Recruiters are falling down on the job when it comes to implementing the technology they need to operate more efficiently, according to a survey of 500 recruitment consultants.
The study was commissioned by 8x8 and its results point to a 10 hour waste of time each week per average consultant.
The main drain on their time is manually updating CRM systems, which is also a cause for concern due to the scope for making errors.
Nor is that all, the timing of sales calls is all too often hit and miss, leading to an average of two hours per week wasted calling candidates who don't pick up or are unable to speak.
According to the research, consultants believe that analytics could help them maximise their time on the phone. And remote working technology would unshackle consultants from their desks, freeing them from anxiety about missing important calls.
Respondents also identified the potential productivity benefits of video conferencing when screening candidates.
"By making sure they have the right communications technology in place that can integrate with existing systems, recruiters can get the full picture of their interactions with clients and candidates, all in one place," stated Kevin Scott-Cowell, UK MD 8x8.
"This means less time spent transferring data between systems and travelling between meetings, and the ability to track agent productivity using analytics.
"With the advent of cloud-based technology, this doesn't have to be a huge financial commitment, but will undoubtedly help recruiters to work more productively."