The Best Background Check Company Never Skimps on These Three Things
If you're reading this, you likely already know that background checks are an essential element when trying to hire qualified candidates who'll be a good culture fit for your workplace.
You're here because you want to know how to find the best background check company to partner with.
For most things in life, "best" and "worst" can be subjective terms. And yet when it comes to background check vendors, there are three key things you can look for to make sure you're indeed working with the cream of the crop.
In this post, we're going to discuss exactly what those three things are—and why they matter. Think of them as the three Cs:
✔ Comprehensive suite of screening products that can easily scale
✔ Custom packages at your fingertips that have been developed for your organization's specific hiring needs
✔ Customer service that always exceeds expectations
The best background check companies will offer a comprehensive suite of screening products that can easily scale.
Hiring processes can vary widely from industry to industry—and even within the same organization as HR managers hire for different roles.
For example, the way a company screens the front office staff will—and should—be different from the way it screens employees who handle customers' sensitive financial data. Another example: The person operating heavy machinery in the warehouse might need to undergo random drug testing for safety reasons, while the sales folks who meet with clients outside the office might need MVR monitoring.
Yes, it can be dizzying keeping track of all available background checks, their many nuances, and the rules and laws governing each.
This is why you should look for a background check company that offers a comprehensive suite of screening products, such as . . .
✔ Criminal background checks and monitoring
✔ Verifications (education, employment, identity, SSN, etc.)
✔ Drug testing (pre-hire, ongoing, and random drug testing)
✔ Social media screening and monitoring
Of course, any company can promote a list of screenings on its website. How do you know the company has expertise in each type of background check?
⮚ Evaluate how it talks about each type of background check on its website and in marketing materials. Does it offer in-depth articles about various background checks? Or thought pieces, like longer guides? Does it host webinars on various topics? You're looking for a company that not only promotes its products—but demonstrates its expertise.
⮚ Read customer case studies and testimonials. Case studies are a great way to get a sense of just how comprehensive a company's suite of products actually is. Most organizations need a mix of different checks for different roles—and this is precisely the type of info that would come to light in a customer story.
⮚ Seek unbiased reviews. From Capterra to Trustpilot, review sites can offer an honest look at a background check's offerings and capabilities.
Another reason you want to work with a company that offers a full suite of screening products: Even if you don't need all of them today, you could very well need them in the future.
If you work with a company that only offers the more "traditional" screenings, like criminal checks or drug testing, what happens when your business grows? (And what happens if the growth happens quickly?) What happens if you decide that in addition to criminal and drug testing, you need MVR checks and monitoring? And social media screening? The last thing you're going to want to do is start your vendor search all over again, right?
The best background check companies understand that they need to offer—and be experts in—a full suite of screening products and that they need the ability to quickly scale as their customers grow.
The best background check companies will customize screening packages based on your organization's specific hiring needs.
Hiring managers need a simple way to order the right background checks for the right candidates at the right time.
The best background check companies will make it easy for HR to do exactly that by offering customization and excellent technology.
Now, when we say "custom," we mean it. We're not talking about vendors that list various screening "bundles" on their sites at different price points. Those are options. They haven't been customized according to your hiring pain points.
For example, a good background check company can guide you on when it makes sense to conduct certain screens. Why waste time and money conducting all checks at once when failing one check—like drug testing—might preclude the candidate from further consideration? It would make sense for that screening to happen earlier in the hiring process. Then, if the candidate passes, they can go on to the next phase.
Again, a great background check vendor will discuss these things with you before they recommend screening packages.
We also mentioned earlier about having these custom packages available "at your fingertips." We're referring to technology. It's impossible to manage a robust background check program today without fabulous technology. We're talking about a secure, online system that makes it easy to order checks, integrate with an applicant tracking system (if you use one), and monitor a candidate's progress.
The best background check companies will talk up their technology and encourage you to demo the software and take it for a test drive. Make sure you take them up on the offer.
Ask yourself . . .
⮚ Is the system easy to use?
⮚ Does it integrate with your ATS?
⮚ What are the reporting and notification features like?
The best background check companies deliver EXCEPTIONAL customer service that always exceeds expectations.
Unfortunately, slick websites can be deceptive, promising the moon when it comes to customer service. And sales reps can be particularly adept at making you feel like you're the only prospect they have eyes for as they woo you to sign on the dotted line.
But once you sign on the dotted line, that's often when the lovefest ends, leaving many HR managers in the lurch.
While you won't know if you're going to receive excellent customer service until you're actually a customer, here are some positive signs to look for:
⮚ The background check company assigns all customers a dedicated account manager who gets to know them, their teams, and their hiring challenges.
⮚ The background check company gives you a direct line to a real human (a.k.a., your account manager).
⮚ The background check company has a dedicated candidate support center (how the company approaches candidate experience can be extremely telling).
⮚ The background check company is reviewed positively for its customer service in places like Trustpilot.
⮚ The background check company is proactive—for example, it reaches out to you when there's a change to a law or regulation that will affect the way you screen candidates.
Good Egg delivers on the three C's.
You probably saw where this article was headed, right?
But everything we're about to say is true:
✔ We offer a comprehensive suite of background checks AND ongoing monitoring.
✔ We customize packages based on your needs rather than try to shoehorn you into a pre-made package.
✔ We pride ourselves on delivering six-star customer service. Our goal is to be the best-reviewed background check company on the planet.
We want you to check out our reviews, read all of our resources, and play with our fabulous technology. Request a demo and experience the Good Egg difference for yourself.
