Using ATS or HRMS? You Might Be Missing the Bigger Picture

We are in the year 2025, and AI has become an essential ingredient without which no recipe tastes quite right, whether it’s the automobile industry, smartphone industry, or recruitment, for that matter. AI plays an important role in making it efficient, productive, and simpler. Most recruitment agencies nowadays are still using ATS software (Applicant Tracking Systems) and HRMS solutions (Human Resource Management Systems) to streamline their hiring processes. These systems assist recruiters with organising job listings, filtering applications, arranging interviews, and streamlining overall hiring operations.

But here’s the challenge many agencies now face:

ATS and HRMS systems alone are no longer enough. As job seekers demand more and hiring gets increasingly competitive, agencies relying only on these systems are likely missing out on opportunities to stand out and perform better.

• Help automate job postings and resume filtering
• Track candidates through the hiring process
• Organise communication and interview feedback
• Improve compliance and internal collaboration

• integrate recruitment processes with essential HR tasks such as onboarding new hires, managing payroll, and evaluating performance.
• Automate shortlisting and messaging
• Provide analytics to support decisions and reporting

Together, they build a reliable base for recruitment automation. But they don’t cover everything, especially when it comes to creating a great candidate experience, offering real personalisation, or making smarter, faster hiring decisions.

Agencies using ATS or HRMS software usually enjoy:

• Time saved by automating repetitive work
• Improved candidate matching with data-based screening
• Better engagement through automated updates
• Reduced bias with standardized filters
• Handy insights on what’s working and what’s slowing you down

These benefits are valuable. But they also show just how much more is possible when newer technologies are added to the mix.

Even though ATS and HRMS platforms are helpful, they can also cause gaps in your recruitment strategy.

Many systems use fixed filters that screen out candidates who don’t fit traditional criteria:

• People with career gaps or unconventional paths
• Talented candidates who use different terms on their resumes

Industry reports suggest that a significant portion of qualified applicants may be unintentionally filtered out by overly rigid automated screening systems.

Automated emails and form-based applications lack the warmth and human touch candidates want today:

• Messaging feels generic
• Communication is slow or one-sided
• There’s no personal connection

Whereas a more human-like and real conversation can be more engaging for the candidates as compared to a robotic and dull conversation.

Agencies collect a lot of data, but it often stays unused:

• Candidate information is rarely revisited
• Insights are stuck in separate tools
• Valuable patterns aren’t being tracked or used

Blind trust in automation has its downsides:

• Algorithms can introduce hidden bias
• Soft skills and tone of communication get ignored
• You may miss out on great fits who don’t match every checkbox

Recruiters still need to apply judgement to make sure good talent isn’t being lost.

Modern applicants want:

• Instant updates and real-time progress tracking
• Easy communication through multiple channels like WhatsApp, email, and calls
• Mobile-first job applications
• A smooth, conversational process—not just filling forms

Most ATS and HRMS tools aren’t built for that level of interaction.

This is where next-gen tools like Bot Shreyasi come in.

Here things get interesting, a Voice AI recruiter brings a new layer of smart, conversational automation that works alongside your existing ATS or HRMS. These tools:

• Conduct automated voice interviews
• Understand intent and tone using Natural Language Processing (NLP)
• Engage in multiple languages
• Integrate directly into your current systems
• Assess candidates using evaluation frameworks such as CBTE, CERP etc for technical and non-technical skills

They don’t replace your platforms, they elevate them.

If your agency wants to stay ahead of the curve, consider:

1. Pairing Your ATS/HRMS with Voice AI

Don’t replace your current system. Add tools that enhance it with better engagement and communication.

2. Blending Automation with Human Interaction

Use automation to handle the first steps. Let your recruiters take over where human judgement matters most.

3. Making Use of Your Candidate Database

Revisit past applicants using smart search and rediscovery tools to save time and cost.

4. Reviewing Your Filters

Keep algorithms fair and inclusive. Check them often to avoid missing out on great talent.

5. Focusing on the Candidate Experience

The better your hiring journey feels, the more likely top talent will complete it. Make the process responsive, mobile-friendly, and human.

Final Thoughts

This doesn’t mean at all that ATS and HRMS are completely obsolete and you should ditch your ATS or HRMS right away. But if that’s all that you are using, you are missing an important piece of the puzzle. Using them alone could mean you’re losing out on talent, speed, and insight.

Adding voice-based AI tools like Bot Shreyasi helps you combine the structure of traditional systems with the conversational, smart experience candidates expect today.

So here’s the real question:

Are you just tracking applicants, or are you truly connecting with them?