Dutch VMS Report places Beeline as Top Performer

The Sixth Annual VMS Providers Report 2023/2024 offers excellent food for thought for any organization considering a new VMS. Written in Dutch and referring to Belgian and Dutch markets (original title: Aanbieders van VMS Systems), the general lessons from the report apply across Europe.

“With a total average score of 6.1, Beeline ultimately emerged as the best provider in the user experience category. They score at least 6 out of 7 on all three components.”

The chart below shows headings that can be translated to English as "attractive interface," "functional completeness," and "simplicity."

Looking to the future

For a critical part of the report, the authors invited industry experts to contribute to a roundtable (page 122), considering the future of VMS and the contingent worker market. Topics included the increase in hires based on Scope of Work statements, skills-based hiring, and how labor market conditions may affect the expansion of contingent working. 

For example, in the roundtable, Manfred Vogels (Beeline) confirms on page 124 that customers emphasize the need to get work done and are less attached to the type of resource: "The question is also how to build a real relationship, or 'stickiness,' with freelancers in a talent pool. If you don't maintain the relationship, then skills-based hiring from that pool is very difficult in practice." 

Understanding the vendors' non-technology standpoints forms a significant element of the decision-making process when selecting a VMS. As the authors comment on page 125, "Remarkably, the providers warned during the roundtable discussion that technology is not the ultimate solution." 

Choosing the right VMS solution for you

More and more companies are choosing to implement a VMS solution. For example, in 2021 in the US, about 81% of companies with more than 1,000 employees use a VMS (English report), up by 50% in a decade (page 30).   The report contains a helpful overview for new users, "What is a VMS?" on page 16.

The report summarizes the market developments accelerating this trend and how a VMS can deliver direct cost-reduction benefits to larger organizations. Particularly for companies struggling with spreadsheets or procurement departments unable to gain enterprise insight into contingent worker expenses, a VMS offers clarity and cost control.

Balancing innovation, user experience, and functionality

As the authors acknowledge, there are many competing influences to consider when assessing a VMS. The more prominent vendors will likely deliver stability, innovation capacity, and industry experience – all essential qualities for enterprise buyers.

The report includes a graphic from research firm Everest Group (English), showing four VMS providers leading the market. The chart highlights Beeline as a star performer and market leader (page 44).  

When selecting a VMS solution, the more prominent players operate on the same scale as their enterprise customers and deliver high user satisfaction, which is essential for user adoption. Partnering with an established, robust provider is critical for a decision that could deliver 10-15% savings on contingent worker costs.

Keep it simple to enhance user adoption.

Quoting research by recruitment company Digitaal-Werven, the report emphasizes the importance of a clean, simple, pleasing user experience to ensure good user adoption: "The user experience and user-friendliness, especially mobile, for managers and recruiters, is essential. If the system is too complex to use, it will not be used effectively, and the adoption rate will slacken." (Page 33)

To emphasize this view, on page 81, a panel of experts who reviewed the solutions notes that Beeline offers a "beautiful and simple mobile-enabled application form." Naturally, each vendor's solution shows various mobile strengths and weaknesses. Selecting the VMS that best fits your organization is essential to ensure the highest possible user adoption and satisfaction rates.

Conclusion

The NextConomy/ZiPconomy Sixth Annual VMS Providers Report 2023/2024 is essential reading for anyone seeking to acquire a VMS.