Which is the best software Encore by Cluen or Filefinder by Dillistone and for which reasons?
We are an Executive Firm and we are looking to buy a new software.
Answers (6)
Eric M
Managing Partner, Alliance Resource Consulting, LLC and Staffing and Recruiting Consultant
I would quiz both companies on the capabilities of their software. If they have to customize it to fit your needs its going to cost you. More importantly, can they provide the training and the can they do in in a timely manner. We contracted with one of these companies to provide recruiting software - the training was difficult to schedule, the software modules were expensive to modify. We eventually decided to spend more money to build our own system - and we are very happy with it. The biggest cost headache was report generation - I would ask about what you want vs. what they will give you.
Edward M
Partner, Transition Partners Group, Inc & CEO Change Management Associates, Inc
We were a FileFinder client. In late 2006 we undertook a product review and included Encore (Cluen) and FileFinder (Dillistone) as well as three more (including some ASP’s). We selected Encore. (Currently version #4) for our executive search business.
• Encore interface is more intuitive
• Encore had more customizable features and we did not pay extra.
• The initial license and ongoing maintenance was more reasonable
• There were no pricing surprises at implementation.
• The initial training was delivered on our schedule and ongoing training has been available at reasonable cost in our locations or at Cluen HQ
• We have outsourced the hosting of Encore and we service 5 disparate geographic locations. We connect through a VPN with no issues. We have had no interruptions in service.
• We were not sure that the methodology of technology support….leaving a VM with a description of the problem vs. talking directly with a live person would work. We were pleasantly surprised that their system of routing the issue to the proper knowledgeable support person would work but it works amazingly well. The lag time for a call back is often minutes and not hours or days. With FF we often had to wait days for answers as all support seemed to come from the UK.
• We get regular calls from the Account Management folks to discuss business and advise us of upgrades without our having us call them. I never saw a FF Account Manager.
• Report generation is easy enough now although not as intuitive as we would like but we are told V #5 will be a vast improvement.
Stephanie, I cannot comment on others experience, but I can say, unequivocally, I had the exact opposite experience from the one described by Edward McBride. When I started my own recruiting firm in 2002, after having been with Heidrick & Struggles and Russell Reynolds, I contracted with Cluen and installed their Encore system. I found it to be rigid - both in my ability to customize the system and in Cluen's willingness to consider changes that would improve their offering. In less than a year, I replaced the Encore system with Filefinder from Dillistone and have found the experience much more enjoyable. As you can imagine, it was not financially attractive to pay for two systems within the space of one year, and it was a decision I did not take lightly. However, for me it has proven to be a prudent decision.
Specifically, I use Outlook exclusively to manage my calendar and action items and for e-mail functionality. At the time I made the switch, there was no comparison in the level of Outlook integration between the two systems - Dillistone embraced the need for integration and Cluen resisted it. Since then, I cannot comment on Encore's current capabilities, but I can say that Dillistone has continued to improve its Outlook integration in every subsequent release. More to my amazement, as I am a small user, they sought my input on many of these enhancements, knowing that it was a focus area of mine and that I had something to offer in terms of user feedback.
There were several other aspects of the Dillistone system that I found advantageous - the ability to customize their system (from the field level to the workflow level); their ability to offer replication, so I could have the database with me when I traveled versus Cluen's direction which was to allow access to the database via telecoms connections only; Dillistone's resume scanning and input functionality, which I found to be much more logical, intuitive and efficient; Filefinder's ability to import research information identified through multiple sources, i.e. the web, databases, etc. has steadily improved over the years , and I believe is best of breed today.
Finally, I have received excellent support - from DIllistone's President, Jason Starr, to their Representative in North America, Scott Molski, to the support staff, both in the US and UK.
I have not used Filefinder, but I have used Encore by Cluen quite extensively (as a Database Administrator, Knowledge Manager and Researcher). Encore is user-friendly, flexible, stable and an extremely important part of our business. For those technically savvy, a short training lesson is all you need to get up and running. For individuals who require frequent support and guidance, Cluen is always available to assist. I understand their new version (Encore 5) makes significant improvements to their product. Cluen takes their product development very seriously, and has been quite deliberate in ensuring their new product will run well before releasing to existing customers. As someone who has worked with a mulitude of databases, I would have to say that Cluen’s product is without question, top of the line in every respect.
With respect to the Outlook capabilities - I cannot say there has been any issue in this regard from my end. The Encore systems works in tandem with Outlook.
We use Encore and I HIGHLY recommend it! I do not have any experience with Filefinder but I have used another software at my previous firm. In my opinion, Encore is superior to the one I used previously. Encore is easy to use and extremely effective.
I am very familiar with the software. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions: bhutani.sachin@gmail.com
Having used both ... FileFinder comes out streaks ahead. Encore, whilst it has a good back end piece to it (i.e. billings etc) and good reporting features it is very user unfriendly.
At the end of the day a database is only as good as the data you put into. That’s one of the main areas where FileFinder wins hands down; Encore has a long winded & slow process to input people. I appreciate that there are lots of shortcuts to do such things, but these are difficult to remember when a user first gets trained (that’s where the data integrity rot sets in). Encore is certainly not as intuitive.
The FileFinder support team is exceptional & this ranges from general user support (i.e. how can I do this) through to more technical support like setting up new offices etc.
The system is easily tailored with a good number of bolt-on niceties that make data entry very simple. It also has a good interface with both the web & standard software (outlook etc). FileFinder also listen to end user ideas and implement practical & helpful additions in upgrades.
Having used both & been involved in new office set ups, data imports and producing Management Information Systems as well as being a day to day end user I can honestly say FileFinder wins hands down.
I am very happy for you to contact me if you want to ask any questions
