HR Technology Blog 2008-07-04T18:47:59Z http://hrtechnologyblog.com/atom.aspx Quick Blog ATS Mini-Expo Success on 1st attempt!! tag:hrtechnologyblog.com,2008-03-28:e53d3cfd-f8e5-426e-bfe9-e3709b6cdf2d Sarah W 2008-03-28T20:37:12Z 2008-03-28T20:32:00Z In the past few months I have really notices a big influx of smaller companies (50-1000) really wanting to jump into technology as a way to assist them with going more lean in their organization.  A lot of these companies looked at the technology 5-10 years ago when prices were MUCH higher or implemented expensive, large scale products at their previous companies and never thought they could even afford something or just didn't know where to start! In fact, the backlog became so much I had to figure out something that would make more companies be able to get the same hands on service, with a MUCH lower pricetag all at the same time - and thus, the ATS Training/Mini-Expo was born. 
 
Last week we had our first session in Milwaukee, WI was with 30-40 select companies who were ready to learn a little more on how an ATS could impact their business and were ready to make a purchasing decision, but really wanting to get around the sales pitch and fully understand the perks as well as limitations of various systems. 
 
The sessions went of amazing and the vendors really liked the process and how it played out for them. The companies that were looking LOVED it, they got to see 3-4 products live demos without seeing a salesperson - ask questions they felt uncomfortable asking.  We have about 28 of the companies seriously reviewing proposals and have already had a 1000+ employee company sign a contract - just a week after the first demo! 
 
Anyway, we have been asked to do these sessions by a few companies across the midwest and are in the process of planning the Chicago and Des Moines sessions for early summer...I will keep you updated on events as they come around.
 
Our next one scheduled will be in Milwaukee, WI on 5/6 from 8:30-12 and will be designed for mid to large companies (800+ employees).  To make it even better - we are a nonprofit so we run these sessions for just $25 per person if you are a member of our organization and $35 per person if you are not.  At that price, you can afford to bring the entire team from IT to the Finance decision maker.  I even had a CEO sit in on the last one...
 
 
If you or a company that you work with would be interested, don't hesitate to send me an email!
]]> The crazy ATS receptionist...Updated - an apology was finally sent my way.. tag:hrtechnologyblog.com,2008-03-27:6b918d06-dec6-4fcf-9e00-980509e04653 Sarah W 2008-03-28T20:39:31Z 2008-03-27T09:54:00Z A day in the life...Today I called into a vendor that provides ATS software services and spoke with their receptionist.  After 30-45 seconds of tring to find out how to reach a sales rep in my market the receptionist lost her cool (to put it mildly) and called me a name I shall not repeat...she offered to let me leave a message for their CEO who "may" get back to me.  I obviously let him know what had happened in addition, I called the person that had sent me their way in the first place to let them know what had happened 
Now, I know this is an extreme, but for those of you vendors that are out there and for those of you that are in an industry where people actually call in to your office to speak with sales people and purchase the product - imagine just how appalled you would be with this situation knowing your receptionist is calling people a bad name within 1 minute on the phone just because they are trying to get information on the products you are SELLING!!!!
 
So, so bizarre....This is honestly the VERY first time I have ever been treated like this in this space.

Anyway, as an update - the CEO never did call me back, but a sales rep for my region did and seemed a little perterbed that I had made a big issue of it, but none the less apologized and assured me it was an "isolated" event at their organization and wasn't the norm. 

Good thing too, because I think their product could be a good match with 1 specific niche client I'm working with...
]]> Linkedin Lately? tag:hrtechnologyblog.com,2008-03-25:400ce0ce-15e2-4345-a2f6-c0e17254b9d1 Sarah W 2008-03-28T20:39:52Z 2008-03-25T15:19:00Z
In the last week I spoke to a CEO roundtable of small to mid-sized companies on the impact of this in their organization, a Young Professionals state conference with 200+ 20-40 somethings across all industries and disciplines and a privately held business where the CEO brought me in to train their Business Development and Purchasing teams in addition to HR on how to use the product! 

Of course we look at linked in and see the immediate impact it can have on recruiting and hiring process, but we often over look the direct impact it can have on the rest of our organization as well - competitive intelligence, purchasing decisions and the ever important questions where we can really test the value of Karma in our society...

For the few of you out there who are not linkedin - I would suggest giving it a shot - you would really be amazed just who you already know is out there waiting to link with you -- www.linkedin.com  ]]> A fresh new blog... tag:hrtechnologyblog.com,2008-03-19:0680cb31-c470-43f6-8569-bd151367f050 Sarah W 2008-03-27T11:41:59Z 2008-03-19T20:17:00Z
I fell in love with HR Technology in college when it was really coming into its own and the evolution of web based vs. installed software was beginning to take shape.  I have been involved in this space ever since 1997 in one way or another and have finally dedicate my day to day to HR Technology with a special focus on Talent Management (Formerly know as Applicant Tracking Systems - ATS)

If you (as a vendor or a consumer) would like me to review and blog on a product or new feature you have - send an email and I will try to add it to the schedule!

I work at a not for profit employers association, that represents more than 4000+ companies directly and many non-members companies as well on HR related issues!!

With that said, a quick legal disclosure, these are all my opinions based on the demo's and meetings I have sat in personally and not intended to promote or discourage the use of any product or service or the opinions of MRA -The Management Association and its staff.   
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