You can’t manage what you don’t measure. This catchy corporate adage has stayed relevant through the years for good reason: to remind us that in order to take ownership over our success, we first need a plan to track and impact our most critical business metrics. And for staffing firm HealthCare Support, the sentiment rings true.
Focused on allied healthcare within the nursing sector, HealthCare Support Staffing (HSS) specializes in staffing for both clinical and administrative work. When they first came to Sense, the firm was experiencing high rates of candidate dropoff from offer to start, but they had little insight into what was causing this increase in attrition nor which factors may be impacting engagement.
Simply put, the firm didn’t have accurate visibility into where they were falling short, and thus couldn’t effectively build a plan to improve. At the time, Heather Roberts, Manager of Systems & Contracts at HSS, wasn’t necessarily looking for a comprehensive candidate engagement tool—she simply needed a plan. And for HealthCare Support, the solution was Sense.
Because Sense platforms are straightforward and easy to implement, the HSS team was able to get down to business right away. Starting with pre-deployment and on-assignment workflows, they worked closely with Sense to tackle their most pressing issue: offer-to-start falloff. They implemented triggered workflows prior to and during the first week of a deployment, including automated offer letters, first day surveys, and consistent recruiter check-ins.
Because Sense platforms are straightforward and easy to implement, the HSS team was able to get down to business right away. Starting with pre-deployment and on-assignment workflows, they worked closely with Sense to tackle their most pressing issue: offer-to-start falloff. They implemented triggered workflows prior to and during the first week of a deployment, including automated offer letters, first day surveys, and consistent recruiter check-ins.
Not long after integrating with the Engage platform, HSS added the Messaging tool to their repertoire, connecting directly with their ATS to create a comprehensive communications hub. Roberts admits that initially their leadership team feared an over- reliance on texting rather than picking up the phone—an essential behavior in building strong relationships. But with a fully-integrated approach, the team has settled into the right balance, working with improved efficiently while also maintaining their personal touch.
And anyway, Roberts candidly notes, she already knew their recruiters were already texting candidates on their own—so why not give them the tools to do it right?
“Sense texting creates a much easier way to reach a lot of candidates at once while keeping track of all the conversation history.” – Anamaria Gomez, HealthCare Support Recruiting Consultant.
Ultimately, the team has found that while they set out to improve dropoff rates, they’ve identified and impacted many more opportunities than they initially anticipated. In taking control of their communication strategy on all sides, HealthCare Support was doing far more than just streamlining email and text.
They’ve shed a light on areas of growth and success, and have subsequently used those insights to build a strategy for the future.
As a result of their updated messaging flows and improved surveys, HSS is now receiving more feedback from candidates and contractors than ever before. Even better: they’re getting honest, actionable feedback that has served as a catalyst for change within the firm.
And the difference is making an impact for their clients, too, who are able to share that feedback to impact overall contractor engagement. One of HealthCare Support’s biggest clients even made updates to their training program, with the results positively reflected in survey responses as new contractors have started.
“Sense is giving us an edge.” says Lian Perez, Systems Specialist at HealthCare Support. “It’s been really helpful—not just for us, but for creating a relationship and a partnership with our clients.”
And with a contact response rate of 40%, the numbers speak for themselves. HealthCare Support has observed that candidates who engage with the firm through their messaging channels are sticking around longer, and when they do leave they’re more likely to move on for a positive reason, rather than quitting before their assignment ends.
“The candidates who interact with us via Sense are four times more likely to stay on assignment with us,” says Roberts. “That’s a big deal.”
Not only are candidates and contractors more engaged, but recruiters are thrilled to see the impact within their own work. They now have the flexibility and bandwidth to take a step back and be more thoughtful about their communication and messaging strategy, and that’s where change happens. Moving forward, HealthCare Support plans to implement NPS tracking, as well as focus on a redeployment strategy.
“We didn’t realize just how bad our redeployment rates were until Sense put it in our face — so thanks for that,” says Perez, only half-joking.
They’re not going it alone, either. With a dedicated team behind them and the support of their Sense Customer Success Managers, HSS has a partner invested in their success. From an easy, smooth implementation to long-term strategic planning, the Sense Engage and Messaging platforms and team have exceeded HealthCare Support’s expectations. “We’ve got a great team. We’re their biggest fans,” says Perez.
The firm’s experience with Sense has both highlighted wins and brought challenges to the forefront, but above all has given their team a path forward for how to strategically tackle the most pressing issues in staffing today.
Sense works with staffing firms like HealthCare Support to identify areas for improvement and create impactful action plans. To learn how we can do this for you, talk to our representative today.
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