How Express Teamed Up with SimpleVMS to Fuel Strategic Partnerships with Clients

Since 1983, Express, the largest global staffing franchise, and North America’s fourth-largest staffing provider, has connected over half a million people worldwide with job opportunities, generating an annual $4 billion in revenue. Central to its success is the empowerment of over 840 franchise owners, local businesses finely attuned to their regional markets. According to one executive, the strength of the organization lies in its franchises being “locally owned but internationally backed.”

But in an industry where change is constant, Express recognizes the vital role of technology in shaping the future of staffing. Embracing innovative solutions is essential for survival, enabling staffing providers to meet client needs, speed hiring processes, and cultivate a dependable talent pool.

Express Strategic Partner Insight

How the partnership opened doors for Express.

Increased Engagement with Prospects

Positive Prospective Client Feedback Regarding SimpleVMS

Total Workforce Solution to Client Roadblocks

“While the human element remains crucial, leveraging technology can rapidly bring candidates through the door. Embracing technology is not optional; it’s critical for our industry.”

Will Skowyra, Director of Strategic Solutions

With this mindset, Express made a historic decision to embrace SimpleVMS, a powerful Vendor Management System (VMS) tailored to the unique needs of talent management. Building on the success of SimpleVMS, Express continued its transformation by adopting Avionté as its front-office Applicant Tracking System (ATS) solution. Avionté’s recent acquisition of SimpleVMS initiated the first-ever integration between an ATS and VMS in North America, and Express, as one of the early adopters, is poised to be among the first organizations armed with this groundbreaking integration.

This strategic move isn’t just about adopting new technology—it’s about revolutionizing staffing operations. By working towards a seamless integration of an ATS and VMS into a unified system, Express will be able to seamlessly connect employer clients and talent on a single platform, shaping the future of staffing. This forward-looking vision underscores Express’s commitment to innovation, further positioning them as the premier organization of choice for employer companies across all industries in North America.

Read below to discover the reasons why Express embraced a VMS solution, embarked on integrating it with a robust ATS, and how this strategic maneuver reinforces its standing as the leading organization for employer companies across North American industries, underscoring its commitment to excellence.

Adopting a VMS: Why a Once Unpopular Staffing Tool Can Be a Great Advantage for Staffing Vendors

“Currently, VMS and MSP solutions account for more than half of industry spend, and if you’re not willing to adopt these solutions, then you’re going to get left behind. We knew we were going to have to work with a VMS solution, so our goal was to team up with a partner that could cater to both staffing and client needs. Agencies are tired of being implemented, so why not be the one who offers the right solution, instead of being forced to use the wrong one.”

To understand why Express made such a historic move, let’s start with a question: Why would a company of its stature embrace a VMS, especially when VMS has historically earned a negative reputation among staffing professionals for their perceived costliness and tendency to create barriers between staffing providers and clients? Despite understanding the challenges of rallying support behind a VMS solution, Express recognized its importance for success. With the rising use of temporary and contract workers, employers are increasingly seeking automated solutions to manage operations and costs. This acknowledgment led Express to realize that partnering with the right VMS solution was essential.

The Solution: SimpleVMS

Yet, while Express recognized the positive impact a VMS could have on their operations, ensuring adoption without the full endorsement by franchise owners and recruiters would be difficult. Thus, finding a solution that franchise owners could confidently endorse was critical.

“Securing full support from franchise owners is crucial for success. Without their endorsement, they won’t champion the cause or ensure client success. So, finding a solution that franchise owners could confidently endorse was critical. We knew that by embracing the right VMS, they could distinguish themselves, transforming them into true partners with a deep understanding of their clients’ business, elevating both their franchise and our enterprise to a top-tier position.”

So, what made SimpleVMS stand out as the ideal choice? Unlike other VMS solutions on the market, SimpleVMS was crafted by staffing professionals for staffing professionals, and provides crucial reporting, timekeeping, and communication features customized to meet employer needs. Its distinctive capability to address industry-specific requirements sets SimpleVMS apart, rendering it a perfect solution for both us and their clients.

