Spotlight on Logical Innovations 10 years on

Online recruitment magazine talk to David Buchanan, Managing Director of Logical Innovations

Name: David Buchanan
Position: Founder & Managing Director

How did it all begin?
With expertise in IT I was approached by a HR professional in a leading high street retailer who was looking for a tailored recruitment solution that wasn't readily available in the market. After developing a suitable system I discovered the benefits that other leading businesses could gain from a similar recruitment system tailored to their individual needs. I set up Logical Innovations in 1996.

Is Logical Innovations a large organisation?
No we have a small team of staff most of whom have been with us since our early days in business. We have deliberately remained focused on what we do well and avoided expanding into peripheral products. This has allowed us to forge strong relationships with our clients and deliver a cost effective solution that really delivers.

What products do you offer today?
We launched the TalentTracker brand of online recruitment systems in 2000 and this continues to be our flagship brand till this day. TalentTracker eRecruiter is a cost effective yet tailored online recruitment system which is ideal for companies who currently have little or no recruitment system in place. TalentTracker Enterprise is our bespoke end-to-end recruitment system ideal for large companies who are processing thousands of applications every week.

What do you consider to be a key feature of your products?
A critical feature is the ability to effectively screen candidates and spot talent. We offer tailored screening as part of the online application process to allow companies to screen candidates according to their own company and job role criteria. In the back office HR staff can perform scripted telephone interviewing ahead of face to face interviewing which allows businesses to get a personal feel for candidates and whether they will be right for their business. Incorporating that personal touch in online recruitment has been of great benefit to our clients.

What are the key benefits of your products?
In simplistic terms our systems streamline and automate the entire recruitment process. TalentTracker is a web based model to allow HR staff (and candidates) the ability to access the system 24 7 from any computer. A tailored careers site and online application allows candidates to be screened according to the company's requirements. The secure back office allows HR staff to track and manage vacancies and applicants at their fingertips, automatically progress applicants and correspondence, and access a suite of real time management reports in seconds to analyse key recruitment statistics.

Are there any specific examples of a key benefit?
We commonly incorporate a TalentBank function within TalentTracker. This allows businesses to re-route unsuccessful or speculative applications (all of whom are pre-screened according to the individual business needs). Companies can then build up a database of potential talent for the future requirements of the business.

One of our clients reported that 70% of candidates had been recruited at minimal or no cost by using this feature. The same client also recruited a candidate from the TalentBank in just 25 mins! The TalentBank feature allows any business to reduce their attraction costs whilst speeding up time to hire.

How do you perceive Logical Innovations progressing in the future?
We are continually evolving our systems to the highest standards and work with many of our clients on an ongoing basis to continually realise new concepts in recruitment. This ability and desire to constantly push the boundaries of our software and work close together with our clients will we believe, allow us to continue our success and growth.

What has been the highlight of your career and what are your aspirations for the future?
The highlight has been watching Logical Innovations grow from a starting business which was profitable from the beginning to a sustainable and successful company. I would like to see Logical Innovations continuing to grow at a steady rate to ensure we don't dilute the relationships we have on a one to one level with our clients. That's something special that often larger businesses fall short on.