Last Friday we pushed live our ATS product site – www.harbour-ats.com.

At last we have a proper face to HARBOUR®, which coincides with the launch of our “instant ATS” product (more on that in a mo). We’ve been roadshowing the system and the thinking behind it for a month or two now – and (although I guess many would say it anyway even if it wasn’t the case) the feedback has been universally, and overwhelmingly, positive. Quite relieving really considering the time, sweat and bears we’ve put into this even so far. It would indeed seem that those people who have spent a lot of time working with clients using many ATS products out there (probably collectively most ATS product’s out there in the UK space) have all been as frustrated with their experiences as we, and clients we’ve worked, have previously found – which is exactly why we’ve built HARBOUR® ATS.

It seems every other day this ATS or that is sounding off about adding a new function here or a new capability there – but I wonder why they can’t just go back and get the basics right? The stuff that the candidate engages with, or indeed engages the candidate. The stuff the client REALLY uses and interfaces with. The stuff that makes a day-to-day difference, not just another seemingly mostly “just for the sake of it” technology implementation that has little impact to the majority of users. Anyway – each to their own – and in my books the longer competitors are unwilling (or is it unable?) to review their fundamental offer to make it what so many people clearly believe it should be (or at least what it shouldn’t), then vive la difference and each to their own.

We know that we’ll be the new boys (and girls) for a long time yet, so in a move to build that all important user proving of HARBOUR®, as well as flexing the real speed and flexibility of the system in real-time, we created an entry level system we call HARBOUR® instant ATS. You can read all about it on harbour-ats.com, as well as signing up for it, but essentially it’s a sub £500 ATS that offers many of the features of the full ATS and delivered within a matter of hours.

And what’s the flash and bang about? Well I kid you not, we pushed the site live and as we did so the most torrential shower emptied over Tiptree (where I’m based). I checked the site’s all good when live and then go to get a glass of something fizzy to raise to the site’s good health – and it’s at that point that the lightning filled the sky with the immediate crack of thunder directly overhead. Now I’m not a big one for omens, but it got me thinking – when Robbie Cowling pressed go live on Jobserve, based as he was and still is in Tiptree, all those years ago, did he witness an electric storm? Here’s hoping there’s some cosmic internet business lay line running through these parts – in this economy every little helps ☺

Not only is this the question I’ve heard alot lately as I drove down to South Wales with the family to combine a coastal break back in the mother land with an appearance at the AGR (Association of Gradate Recruiters) conference at the very smart Celtic Manor in Newport, but it’s also a business question I’m asking myself and the team as we close in on a more public launch of HARBOUR® ATS.

Anyway – we are indeed nearly there – and once I’m back at 3D MarComms HQ and have polished off a few bits and bobs then we’ll be in a position to launch www.Harbour-ATS.com – probably mid next week TBH. And if you want to be amongst some of the first to know then go there now and leave your email address and we’ll ensure you’re top of the “people to tell” list.

What a busy summer this is turning out to be – best I make the most of family time at the pleasantly warm beach and get offline while I can

OK – I’ve been itching for ages to write about what I believe is probably my favourite company in the world, but saw something earlier that gave me a kick up the arse I clearly needed and to just blurt out “I LOVE ZAPPOS”.

So who are Zappos I hear you ask (well – you’ll know if you’re reading this in America of course as $1bn in sales kinds of make it a significant business, let alone its pioneering approach)? In short Zappos is an American online retailer that has not long celebrated its 10th birthday (Happy birthday!).

But if I’m blogging about a company best I say what I “love” so much about a company that I have never interacted with as a customer (mores’ the pity). To me they are a shinning model of:
1.    a company that understands it’s employer brand is intrinsically linked with its product/service brand – and acts accordingly!
2.    a business that plays the long term game – putting the customer first everytime (and as more than just an advertising slogan), because they know a repeat customer is the most valuable sort and that a happy, neigh delighted, customer is also the most valuable marketing channel there is.
3.    management live and breath this approach, and are comfortable enough in their own skin to maintain the unified ethos and literally work alongside their colleagues.

There’s plenty written stateside about the company and what it does so right – mostly by the staff themselves.  Hell, they even had to do some lay-offs earlier in the year and they handled it all so positively the brand actually got a boost from it (although I’m glad to say they’re back hiring again – and pay attention UK retailer web management monkeys who insist on not giving hiring a prominent web presence – “we’re hiring” is splashed across their site. It’s a positive message and not something to be ashamed of!!).

Anyway – they also produce a book called “Zappos insights” – as Tony, CEO, mentioned in the video above, where he also offers for you to email him and he’d send you a book. So I did. What did I get? A personal email response from Tony and 4days later an excellent book from the states which Tony had signed. Did he need to send me a book? No – I was after a PDF as being in the UK thought postage would be excessive. Did he need to sign it? No – but for a few moments of his time and engaging with me this way I have gone from a fan of Zappos to a Zappos evangelist.

But there is a down side – I’ve just found out that they now deliver to the UK at a time when the exchange rate is a real killer   Never mind. At least I know that one day I’ll be able to partake in some of that legendary customer service built that they’ve from a clear understanding that employer brand and product service brand is truly intrinsically linked!

And the thing that kicked me into posting this – the offer of attending a Zappos insights live BootCamp. I am so gutted I don’t just happen to be in Vegas over those two days. Maybe next year eh!

Oh – and for all you social media aficionados out there – this company kicks arse there too. This is engagement 2.0

http://www.youtube.com/zappos

http://twitter.com/zappos

http://twitter.zappos.com/

http://blogs.zappos.com