement a system that would be too costly for a service that wasn’t used very often. Plus, many store owners were starting to understand that although they may not need an ATS very often, when the occasion does arise, there is no substitute for user-friendly software that can manage and automate the entire application and hiring process.
After receiving several referrals from a recruiter’s network, we were directed to iApplicants, a provider in applicant tracking systems and hiring management software. We were initially attracted to the competitive pricing of iApplicants, but upon further inspection, saw that they offered a variety of features that could simplify and streamline the recruiting process for Batteries Plus. Compared to the previous system we were using, iApplicants was one-third of the price and would host our career site with little need for input from our own IT department. Additionally, this specific ATS included an online application, e-mail capabilities, unlimited access to assessments, and a variety of reporting tools—all at a lower cost than our previous service.
Reporting and Posting
The implementation process was smooth and easy. Once implemented, we found the reporting capabilities of iApplicants were extremely helpful. Previously we had no idea which sources were generating the best applicants. By having detailed information showing us exactly what job sites are generating the best applicants and employees, we learned how to better target our sourcing to bring in the right candidates. Plus, with far more reporting capabilities than our previous system, we started getting valuable feedback on how the applicants heard about Batteries Plus. A unique feature of our new ATS is its integration with Google Analytics, which sends me automated monthly reports that show me exactly how many people are visiting the Batteries Plus careers page, where they came from, and what jobs they viewed.
Before having this level of information, our recruiting efforts were based on how we thought job seekers found our careers page. Now, armed with this detailed information, we can hone in on the sources that are directing us to the most qualified candidates, which ultimately saves us time and money.
Like Most HR professionals, time is at a premium, and posting jobs so that they can be seen by the most qualified candidates possible can be very time consuming. However, the new ATS system automatically posts jobs to free and paid job boards both nationally and at the state level, as well as to Facebook and other social networking sites. The automated process of posting jobs means it’s one less thing we have to think about, and we know our jobs are being viewed by the people we want working for Batteries Plus.
The true testament that deploying a robust ATS system has been a winning strategy for Batteries Plus is the number of franchise owners that are using the software. Currently, more than 86 Batteries Plus franchise ownership groups use iApplicants, and based on their feedback, we believe that it has provided an effective and useful mechanism for managing the hiring process.
Additionally, the fact that we offer an easy-to-use ATS to our franchise owners has proven to be a major value-add for Batteries Plus. Many franchise organizations don’t provide their owners with much guidance, let alone the necessary tools, to staff and manage their hiring process. By offering an easy-to-use ATS at a reasonable cost to our franchisees, Batteries Plus empowers store owners and managers to find the best employees in the most time-effective and economical way. It’s a winning solution for everyone.
Patty Luebke is HR partner for Batteries Plus.
