ATS Data Migration: Taking Your First Steps

Planning on a big staff expansion is exciting. But it’s all fun and games until you realize your current applicant tracking system (ATS) won’t cut it anymore. Using automation to find new potential hires among the massive candidate pool is supposed to make your life much easier. Yet, if you find yourself working harder every time you use it, it might be time for an upgrade. But how can you convince the person in charge to invest in a new ATS?

Taking the First Step

Playing the persuasion game isn’t easy, especially when convincing people to spend money on something that doesn’t directly affect them. There might be a natural resistance from the people upstairs to invest in the ATS Software they don’t have to deal with daily. After all, they don’t know the struggle of having to work with an outdated user interface and could be skeptical about how it impacts your daily operations.

If you want to get them to listen and take appropriate action soon enough, it’s your job to build a powerful case so that they can walk a mile in your shoes. Think of it like building a marketing strategy. You’re selling them an idea, so before you get down to work, you need to ask yourself the following questions:

• Who are you trying to convince?
• Why should they listen to you?
• What’s the process behind upgrading the ATS system in your organization?
• What’s important for the decision-makers in your organization?
• How can you make the idea attractive to them?

You may have to convince different departments to achieve your goal of getting a better ATS for the HR team. Prepare your pitch to sound attractive to everyone in your meeting, and make sure to address the different priorities they may have.

The 3 Different Types of Decision-Makers You Should Appeal To

Decision-maker teams in an organization are categorized into three main groups:

Functional Buyers

These are the people who create Recruitment Reports for management. They care about how you’ll use the new ATS, its features, and the Applicant Tracking System Benefits it will bring to the team’s overall productivity.

Economic Buyers

These are the ones in charge of finances, so their main priority is all things money. They’re moved by costs and return on investment and will typically inquire about the financial repercussions of investing in a new ATS. Since they’re not the ones using the software, you’ll need to paint a picture for them to understand its value.

Technical Buyers

This group includes people in the IT, legal, and operations departments. They’re also not the ultimate user of the ATS system, so explaining why it’s essential for the organization’s success is vital. This will help you get them on board with purchasing more refined software to make your job much easier. Keep in mind that the top priorities of this group are compliance, contracts, security, technical details, etc.

Getting Down to Work: How To Build Your Pitch

Knowing all the players in each group will give you the tools you need to succeed. You must understand what drives them and work around it to create a solid presentation strategy to get you what you need.

Convincing the economic buyer, for example, will require you to crunch the numbers and point out why the tool you want is worth the money. You can use arguments on how making this investment would help save on other aspects in the long run. Additionally, explaining the need for an ATS to expedite the hiring process and meet goals could reinforce the idea that the software is worth every penny.

When talking with the economic buyer, you need to speak their language, and that’s why using statistics is vital to get your point across.

Convincing the functional buyer should be easier. They’re all about the system’s efficiency and should understand your pain points better than the other teams involved in the purchasing process. Technical buyers, however, will need more details, so brace yourself for all the questions coming your way and be prepared to answer with facts.

Key Applicant Tracking System Features to look out for when purchasing your ATS

Moving Forward With Building Your Case for a New ATS

Getting decision-makers on board with providing the HR team the tools they need to thrive may seem daunting initially. Yet, it’s all about research and communication. If you do your homework, you’ll be geared up for an excellent presentation. If you’re ready to take the next step in your ATS Selection, check out Oleeo’s ATS Software today.