Key features include:

  • One-Stop Portal: Simplifies communication across vendors, enhancing transparency and speeding up vendor responsiveness. The user-friendly interface ensures quick implementation with minimal training.
  • Integrated Timekeeping: Provides a unified timekeeping system for instant cost tracking. Managers can effortlessly monitor timesheets and expenses across departments, streamlining worker tracking and aiding finance teams in analyzing specific expenses.
  • Reporting: Real-time dashboards simplify tracking performance, predict labor costs, and offer instant access to recruiting and spending data. Enhanced visibility into vendor measurables allows agencies to prove their competitive edge and win market share.
  • Simplified Accounting: Enables consolidated invoicing, reducing administrative burdens and expediting payments with a single check.

The Proven Difference: How SimpleVMS Has Helped Enterprise and Franchise Expansion

Recognizing SimpleVMS’s pivotal role in strengthening client-vendor relationships, Express introduced the solution to franchise owners, empowering them to endorse it when confident in its benefits. This approach has been met with success, with many franchise owners quickly embracing it. According to one sales executive, engagements with prospects, especially those managing multiple vendors, have evolved significantly.

Several stories highlight SimpleVMS’s impact on Express’ growth. For instance, when a metalworks company with over 110 locations considered an alternative VMS/MSP tool, Express outshone competitors by introducing SimpleVMS. Understanding the client’s complex needs, SimpleVMS addressed all requirements without additional fees, earning high client satisfaction and positioning the organization as a top-tier provider.

Another illustration of SimpleVMS enhancing client relationships involves a franchise owner who introduced her client to the platform. During a critical client call, an overwhelmed HR representative shared challenges managing multiple vendors and a contingent workforce. Recognizing the opportunity to assist, the franchise owner introduced SimpleVMS. After just one demonstration, the client promptly embraced the platform, streamlining HR responsibilities and solidifying the relationship between the franchise and the client, establishing Express as their preferred vendor.

Looking Into the Future: Avionté’s Game-Changing Integration

Despite the advantages of VMS adoption, recruiters and clients faced a significant challenge: the lack of integration with their primary ATS systems. Imagine having to switch between different platforms just to manage client orders. It was time-consuming, resource-intensive, and prone to errors.

However, Avionté, a leading enterprise staffing platform, stepped in with a solution. They acquired SimpleVMS, leading to the first major integration between a VMS and ATS in North America. This integration streamlines processes, speeds up hiring, simplifies administrative tasks, and reduces errors.

“It all comes down to speed to fill. This integration is a game-changer, enabling recruiters to focus on recruitment rather than administrative tasks. It eradicates the need to pivot between the ATS and VMS, lowering the risk of data errors and liability while speeding placements. Ultimately, it ensures VMS clients are on par with non-VMS clients, creating a fair and efficient system for all.”

And this strategic move by Avionté also marked a significant milestone in Express’ journey. The company made the decision to transition its front-office ATS operations to Avionté’s platform and initiate an integration between its current VMS and the new ATS solution.

With the adoption of a fully integrated VMS and front-office ATS solution, Express will be able to propel itself into a prime position to not only meet but exceed both talent and client expectations for rapid and efficient hiring and placement processes.

“While other VMS solutions exist, none match the success of SimpleVMS. And now, with the seamless integration of SimpleVMS with Avionté’s robust front office, recruiters can swiftly capitalize on opportunities as soon as employers submit requisitions in near real-time, placing us in a highly competitive position.”

In Conclusion: How Express is Leading the Charge with a Fully Integrated Platform Staffing Solution

In a franchise-based organization, gaining unanimous support for a VMS solution is no small feat. Yet, Express is meeting this challenge head-on by partnering with the industry’s most powerful and cost-effective VMS solution for contingent workforce management. This strategic alliance not only strengthens staffing vendors but also benefits clientele. By connecting clients with an effective VMS, Express enhances its competitive edge, transforming relationships and positioning their franchisees as top-tier suppliers and true business partners.

Moreover, by adopting Avionté as their front-office staffing platform provider, which will allow them to seamlessly integrate their primary ATS platform with SimpleVMS’s robust VMS solution, Express is poised to revolutionize their organization. This comprehensive staffing integration promises to expedite placement processes and elevate client relationships.

In today’s current landscape, where success hinges on technological advancement, Express is leading the charge. Now poised to leverage this technology, Express is positioned to secure an even larger market share – and other competitors are now in a race just to catch up.

Explore Our Strategic Partnerships

SimpleVMS isn’t just a system; it’s a strategic partner that offers a unique Vendor Management System (VMS) tailored for both staffing agencies and their clients’ needs. With features crafted from a staffing perspective, including crucial reporting, timekeeping, and seamless communication across vendors, SimpleVMS propels staffing operations into the future.