“I don't know why everyone's not on this sort of platform.” Nicole Lordelo-Alger, Franchisee
Nicole Lordelo-Alger has worked for Dunkin’ for most of her life, starting as a Crew Member at 16 and now owning the Lordelo Network franchise with her sister. She oversees operations at six locations, including the number one challenge in food service business right now: hiring.
Always looking to embrace change and keep up with hiring trends, the team made the switch from paper applications to an applicant tracking software provider to increase applicant flow, reduce paperwork, and save time. Initially the change was good, and the team found huge improvements in their hiring process and were getting more applicants. However, after awhile, they felt like the platform wasn’t growing with the times and thought there had to be a more modern solution that fit their needs. As soon as they saw HigherMe, they were hooked right away.
Automated interview scheduling
As a busy franchisee with six stores spread out across a large geographic area, Lordelo-Alger needs to make the most of her time. “Sometimes I'm working part of my day in Holbrook, and then I'm 35 minutes away from my closest store, “explains Lordelo-Alger. “So if I'm trying to meet somebody who is doing a second interview in Cohasset, for example, and they don't show up, that's a lot out of my day.”
With the previous hiring platform, the Lordelo Network team would have 50-60% of people who wouldn’t show up for an interview. With HigherMe, Lordelo-Alger has only had one interview no-show in the past few months.
HigherMe sends automated reminders for candidates to schedule and attend interviews, helping to dramatically reduce the amount of interview no shows. “I thought maybe the reminders would help a little bit, but it really has just flipped it 180 degrees for us,” explains Lordelo-Alger. “I don't have to worry and be anxious going into a store and looking at the clock, wondering if this person is going to show up or not.”
HigherMe’s interview scheduling software has been a “game changer” for Lordelo-Alger. Being able to set her availability in HigherMe has helped avoid double bookings in addition to getting interview no-shows almost down to zero.
“Getting that automatic email that they've applied, we're then able to be the first ones to reach out. And that's really important, because we're definitely not the only ones that they’re applying to.”
Nicole Lordelo-Alger, Lordelo Network
Mobile friendly hiring software
Job applications on the previous hiring platform weren't mobile friendly. Candidates were often left feeling frustrated trying to complete an application that was made for a desktop computer on their phone. It was challenging to press certain buttons and easy for applicants to feel like they were missing parts. As Lordelo-Alger explains: “if you're not on a computer, I could see a lot of people dropping out just from not being able to complete the application on their phone.”
With HigherMe, candidates can easily complete an application on their phone within five minutes. Job applications are built for mobile devices and job seekers can also start applying with a simple text message. Lordelo-Alger says Text-To-Apply has helped increase their number of applications. With every application going straight to HigherMe’s applicant tracking system, it’s easy to see the sourcing for each candidate in one place.
HigherMe’s mobile-friendly qualities have benefits for Lordelo-Alger and her management team too, as they are able to easily check in and review their hiring activity every day, even while moving between locations.
“I don't know why everyone's not on this sort of platform.”
Nicole Lordelo-Alger, Lordelo Network
Showcasing a unique employer brand
Lordelo-Alger explains that when writing a job description, she writes it in a way that showcases how the company is a good fit for the candidate, rather than the other way around. The job postings are really personal to the company, and include what makes them unique, such as being woman owned. With HigherMe’s customized career pages, Lordelo-Alger and her team can easily add in these details, helping to attract qualified applicants whose values align with the company.
Everyone at the Lodelo Network team keeps their eye on the postings and the first person to see a notification in their email or on HigherMe’s hiring dashboard will get in touch. “Getting that automatic email that they've applied, we're then able to be the first ones to reach out. And that's really important, because we're definitely not the only ones that they’re applying to,” explains Lordelo-Alger. “So if we can differentiate ourselves to draw them in, and then be quick, that’s important because people who are needing jobs, they're needing them now, not next week or next month.”
With reduced interview ghosting and an improved applicant experience, Lordelo-Alger says she would never go back to using their old applicant tracking software. In conclusion, she’s so happy with HigherMe, “I don't know why everyone's not on this sort of platform.”
To learn more about HigherMe software, watch our 5 minute demo video or contact our sales team.
