Customer case KGU Recruitment: Carerix was the perfect partner for our metamorphosis!
By Mark Bassie / Flex-Management – 11 Mar 2016
This is the first in a series of interviews with Carerix users and customers, and features KGU Recruitment in Hilversum. The company immediately conveyed a trendy impression. I wonder what takes place when a traditional employment agency starts working with Carerix? And how has Carerix helped to support modernisation and professionalisation at KGU Recruitment?
I spoke about the matter to Anthony Overweg, Commercial & Operational Manager at KGU Recruitment. The company has actually existed for almost 50 years! It was founded in 1969, in the time of hippies and flower power. The letters KGU stand for ‘Kombinatie Gooise Uitzendbureaus’ (consortium of Gooi-based recruitment agencies), as commonly referred to at the time in certain circles.
“All in all, selecting an appropriate system and qualified supplier was extremely important in the successful metamorphosis at KGU Recruitment…”Anthony Overweg, Commercial & Operational Manager
From ‘old school’ agency…
In 2004, Kirsten Goes, who currently owns KGU Recruitment, took over the successful company from her father, who had run it for decades up to that moment in time. But then came the economic crisis and KGU encountered difficulties. It had placed too much focus on traditional and “old school” temping.
So there as urgent need for change. Anthony was asked to join the team together with his former colleague Maaike Fennis, because they already possessed the required the all-round experience in commercial employment services.
…to comprehensive HR service provider
Anthony had become familiar with Carerix software when working for his previous employer, but only from afar and had not actually used it. KGU Recruitment then developed a plan to become more innovative, to improve its structures and supply HR services higher up the supply chain. The plan also involved outsourcing all of the company’s back-office activities. This is when Carerix came on to the scene.
Since the start of 2015, the whole 8-man team at KGU Recruitment has been using the Carerix ‘Recruitment edition’ after it was extensively tested and implemented.
Process optimisation
Perfectly designed processes lead to transparency, insight and control. This was one of the main reasons why KGU Recruitment decided to opt for Carerix. Carerix makes user manuals obsolete because non-relevant information can be deactivated. This helps to save a lot of time and hard work. Anthony says that certain functionality can be easily deactivated if it is not needed, if it is not compatible or if certain processes are too complicated for some of your employees and need to be simplified.
‘In short: you can set up Carerix in a manner that works best for you and your organisation! For instance, you can register detailed expertise and knowledge for ICT professionals but, if you do not regularly deal with such professionals, these fields do not offer any added value. So I deactivate them on my screen.’
A supportive partner
‘Carerix is characterised by drive and willingness to offer helpful solutions’ says Anthony. ‘For example, Mike de Jonge, Senior Account manager at Carerix, regularly visits us and observes how we use their software. He then explains and demonstrates some of their new features, which could be useful to us. But he also says what we don’t need, and how we can improve certain facets. And the same applies when we phone their Consultants or Help desk. They always assist us with useful ideas.’
If you are part of a metamorphosis like the one we went through, then Carerix is the ideal, supportive partner.
‘But I also appreciate being assisted by a fixed team, and not always by a new face. This makes it easier to convey your message. They are familiar with us, which makes it easier to talk to them.’ – Anthony Overweg, Commercial & Operational Manager
Anthony also mentioned the company’s large Roadshow, which he thinks distinguishes Carerix from its competitors. Each year, he is among hundreds of interested people who visit the huge event at a large complex somewhere in the centre of the country. Carerix uses the event to showcase all new features and reveal new plans for the coming year. This is done while enjoying snacks and drinks and watching one of the latest blockbusters, like the new James Bond movie.
Perfect Client, User and Customer Experience
To be successful, it is important for users, clients and candidates to have the best possible experience during the whole supply and demand process. ‘Carerix continuously aims to offer each target group the latest and most effective instruments’
Permanent Innovation at Carerix
One of the additional improvements KGU wants to realise involves introducing the CxLinkedInbrowser. This is a Chrome-based plugin, which makes it easy to compare a candidate’s LinkedIn details with the Carerix database and to update them with a single click of the mouse.
‘We will also be testing the integrated CxVideopitch module, to see how videos can be used in our recruitment process’.
Job alerts have already been implemented by KGU Recruitment. This has made it possible to directly and automatically send published vacancies to selected candidates, even if they have not yet been registered in Carerix.
‘These improvements are only small modules, which can be implemented as one sees fit, but help to create a much better Experience…’ Anthony Overweg