When you ask for a background check, do you know what you’re going to get for your money? Do your expectations match the cost? Can you really get a thorough background check for $49.95? If not, what are you giving up?
When we speak with prospective clients, they’re often not getting the information they need or the price they expect from their background screening firm.
Here’s why.
Information costs money
As a New York firm, much of our client base is located in the state of New York. Conducting a statewide criminal history check through the New York State Office of Court Administration (NYOCA) costs $95 plus administration fees for each name and date of birth combination.
When we give a prospective client a proposal, we disclose this cost up front. However, we frequently hear responses along the lines of, “Other firms have quoted us a price of $49.95.”
When we explain the cost of performing the NYOCA search, the prospective client insists that $49.95 is the total cost of their background check. Further probing typically reveals one of two things:
- The fine print of the agreement for the $49.95 background check states that court access fees are an additional cost
- The background check is conducted using only databases and not court records
(We’ve previously discussed why the information provided by databases can be outdated or inaccurate.)
So, either the $49.95 price won’t match the final bill or the background screening firm wasn’t clear about the quality of the information being returned.
When evaluating your current provider or before partnering with a new firm, be sure you understand what you are actually buying. Read the fine print about pricing. Understand the quality of information you’ll be receiving.
Also, ask these three key questions.
What names/how many names should be searched?
Most record searches are name-based, so consider those names carefully. For example, if Mary Jones marries Michael Smith, it is possible that her records could be found under Mary Jones, Mary Smith or Mary Jones-Smith. If you order all three names, the cost of the background check will increase. But if you only order the name Mary Jones, you could potentially miss records listed under other names.
How many jurisdictions to search?
One common misperception about background checks is that there is a national repository of records that will find all of the background information you need from every state, city, county and other jurisdiction with just a click.
If only that were true.
To get the most accurate and up-to-date records, searches must be conducted at the county level. (Some states, such as New York, offer state-wide searches that are the equivalent of searching each county individually). Typically, background checks are based on the subject’s address history. The more places they have lived, worked or gone to school, the more jurisdictions you should consider searching. Needless to say, more searches mean higher costs.
Also, as we’ve touched upon, court search fees can vary, and some are much more expensive than others.
How far back should records be searched?
The longer the time scope, the more thorough the background check. However, there are issues with older records:
- They may have been purged
- The electronic files may be damaged
- They may take too long to be retrieved
While there are other factors to consider when engaging a background screening firm, these questions should be part of the conversation. Otherwise, making a decision based solely on price may not deliver a report that provides the information you need to make critical decisions.
In addition, employment laws in some jurisdictions may restrict the time scope of records that can be reported on a background report.
The right balance depends on why you are conducting the background check. For example, investigating a potential joint-venture partner for a multimillion-dollar deal or hiring someone for an executive-level position might warrant searching deeper into the individual’s history.
Your background screening firm should be able to explain the costs and benefits of searching further back, as well as laws that may limit that search.
Get What You Need
While there are other factors to consider when engaging a background screening firm, these questions should be part of the conversation. Otherwise, making a decision based solely on price may not deliver a report that provides the information you need to make critical decisions.
