7 questions to ask your potential Talent Management Software supplier

With so much choice in the Talent Management Software marketplace, asking the right questions BEFORE you select your supplier increases your chances of ending up with a system that will work best for you.

1. Point or Integrated solution?

A point system that addresses a particular pressing need might seem like a logical choice… if you need a learning system, you implement a learning system. In the short term, that works, but if your plan is to move towards complete automation of the suite of HR functions (recruitment, onboarding, performance, and learning), you should be investigating an integrated solution.

Don’t confuse an integrated solution with a handful of different systems that ”talk” to each other. Unfortunately, they often don’t communicate as well as they should! Look for an integrated platform that can manage all your HR processes, incorporate your payroll data and enable meaningful reporting.

2. Does the supplier have a well-established customer list?

If the supplier you are considering won’t provide references from their customer group, be wary. The supplier is there to offer you a solution, but their existing clients give great insight into their real-life experiences with the supplier – not just in terms of the software or technology – but also with customer service and support.

3. How often do they release an update?

The beauty of the SaaS system is you don’t need to worry about version control, licensing fees and rolling out software updates across your organisation. That said, the system does need to be maintained and the regularity of SaaS updates gives you an indication of how well maintained it is. A good indication of a well-maintained platform is quarterly releases for major updates. If they also do minor releases in addition to that, it’s an extra gold star.

Don’t confuse an integration solution with a handful of different systems that ”talk” to each other. Unfortunately, they often don’t communicate as well as they should!

4. Is it mobile?

In this day and age, this is a no-brainer. With so many workforces offering flexible work arrangements and experiencing geographical diversity, people expect to be able to access everything on the go. If you want people to use the system it must be mobile friendly.

5. Is the supplier interested in your current processes and workflows?

If they are the right supplier, they will try to understand your current situation and they will be honest and aware of potential issues. If they offer a system that configures to your existing processes and workflows, ask them about the process used to capture this information to ensure nothing falls through the cracks that could go undiscovered until after implementation. If you feel your questions aren’t being answered or they are giving you well-rehearsed sales pitches without taking your circumstances into account, take them off your short list. Any SaaS provider who doesn’t listen to you, really won’t know if the solution they are offering is going to meet your needs.

6. How will your staff use it?

Usability is far more important than the capability of the system. You should be asking what managers and employees will use it for. What function is most used by their current customers? Do they have any guidance to improve employee engagement in the system prior to go live?

7. How easy is it for the user to access the information they want to see?

The quality and accessibility of a system’s data is a huge contributor to the value of the system itself. If you can’t easily extract the reports you need, you must question how useful the system will be.