Got the Vendor Blues? 

6 Signs You Should Change Your Background Screener

By Sonya Weathers

Vendors can make our lives easier, or they can cause us to want to run away to a secluded beach and hide from the real world. When it comes to hiring, background screening vendors play an important role. They are key in being able to move forward with the candidate you want to hire. 

Are you wondering if the grass is greener on the other side when it comes to your background screening vendor? Here are 6 signs it may be time to make a change. 

They Only Offer Outdated Technology

Embracing and investing in new technology is essential for all types of vendors, and background screening companies especially. After all, it’s their job to provide accurate information as fast as possible. They also need to integrate with your ATS system, offer mobile capabilities, and give you a way to order and retrieve results that’s easy and intuitive. Unfortunately, keeping up with advances in technology takes considerable resources. Some companies are slow to make the cash commitment.

Bottom line: If your vendor isn’t investing in technology, it’s time to review your options. 

Their Compliance Practices Are Vague and/or Shoddy

HR must maintain a close watch on vendor compliance. After all, a company’s information is only as secure as its vendors’. Is your background screening vendor PBSA accredited? Do they have a written compliance policy they can send you? You also need to be concerned with the processes they use to protect your company’s and applicant’s information. Do they offshore it or keep it in the U.S? 

Bottom line: The news is full of companies who are liable for big bucks because of privacy issues and data breaches. Don’t be one of them. If your current vendor doesn’t seem concerned with compliance, you might want to sever the relationship.

You Can’t Get Your Questions Answered

Does every phone call or email fall into the forgotten pit of despair? Bringing people onboard takes fancy footwork and fast moves. The last thing you should be dealing with is being held up on making someone a final offer because you can’t get anyone to answer your questions or send you a completed background check. 

Bottom line: Pay close attention to how your vendor answers your questions and the amount of time it takes them to get back to you with any follow-up information. If they lag in their communication and cause your hiring time to increase, look for a partner with a better sense of urgency and attention to detail. 

You Never Get Regulation or Trend Updates

Laws governing background screening change several times a year, and you should be able to depend on your screener for up-to-date, high-level information. Ban-the-box laws, rules on the salary history question, and guidance about the use of credit reports for background checks are a few of the dozens of changes that have happened in the last few years alone. 

Bottom line: Your vendor should be communicating new trends and laws so you can adjust your background check policy accordingly. If you never get emails about these happenings, if they have nothing on their website or social media about them, and your rep never sparks a conversation with you about them, start looking for a more proactive, informative screening partner. 

They Lack Scalability

Is your business growing rapidly? If you’re bringing on lots of new employees, opening new locations, and expanding into new geographic areas, your background check provider needs to be able to keep up with your advances. If not, you can lose great hires to your competition. 

Bottom line: If you’re seeing slower turnaround times, mistakes, and other evidence that your background screening vendor can’t keep up with your company’s growth, the time may be right to find a new one. 

Their Price Is Dirt Cheap

You may have read this and said “What? I LOVE me some cheap prices!” 

No, you really don’t. 

Rock bottom prices may mean your vendor is cutting corners by not verifying the information they find. There may also be gaps in their systems that could cause them to miss critical information. If you’re making decisions based on incorrect information, your company is a prime target for a negligent hiring or discrimination lawsuit. 

Bottom line: Don’t automatically assume a low price in a background screening partner is a good thing. As the old saying goes “you get what you pay for.”

If you’re spending significant time thinking about your background screener’s shortfalls, that in itself is a sign to investigate your options. If a vendor isn’t providing you with the newest technology, on-the-spot customer support, scalability, and information on new trends and upcoming legislation, you could probably increase the effectiveness of your hiring processes by seeking out one that will. The good news is…they are out there, waiting to work with you!