How Baker Thornton built a connected recruitment pipeline across three markets
A specialist accounting recruiter operating across the UK, USA, and Canada replaced disconnected tools with one CRM built around how their consultants actually work.
Three markets. Three ways of doing things.
No single view of the business.
Baker Thornton had grown into a well-regarded specialist accounting recruiter with operations across the UK, USA, and Canada. The consultants were good at their jobs. The business was growing. But the systems had not kept up.
No shared pipeline across markets
Each market ran its own tracking in a mix of spreadsheets, inbox folders, and a CRM that nobody fully trusted. Leadership had no clear view of what was actually in the pipeline across the business.
Client and candidate data in separate places
The client sales pipeline and the candidate tracking process lived in different tools. Consultants had to manually cross-reference both to manage placements, which took time and created errors.
Too many tools, too much cost
The business was paying for a CRM, a separate ATS, and various other tools that only partially overlapped. The stack was expensive, fragmented, and something different for every consultant.
Inconsistent process across the team
Without a defined pipeline process built into the system, every consultant ran their desk slightly differently. Forecasting was guesswork. Handoffs were unreliable.
One pipeline. One process.
Built around how recruiters actually work.
Before touching any platform, we mapped the full Baker Thornton workflow: how clients were sourced and managed, how candidates moved through the process, and how placements were tracked through to completion. Then we configured Pipedrive around that map.
Client pipeline built into Pipedrive
New client development, active briefs, and repeat client relationships all tracked in defined pipeline stages with activity reminders and follow-up sequences.
Candidate tracking connected to client deals
Candidate records linked directly to live client briefs so consultants had one place to manage both sides of every placement without switching between systems.
One process across all three markets
The same pipeline stages and qualification criteria rolled out across UK, USA, and Canada so leadership could see and compare performance across the whole business for the first time.
Tech stack consolidated and costs reduced
Three separate tools replaced with one Pipedrive setup. Subscription costs cut and the team no longer switching between platforms to do their job.
One system. Three markets.
A pipeline the whole business can trust.
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