The Details

Client: Blue Arrow

Sector: Recruitment & Staffing

Relationship: 10+ years with CBS

Services: DBS criminal record checks and international checks

The Background

For a recruitment business like Blue Arrow, vetting is a critical part of operations. Candidates cannot begin work until their DBS clearance is complete, meaning delays in the screening process directly affect placements, onboarding timelines and revenue.

Before partnering with CBS, Blue Arrow’s vetting process relied entirely on paper DBS applications. The team handled large volumes of forms sent through the post, creating delays, administrative pressure and opportunity for application errors.

“We did everything by paper,” explains Jemma Lewis, Vetting and Compliance Team Leader at Blue Arrow. “You’d send applications out, wait for them to come back, and if something wasn’t correct the whole process would start again. It became almost impossible to manage efficiently.”

When Blue Arrow began searching for a digital solution, one requirement was non-negotiable – the organisation needed to retain its own counter signatory function. As well as processing checks for its own candidates, Blue Arrow also counter signs DBS applications for associated companies, meaning they need full control over the process.

CBS provided exactly that – an effective digital portal that maintained Blue Arrow’s decision-making authority while transforming how DBS applications were submitted and processed.

The move from paper to digital screening has improved efficiency. Applications are now completed online, eliminating delays caused by postal forms and reducing the potential for errors. Once checks are complete, certificates can be quickly downloaded and uploaded into Blue Arrow’s own candidate management system.

The impact has been substantial.

“The time saving is huge,” says Jemma. “The biggest difference is how quickly candidates clear. Some of our candidates can’t start assignments until their DBS is complete, so the faster that happens, the sooner we can place them.”

Training requirements have also been minimal. According to Jemma, new users can be trained on the system in just a few minutes and queries about the portal itself are rare.

Beyond the platform, the working relationship with CBS has also played an important role in the partnership’s success. Blue Arrow’s Vetting and Compliance team regularly works with CBS support to navigate regulatory questions and complex scenarios.

“They’re a dream to work with,” says Jemma. “If I ask a question, I get an answer quickly. And if they don’t know, they’ll go and find it. That honesty and collaboration really matters when you’re dealing with compliance.”

Over time, Blue Arrow has also expanded its use of CBS services to include international background checks, benefiting from a faster and more streamlined process compared to previous systems.

Blue Arrow has worked with CBS for over a decade and see the relationship continuing to grow and develop

The Challenge

Before partnering with CBS, Blue Arrow managed DBS applications entirely on paper. This created an administrative burden for its Vetting and Compliance team, with applications posted back and forth, opportunity for errors and delayed processing times.

For assignments where temporary candidates cannot start work until their DBS clearance is confirmed, these delays had a significant operational impact. Turnaround times meant candidates waited longer to begin placements, creating frustration for branches and slowing the onboarding process.

Blue Arrow needed a provider that would allow them to retain their own counter signatory authority, enabling them to make recruitment decisions internally and process checks for associated companies.

The CBS Solution

CBS provided a simple, digital-first DBS portal that enabled Blue Arrow to move away from paper applications while retaining full counter signatory control.

The platform allows candidates to complete applications online, reducing errors and eliminating postal delays. Once checks are complete, certificates can be quickly downloaded and integrated into Blue Arrow’s own candidate portal.

CBS also supports Blue Arrow with international background checks, providing a faster and more streamlined process than previous systems.

Alongside the technology, Blue Arrow benefits from direct access to expert support, ensuring regulatory questions and complex scenarios are resolved quickly.

The Results

The transition from paper to digital screening delivered immediate operational benefits.

• Significant time savings – across the vetting process
• Faster DBS clearance – allowing candidates to start work sooner
• Reduced errors – thanks to a structured online application process
• Minimal training required – new users can learn the system in minutes
• Reliable service – with no significant downtime

The faster ‘time to clear’ means Blue Arrow can place candidates into assignments quickly and helps branches generate revenue sooner while maintaining strict compliance standards.