PetDirect has seen enormous growth over the past few years, and it needed an ATS and CRM that could support that evolution.

Brooke Riley, Head of People & Culture at PetDirect, joined the business in September 2022 and knew that some changes were needed to set up PetDirect for success in the HR space.

“The company had grown exponentially over the last two years, and the outlook for the coming years is continued growth so it was time to bring HR expertise and recruitment in-house. We needed to increase the speed of hiring and own the entire candidate experience.” 

“From my previous experience, an ATS is crucial in allowing this to happen with a small in-house HR operation that looks after all facets of HR for the business. There’s a tonne to do, and I have lots of work on my plate so I needed recruitment to be efficient, easy and effective.”

Brooke had been using JobAdder over the last five years in a different role, though she knew that she could get more from the platform. “It was working well for what I needed in that role, although I knew if I had more time to upgrade the system there was a whole lot more it could offer. I knew the extra functionality JobAdder offered would be perfect for my new role as it streamlined the recruitment process way more than how I had been using it previously. You can tell that it’s a specialist Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and I like the fact that they are really focused on that – as it makes for a superior platform.”

“It was a no-brainer to implement JobAdder. Interestingly, I was looking at another HRIS system at the same time that provided other features outside of recruitment – an “all in one” solution so to speak. Weighing up both options, it was super clear to me that we had to go with JobAdder, the functionality is superior to other systems as it doesn’t try to be everything, it focuses in one one area and makes sure it offers the best solution. And dealing with the team and seeing the support that is in place, it ticked all the boxes that’s for sure.”

Up and running in weeks with JobAdder

Once PetDirect had decided to invest in JobAdder, Brooke says the implementation process was seamless. “The onboarding and training process was so smooth! We were able to get the system up and running in a matter of weeks. The Implementations Consultant I dealt with (Marcel Pudmenzky) was fantastic. He was very organised and on to it, and great to deal with. He has an entire checklist and timeline of the implementation process detailed thoroughly on monday.com and he scheduled regular catch-up meetings where we sat on calls together to complete the tasks that needed to be completed.” 

“There was no just leaving me to figure it out – he was helpful throughout the entire build and made sure everything was working to the best of its functionality. He also checked in after we went live to ensure everything was working well, and I still get contacted to make sure all is going well by our Account Executive Andrew Kith. They haven’t just up and left us since implementing, which has been nice. I know I can always get in touch with them if I have a question which is really reassuring.”

The implementation process focused on setting up the key processes and templates that Brooke would need to streamline recruitment at PetDirect, something that could have been quite complex given that the company hadn’t used an ATS previously. 

“PetDirect didn’t have an ATS in place at all so we had to build the system from the ground up. Creating templates for phone screening, reference checking, interviewing and emails, that was all developed from scratch. Having someone take me through that process was a huge help. There was a lot to develop but JobAdder has some great template examples that you could start with and personalise.”  

“Recruitment is so efficient with JobAdder”

In November 2022, JobAdder was fully implemented across PetDirect’s HR function, just a short two months after Brooke started at the company. Since then, the recruitment process has been simplified and streamlined.

“We have been able to advertise over 12 roles and fill them all – and some of the roles within our Warehouse and Customer Care teams have been filled by more than one candidate. That has been a huge win as I’m still able to complete all of the other requirements that my role demands because recruitment is so efficient with JobAdder. For a sole-charge HR role, the positive impact that JobAdder has had on my position is significant. Some of the roles we have advertised have also been able to be filled within a week because of how well JobAdder has streamlined the process. We now have over 2,000 candidates in our database too.”

Brooke states that JobAdder has been a big win both for her and PetDirect’s hiring managers. “The feedback I get from managers about how easy it is to use and how it makes things so much easier for them is really positive. The online submission of CVs is a great feature, as is being able to complete phone screening and reference checks within the system and being able to send them directly to the manager as soon as they are completed. Having templates for everything is a lifesaver – even when setting up interviews – honestly I wouldn’t be able to recruit here at PetDirect without JobAdder, it’s the best investment that we have made in the HR space that’s for sure!”

“The feedback I get from managers about how easy it is to use and how it makes things so much easier for them is really positive.”

Implementing JobAdder has also allowed Brooke to better manage recruitment in-house and minimise costs associated with using external agencies. “Before I came along the only option for PetDirect was to use an external agency because the team didn’t have the time to put into managing recruitment. Now, all of our recruitment is completed through JobAdder – and it’s had such a positive impact on the team being able to be involved in the process when they are required to, and it’s streamlined it all so less work is required from all parties.”  

Brooke points to a recent example where she went on leave and came back to a filled placement. “I went away overseas for a month over Christmas and New Year and we were recruiting a senior role at that time. I was able to give our Managing Director and General Manager logins to use the app, and it was such an easy and great experience for them, that they ended up finding the person whilst I was away, completing the entire recruitment process and signed them up all before I was back!”

Big benefits for candidates

It’s not only the PetDirect team that’s seen the benefits of using JobAdder’s ATS, candidates have also had positive experiences.

Brooke says: “The ability for the candidate experience to be completely personalised and controlled by us has been essential. Our candidates can also be current or potential customers of ours so it’s really important they are communicated with throughout the entire process, and that they are receiving top-notch service from us just as our customers would receive. They need to feel that their application is taken seriously and that we have a robust and clear process in place so they are not forgotten.”  

“The flows, checks, communication templates and processes that have been implemented through JobAdder has allowed us to manage our candidate experience to ensure it is a positive experience for all potential PetSters (PetDirect employees). Without JobAdder we couldn’t have managed to offer the level of candidate experience we needed to because the volume of applicants we’ve had is so large.”

Brooke states that the range of benefits she’s seen since implementing JobAdder, from the improvements in candidate experience and hiring manager experience, to the expanding talent pool at their disposal, demonstrates the clear advantage that JobAdder has and why it’s really a specialist in what it does.

“JobAdder specialises in recruitment and it keeps its focus on developing the technology to ensure it’s a superior ATS product, as opposed to trying to tackle the entire HRIS ecosystem. It doesn’t try to be and do everything and I think that’s been really beneficial because every step of the process has been thought about and refined. You’re very much getting a higher-calibre solution because of that.”