Sword Group is an international IT and consultancy organisation with around 1,500 employees. The company provides technology and advisory services to clients across various industries and operates in ten countries, including Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
Toon Kockx is a Business Unit Director leading a compact recruitment team of five people. They are responsible for hiring new colleagues in several countries. With growing recruitment needs and an international reach, Sword works closely with a fixed group of recruitment agencies.
The idea was that these agencies would take work off their hands. In practice, the collaboration mainly resulted in a lot of manual work and fragmented communication. It was time for clarity, less email traffic, and one central hub for collaboration. And that is exactly what the Tellent Recruitee AgencyHub could provide.
The challenge: endless email threads and too much administration
With around 15 recruitment agencies – 10 long-term partners and 5 niche specialists – spread across several countries, Sword's five-person recruitment team was starting to hit a wall. Job openings, deadlines and daily rates were discussed in endless email threads.
"We reached a point where communication with agencies via email became so overwhelming that it took up too much time," says Toon. "As a result, there was less time left for the real recruitment work."
The lack of clarity also played a role. Without a central hub for submissions and reports, it became difficult to properly monitor performance by country. Recruiters were mainly concerned with administration instead of interviews and selection. Priorities were completely upside down.
AgencyHub: one central hub for international collaboration
The team was already using Tellent Recruitee's ATS. With the AgencyHub add-on, the entire agency management was also brought together in one place. No more scattered emails, tools, or spreadsheets, but a central platform from which to manage all appointments, job openings, and candidates.
This created a streamlined collaboration with recruitment agencies across multiple countries, complete with performance and results tracking.
The implementation was step-by-step. Within about four months, all agencies were connected to the platform.
All job opening details, such as deadlines, status updates and daily rates, are clearly displayed in the portal. As a result, there are fewer separate questions and fewer misunderstandings. The team no longer has to search or forward things manually. Everything is in one place and everyone works with the same information.
A solution that adapts
Because Sword Group mostly hires freelancers, the platform's default settings didn't fully match their workflow at first. AgencyHub was originally designed more for permanent roles.
But this was quickly addressed: the platform was expanded with options that better suit freelance profiles, such as daily rates and working periods. Just what the team needed to work efficiently in practice.
"The new freelance options in the job details – like day rates and timelines – were exactly what we needed. It's great to see how well the platform responds to customer needs."
The results for Sword Group
AgencyHub has made the recruitment process at Sword Group noticeably more efficient. Less communication back and forth, less manual work, and more clarity. Just what the team needed to ensure smooth international cooperation with agencies. "We now save at least five hours a week on office management tasks," says Toon.
The introduction of the tool went smoothly. "The implementation is self-evident," says Tijmen. "We received excellent support with customised videos and practical guidance."
Looking ahead: From overview to strategy
With the basics in place, the team is now turning its attention to the next step: using data to make strategic decisions about agency partnerships in different countries. Which agencies are doing a good job, and which aren't?
They're also exploring how to integrate proactive CV submissions from agencies without disrupting reporting workflows. A clear step forward: from chaos to overview, and from reactive to strategic work.
Curious about how Tellent Recruitee can make your recruitment process smarter? Feel free to get in touch with us! In a 30-minute demo, we'll show you what's possible. A sneak peek: you'll halve your admin workload, cut agency costs by up to 20%, hire faster, and stay fully compliant – effortlessly.
