There are a lot of background check companies out there. When you start digging into the details it can be confusing. Admittedly, it was a bit for us when we did a recent search of our competition, and this is our industry! Companies trying to decide which provider will be best suited to their needs, or those looking to make a switch, run into A LOT of options. It’s not surprising that many resign themselves to selecting one of the larger vendors. Name recognition definitely sells and the same vendors are mentioned over and over again. But just because a vendor makes a “Top 10” list doesn’t mean they’re a good choice. We know this because a number of our clients have to come to us from those larger vendors. That’s why we wanted to share with you some of the observations we made while researching background check providers, as well as some industry insider information. We hope it might assist you in your selection process by pointing out some things to consider when choosing the right partner for you. Bigger may not be better for you and here are some reasons why:

Additional Set Up & Other Fees

The majority of vendors we looked at required set-up fees. And that was just the beginning of the nickel-and-diming we noticed. These initial set-up fees ranged from $25.00 – $100.00 +

Minimal Searches or Questionable Searches Included In Price

Prices often looked affordable on the surface but closer examination revealed incomplete record checks (limited indices searches).  This means paying for searches of limited value and then still being charged additional fees for the ones you need. This is more nickel-and-diming.

Poor Customer Service and Response

This is important, especially when you don’t want to lose a candidate to the competition. Slower turn-around and response times are often the result of a workforce that is geographically distant, which is the case with a large number of “Top 10” companies.

Overall Customer Satisfaction Is Low

Overall customer satisfaction often diminishes quickly as organizations transition from their vendor’s sales to their operations team. They soon realize they are a little fish in a big pond. Businesses end up feeling neglected, but assume this must be industry standard, which it isn’t. You just need to know where to look.

If you want to avoid scenarios like these, then you should consider using a smaller or regional provider that you can build a partnership with.  Find a partner that provides you with a designated point of contact at a high level, along with their direct contact number, rather than a call center. It’s important to have a mechanism to actually reach them on the weekend or after hours when needed. You shouldn’t have to sacrifice any of these things to get what you need from a background check provider!

When your business needs assistance with employment screening, criminal checks, FCRA compliance, drug screening, education and employment verification, driving records (MVR), credit checks or social security number validation, contact the Swailes Background Team to get quickly signed up.