How HiBob’s customized implementation process sets our customers up for success

Implementing a new HR system is no small feat. First, you must decide on the right system for your company, which involves many conversations, demos, contracting, and decision-making. Once that’s done, the real work starts. Back when I was an HR professional, I implemented many systems—LMS, HRIS, ATS, knowledge-sharing platforms…you name it! And one of the biggest frustrations experienced by everyone involved was the amount of time it took from contract signature to value realization. 

When I joined HiBob as a professional services team manager, one of the first things that struck me was how quickly Core HR implementations move—an average of 60 to 120 days! And for customers adding extra modules, such as Talent and Compensation, implementations typically take just an additional 20-30 days per module. I had never heard of “go-lives” that were that fast—and some implementations were even faster. Our customer Melio, a 600+ employee company, went live in just 31 days! 

There are several differences that I’ve seen between implementations at HiBob and other companies I’ve worked at. Most significantly, we don’t use a one-size-fits-all approach. We work with each of our customers to define their short-term and long-term needs and get them up and running quickly so that they can start getting immediate value from Bob. We also guide our customers in understanding Bob’s functionality so that they can configure it independently and become self-sufficient as they scale. 

Read on to discover four ways our implementation stands out from the competition and sets our customers up for success.

1. Getting value as quickly as possible

While all implementation methodologies have tools that help customers break down a traditionally large project, HiBob’s implementation simplifies it even further. The 1:1 sessions between our implementation managers and the customer focus on helping you understand the content first and then configuring it to meet your business needs. From the start, we focus on customizing your platform so it feels like “home” and then work on getting your data imported so you can get instant value from accurate employee information.

Speaking of data, getting your people into the system sets the foundation for your future success with the platform. With HiBob’s implementation model, your implementation manager will do your initial import, review any errors, and walk you through the process. We also have multiple data templates so you can work on critical information first (employee name, site, etc.) and load other data (work history, emergency contacts) later. Following the initial import, you’ll be fully enabled and able to complete as many additional imports as needed. 

Once your data is loaded, you can start using Bob. Our out-of-the-box dashboards and analytics populate based on your historical data, instantly giving you valuable insights and the ability to visualize your organization in org charts. You can then iterate and customize to get additional insights for your specific company needs. 

2. Focusing on what you need first

HiBob’s implementation focuses on prioritizing what you need first to get you a minimum viable product (MVP) and then iteratively customizing each section of the system to address your specific needs. 

Going through a growth spurt and need to streamline your onboarding processes? We’ll prioritize task lists and workflows. Coming up to the year-end review? We’ll shift our “normal” plan and import your data, then focus on configuring your performance cycle, and then come back to finish Core. Nothing is set in stone, and you help us define what your organization needs to prioritize. 

3. Creating well-rounded experts

As a former hourly consultant with many friends in the field, I understand the pressure of customers paying hundreds of dollars an hour to have all the answers at hand. When you’re paying top dollar, the expectation may be immediate results or answers. This can result in less detailed answers or answers based on a singular perspective. At HiBob, we use our global network of implementation managers to leverage best practices from over 3,000 customers in 100+ countries—trust us, we’ve seen it all! 

We also highly encourage our customers to use Heartcore HR, HiBob’s customer community, where thousands of HR teams connect to share best practices. While we know the ins and outs of Bob, your colleagues know the ins and outs of what’s going on in the field. The combination of expertise from your implementation manager, our help center articles, and fellow HR professionals will set you up for success.  

4. Empowering and enabling: grow your HR platform with your business

At a former company, when I was part of my first implementation project internally, and responsible for talent management, I remember going through painstaking Business Requirements Documentation (BRDs) and conducting hours of User Acceptance Testing (UAT) in a “war room.” Flash forward a few months, and we had a new head of HR who wanted to completely redo our approach. While my implementation manager had been fantastic in configuring and troubleshooting during UAT, I had no idea how to implement a new configuration on my own.

At HiBob, our goal throughout your implementation is not only to help you have a successful go-live but also to upskill you on how to use Bob effectively, so you become completely self-sufficient as your organization grows. Our team is committed to teaching you about Bob’s functionality and answering any questions related to your specific business needs. Then you can go in and configure it independently. As the age-old expression goes, “the only constant is change.” By teaching you the system and having you configure it yourself, you can learn at a much deeper level than if someone else does the work. 

We are also available to support you every step of the way. Our implementation managers set up sessions to work through your needs and help you understand best practices for sustainable processes as your company grows and scales. Even after implementation, our support team, your customer success manager, HiBob’s Help Center, and the Heartcore HR customer community create a comprehensive support system to continue our productive partnership as you and Bob grow. 

The HiBob way

Implementing an HR platform can be a challenging process. While there’s no right or wrong way to do an implementation, there are many practices that can make you more successful. HiBob’s Professional Services team takes a firm stance on our modern implementation methodology, ensuring that each of our customer’s individual needs are taken into account and designing a process that educates and sets up our customers for success. You’ll find that the speed of our time-to-go-live does not compromise quality, and your execs will celebrate the quick value the investment brings to your company. 

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