Yep, they have been around for a while. And they do all sorts of marvellous things, allowing recruiters to work from various locations and at times that suit clients/candidates/themselves.

If you think I’m going to write about the importance of “switching off” from your phone, think again. This article is about the walking timebomb of data stored on the private phones of recruiters.

Increasingly, I see recruiters set up businesses without an office telephone system. Calls and data are cheap, and their consultants don’t seem to mind using their own phones. In a business last week, I asked the owner about this. “It’s how it was at my last place,” he said. “And I don’t need the extra costs right now.”

BUT…

• The data on those mobile phones is highly confidential. And you wouldn’t even know if there had been a data breach by one of your staff who, let’s say, left their unprotected phone in a taxi. Or had it pinched. That could cost you a shedload of money. And your reputation.
• There is no record of what is being said. If you’ve ever had challenges around trying to collect fees from a client after their consultant has left your business, you’ll know that without evidence of the agreement on terms, you’re stuffed. It will cost you money.
• By not recording calls, you are missing one of the most valuable training assets and opportunities you can have. Even a bad call is a great training resource. And it allows you to get specific with your training – and the implementation of that training. Training people costs money.
• If your people aren’t recording calls against the candidate/client on your CRM, you are going to be all at sea when that team-member leaves or is on annual leave. Who’s had interview preparation? Who has already been rejected? You’ll sound like total idiots as you miss some calls and duplicate others. It will cost you money.
• Most critical of all, if those interactions aren’t on your database, then the chances are that a whole pile of CVs aren’t either. And a stack of potential client contacts. And it was your business investment that paid for them.

Please, don’t be the guy that shrugs and says “There’s not much I can do about it”.  It will cost you money if you don’t. 

Alison Humphries advises recruitment business owners and directors on strategy including sales, finance, HR, marketing, infrastructure and compliance. Check out her Linkedin profile and the website www.recruitmentleadership.co.uk