After mixed results with one vendor, the RFID systems expert identifies a more successful program through its partnership with TalentFusion.
By Kevin Huston
Tracking cars and trucks through electronic devices is a high-tech business that requires a great deal of engineering expertise. But when it comes to tracking human capital, a different skill set is required. That’s a lesson that TransCore, an RFID systems firms, learned when it reorganized its recruitment efforts.
The company is a diverse organization with a large volume of technical openings, dealing heavily in the RFID space and transportation industry. With employees in more than 80 locations across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, its talent needs span across the Western Hemisphere and are an essential part of the company’s business operations.
TransCore had used a combination of in-house recruiters, contingency firms, and a limited RPO engagement. It became clear that the company needed a single RPO solution that was scalable to the entire organization and boasted technical recruiting and screening capabilities and deep process knowledge. It entered into a full lifecycle RPO contract with a major staffing player in 2005. The problem was that quality of service provided to hiring managers varied tremendously, with an internal TransCore recruiter filling about 35 to 40 positions per year, primarily using web postings, but this approach failed to reach passive candidates. The results from the major staffing company’s RPO program working in conjunction with the internal recruiter proved to be inconsistent, slow, and expensive. Furthermore, internal levels of customer satisfaction were very low.
It became clear to company HR leaders that change was needed, and a formal RFP for a new RPO vendor was issued early in 2006. In deciding to engage a new provider, the company set several goals it felt were crucial to sustainable success in its recruitment strategy.
Clear Business Goals
RPO practitioners typically achieve the best results when stakeholders agree on a common set of goals, and TransCore leaders were clear about what they wanted to achieve through their new RPO vendor. The business goals were to attain lower cycle times, a better cost-per-hire, and improved levels of client satisfaction within the ranks of the hiring managers.
Also, there was a need for a genuine partnership that extended beyond the typical outsourced relationship, a relationship that could provide true cohesiveness and unity once the partner joined the internal framework of TransCore.
Reaching these goals also required the company to concisely communicate its expectations of its new provider. The vendor selected needed to demonstrate a national presence as well as an ability to effectively recruit in Canada and Puerto Rico.
Requirements included a proven track record of successful recruiting for a diverse range of very technical engineering positions, a high-touch service model at the executive levels within TransCore, and, ultimately, a strategic consulting solution to dramatically improve the overall recruitment function rapidly and permanently.
After releasing a formal RFP broadly to the RPO industry, TransCore’s HR team reviewed multiple proposals in a sealed bid process followed by a best and final offer process, which was also under a sealed bid. After careful consideration, numerous Q&A sessions and thorough review of multiple best and final offer proposals, TalentFusion emerged as the company’s best choice.
The vendor immediately worked with TransCore and the incumbent RPO provider to facilitate a smooth transition during a 30-day implementation phase. TransCore, leveraging the new TalentFusion RPO program, was then able to implement the partnership program it had previously sought. Results have included improved levels of internal customer satisfaction throughout the organization, more interaction between recruiters and hiring managers, a shorter time-to-fill (cycle time), and a lower cost-per-hire than the previous approach.
The hiring cycle time was reduced from 70 to 40 days, an improvement of more than 40 percent. Cost-per-hire was reduced to approximately $4,000 for engineering and managerial positions that were difficult to fill. Since the initial engagement, the company has extended the contract through July of 2010, an extension of two years. HRO
Kevin Huston is director of service delivery for TalentFusion.
TransCore Tags RPO as Ideal Recruitment Solution
