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By Rick Maré, Founder & CEO, JXT    Connect with Rick on LinkedIn >>>

Before the age of digital disruption, Recruitment Agencies could host a website with a provider and use it without needing to think about rebuilding it for some years. Then came the wrath of constant technological changes and security issues that altered the digital landscape forever. As their websites quickly became obsolete, companies began looking for alternative software models to offer more efficient digital solutions.

With a high demand to fill this gap, the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model flourished and continued to do so today. In fact, Asia-Pacific technology leaders predicted in 2015, that cloud-based technology, such as SaaS, would have the greatest impact in driving business transformation over the following three years. But what is SaaS and how do a SaaS website and non-SaaS providers differ?

Gartner defines SaaS as “software that is owned, delivered, and managed remotely by one or more providers.” In other words, SaaS is a software licensing and delivery model in which the software is ‘rented’ on a subscription basis and hosted in the cloud. Some examples of SaaS providers would be Recruitment CRM vendors, Bullhorn and Jobscience; Accounting Platform, Xero; and Sales CRM Salesforce.

How do SaaS and non-SaaS website providers differ?

When a business wants to invest in a new website, they can either engage a SaaS provider, or a non-SaaS provider. The fundamental differences between the two are the services they provide in an engagement. When you use a non-SaaS vendor, they’ll build you a website, host it for you, and that’s it. Their service ends there. If your site becomes obsolete and you need changes or a rebuild, you’ll have to engage and pay them again for a new product or go elsewhere.

The engagement with a SaaS provider is considerably different. SaaS vendors will have a tried and tested product built for a particular market, usually configurable so the platform can meet your specific brand needs. Once you’ve finalised your purchase, your SaaS provider will host your website, and you’ll be ready to go. However, unlike non-SaaS vendors, you’ll continue to receive dedicated support from your vendor for as long as you’re paying a subscription. Also, providing you have the right provider, SaaS platforms are in a constant state of development and thus, never become obsolete.

Key Takeaway

“Software-as-a-Service is a model where the software is owned, delivered, and managed by one or more vendors remotely”

“The key difference between SaaS and Non-SaaS website providers is that SaaS vendors offer continued support and updates once your website has been launched”

Five reasons to choose a SaaS provider for your recruitment website

• Total Costs

When you engage a non-SaaS website hosting vendor, you’ll get a static site that would require a rebuild when the next significant technological change occurs. For example, when Google decided to start penalising non-mobile responsive sites, many websites hosted by non-SaaS providers became outdated overnight.

Engaging a Software-as-a-Service vendor to provide and host your recruitment website could save you a considerable amount of money in the long term. Using the above example, as a SaaS provider, we knew this update was coming and had developed our products to be mobile-responsive as standard. Once those updates had been tested to ensure stability and security hadn’t been comprised, we would roll them out to all users at no additional charge.

• Reduces Time to Benefit

For most business leaders, the duration it takes to start benefiting from an investment is crucial. Engaging a SaaS provider who specialises in the recruitment industry is a fantastic way to reduce that time. Unlike other generic vendors, we’ve already learned what works and what doesn’t. Our Digital Marketing Platform has been built with your Recruitment Agency front-of-mind, enabling us to get your website up and running faster than other website providers. On top of that, having a dedicated support team there to help you through every step of your digital platform’s launch, and ensure you know how to use it, will guarantee you’ll get the most out of your investment from day one.

• Completely Scalable

Technology can often be the first resource that impedes a business’s growth. Non-SaaS website providers will allow your site to only host a certain volume of job advertisements before reaching capacity and needing a rebuild. A SaaS recruitment website, however, would be able to resolve this issue by providing a service that scales as your business and needs grow. All you would need to do is just adjust your subscription.

• Fully Integration

To improve hiring processes and the overall candidate experience, investing in a digital marketing platform that allows for seamless integration is paramount. Otherwise, Recruiters who purchase a static website from a non-SaaS provider would need to integrate their internal software themselves, which can often be an immensely difficult task. Our platform has been built to allow your internal recruitment software, such as Bullhorn, Jobscience and more, to be easily integrated with your website.

• No More Headache-inducing Upgrades

If you’ve dealt with any software before, you’ll know how much of a headache system upgrades can cause. The good news is that if your platform needs any updates to protect its integrity and functionality, these upgrades will fall under the responsibility of your SaaS provider, and not your company’s. This means that you’ll always own the latest software without worrying about any maintenance or troubleshooting problems. Your vendor will also ensure that all upgrades and updates will continue to keep your data secure. So, the next time Google decides to throw a spanner in the works and update their search algorithms, your SaaS provider’s development team will handle it for you.

Key Takeaway

“Engaging a SaaS website vendor can significantly reduce total costs as it eliminates the need of rebuilding your website following a major digital update”

“Through purchasing a website through a SaaS provider who has in-depth knowledge of the Recruitment Industry, you can gain a quicker return on your investment”

“All system updates and upgrades fall under the responsibility of your SaaS provider, allowing you to focus on your business and leave all maintenance issues to your vendor”

Summary

Engaging a Software-as-a-Service provider who specialises in the recruitment industry is a fantastic way to ensure your website adds tremendous value to your company and your customers. With more than 800 Recruitment Agencies trusting JXT to deliver their digital marketing, we have a solid understanding of what Recruiters need from their website. Contact us today and find out what the number one provider of cloud-based digital marketing solutions can do for your recruitment business.

About the author

Rick Maré is the founder and CEO of JXT, the number one provider of cloud-based digital marketing solutions for recruiters and corporate recruiters. Rick has coached thousands of recruiters, empowering them to take their businesses and careers to the next level. Connect with Rick on LinkedIn.