Sword Group
Jan 1, 2025
5 min read
Introduction
Sword Group, a leading consulting services company, operates across multiple European countries, primarily serving European institutions. Toon Kockx, Business Unit Director at Sword Group, oversees all time and means operations, including a five-person recruitment team tasked with managing hiring across Belgium, Luxembourg, Greece, and Spain.
"Our recruitment needs are diverse and span across the EU," Toon explains. "Efficient supplier management is crucial for our operations."
About Sword group
Industry: IT Services and Consulting
Employee count: Approximately 1,500
Countries active: Operates across ten countries, including Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, the United States, and Spain
ATS: Recruitee
Sword Group is a global IT services and consulting company that provides tailored solutions to enhance business performance. They focus on delivering innovative technology and consulting services across various sectors, supporting clients with strategic transformation initiatives.
Challenges
Before implementing HirePort, Sword Group struggled with:
Time-consuming email exchanges with suppliers across multiple countries
Lack of a centralized system for managing approximately 15 suppliers (10 regular and 5 niche)
Recruiters spending excessive time on administrative tasks rather than core recruitment activities
Difficulty tracking supplier performance across different regions
"We reached a point where communication with our suppliers via email became so voluminous that it was taking up too much of our team's time," Toon recalls. "This meant they had less time for actual recruitment activities."
Solution
Sword Group chose to implement HirePort's agency management plugin, integrated with their Applicant Tracking System (ATS), Recruitee. The solution offered:
Seamless integration with Recruitee ATS
Centralized platform for multi-country supplier communication and management
Streamlined workflows
Enhanced visibility into supplier performance
Implementation and Impact
The implementation process was gradual, with Sword Group onboarding all their suppliers over approximately four months. The impact was significant:
Time savings: "We're saving at least 5 hours per week on supplier management tasks," Toon reports.
Improved communication: The platform eliminated back-and-forth emails about job details, deadlines, and day rates.
Streamlined workflows: All job information is now neatly displayed on the portal, reducing communication overhead.
Better data tracking: The integration with Recruitee allows for improved KPI tracking and reporting across all countries of operation.
Adapting to Specific Needs
As Sword Group primarily works with freelancers, they initially faced challenges with the platform's focus on permanent placements. However, HirePort quickly adapted:
"The new freelance options in the job details, including day rates and intervals, are exactly what we were looking for," Toon explains. "It's great to see how responsive HirePort is to client needs."
Looking Ahead
With the new efficiencies in place, Sword Group is now focusing on:
Leveraging data for strategic decisions about agency partnerships across different countries
Exploring ways to integrate proactive CV submissions without skewing ATS reports
Continuing to streamline processes for their multi-country operations
Conclusion
By implementing HirePort, Sword Group has significantly improved its recruitment operations across multiple European countries. The time saved – over 5 hours per week – has allowed the recruitment team to focus more on strategic tasks and less on administrative burdens.
"HirePort has definitely made us much more efficient," Toon concludes. "The time saved on communication alone is significant, especially when managing suppliers across different countries. It's not just a static tool, but a dynamic solution that keeps improving based on our needs."
