If you’ve already switched payroll providers in the past, chances are, it’s not a process you’d like to repeat in the future. With that in mind, it’s important to choose a new payroll provider that can not only meet your current needs but your needs in the future as well.
To help you select the best payroll provider for your business, we’ve created this short checklist of questions to ask yourself when considering a new provider. Read on, compare your current options to the questions below, and make an educated decision for your company!
What Are Customers Saying About Them?
People love to express their opinions online, and this is especially true when it comes to payroll software. Before even seriously considering a new provider, you should look online and check current (and past) customer reviews to see what they’re saying. Have other people had generally positive experiences with this provider?
If not, what were the issues they ran into? Reading these reviews will not only let you know what the provider does (or does not) do well, but it also allows you to set reasonable expectations moving forward. We recommend paying close attention to any reviews that mention “customer service”, as the last thing you want is to choose a provider who doesn’t provide any after-sales support!
How Much of Your Payroll Can They Process?
Individual payroll needs will vary by business so you’ll want to determine how much of your payroll the new provider will be responsible for. Will they need to process your entire payroll, or do you only need their services for part of the process (e.g. payroll distribution)?
Once you’ve determined your individual business needs, you can check and see if the new potential provider will be able to accommodate these requirements. If not, then it’s easy to cross them off of the list and move on to alternative options.
Are their service available for all the 50 states?
While the ability to access payroll outside of the office may not be a necessity for your business, it’s still a valuable ability to have, especially for your employees. Rather than needing to visit the payroll department to answer any payroll questions, cloud-based payroll software allows employees to check past (or current) pay stubs for themselves.
Some payroll service providers (e.g. UZIO) allow employees to view their paychecks online as well as utilize other self-service options.
Does the Provider Offer Complete Solutions?
PTO requests aren’t directly related to payroll, but the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. The payroll and HR departments are closely related and use a lot of the same data, so it’s worthwhile to find out if your new payroll provider can service both departments (rather than just one). Complete payroll services allow you to access payroll and HR software using a single platform.
By sharing a sole database between the two departments, routine processes such as onboarding or creating reports can be performed much faster than if data has to be transferred manually. Another bonus? Consolidating software services to a single platform can help save money!
Do They Fall Within Budget?
One of the most common motivators behind switching payroll providers is the potential to cut costs. After all, what’s the benefit of switching providers if you end up paying more for the same (or similar) services? Fortunately, cloud-based payroll platforms tend to be more than affordable, with many companies offering their services for as little as $4.50/month per employee.
If you’re currently using an in-house team to manage your payroll, the money-saving potential is exponential! Even if you’re already using an online payroll system, you can likely find a cheaper service provider if you shop around and compare offers.
Although many companies tend to prioritize saving money over anything else, we highly recommend basing your choice of new payroll service provider primarily on the services provided, with costs being a secondary consideration.
So, how did your current choices for your next potential payroll service provider compare to the list above? Hopefully, the questions above have helped direct you in your search for a superior payroll provider.
Remember, it’s not solely about the money you can save by switching, but also about the overall improvements to the payroll process that made you want to switch in the first place. Happy shopping!
This is a Contributor Post. Opinions expressed here are opinions of the Contributor. Influencive does not endorse or review brands mentioned; does not and cannot investigate relationships with brands, products, and people mentioned and is up to the Contributor to disclose. Contributors, amongst other accounts and articles may be professional fee-based.