The sophisticated HR Professional is not planning the company picnic or making sure there is a cake for Suzie’s birthday next week. Well – perhaps they are managing someone who manages those tasks – among the other 100+ responsibilities that must be done in order for the company to survive and grow, day-in and day-out. Those furthest along the HR career path are the heart of their organization. I spend all week talking to Human Resources professionals about how to hire. Their actions shape the company’s work environment and serve as the backbone for the success of each employee. Hence, when it comes time to make a significant SaaS purchase, the sophisticated HR buyer is aware that there are important questions that must be addressed. What are these questions? And better yet, what are the answers?

1. Implementation: How difficult is it to get employees trained, up and running?

A lot of individuals will be affected by this. Consult your team prior to engaging vendors in the decision making process. Ensure that you understand what your hiring managers’ needs are when it comes to recruiting and finding the best applicants. Your colleagues will feel less anxious about learning how to use the system if it’s made clear that their lives will be better with this tool.

Also note that for even the most intuitive system, some of your employees will be used to getting started with training and support. Before purchasing, consider your access to customer support – a training manual is often not enough.

2. Flexibility & Integration: Can this product work with existing systems?

Part of implementing the right software requires flexibility and the ability to integrate with existing systems in the workplace. Most importantly, your payroll and post-hire processes. Trust me, this will make a huge impact across your organization. (And it’s never a bad thing to be on the good side of the person who administers payroll). It’s important to ensure the success of others across your organization; your software should be flexible to meet your team’s needs.

3. Benefits: What’s Going to give best return on investment?

Cost analysis. You know what you want and need – now what can you actually afford? This question may be the most important of all. It surely is what has the most immediate impact on your company but has rippling, long term effects, as well. The reason to spend is for all that you will gain. Time and efficiency are not enough – though important – you also need to understand your recruiting dollars.

4. When is it the right time to make a switch?

If you are asking yourself whether or not you need to make a change – the answer is most likely – yes, it’s time. It’s similar to those mornings when you look in the mirror and ask, “is this outfit too sloppy for work?” – if you have to ask, you already know. Granted, it’s nearly impossible to avoid projects getting pushed back when there are end-of-the-year reviews, benefits enrollment, a new fiscal year next quarter, and so on. The hard truth is that the longer you delay finding the right HR software for your company, the more work you are piling onto your already over-sized and out of date plate. If you know that your hiring software is not performing the way you need it to, start researching and get informed on what’s out there. Make a list of your current challenges and what you want your next system to have. Once you know what you need, you’ll know if you it’s time to change.

The best choice is the one that has the best long term effect on your company’s success and growth. Managing such growth is an important task, and one that is not to be taken lightly.

Vanessa Rodgers has a passion for helping people & is committed to helping others succeed in their hiring efforts. To learn more about SmartRecruiters & how it’s disrupting the marketplace, email her at vanessa@smartrecruiters.com.