TPC Blog

Payroll is an essential part of any business. As a business owner, determining how to outsource or if you should, or when to make a change in payroll companies falls on your shoulders. There are a variety of reasons why a business might desire a switch in their payroll company or HR management. Thankfully, there are some common signs that it’s time to switch payroll companies you can be on the lookout for within your own business.

These are highlighted below as the three biggest reasons why businesses switch payroll companies. In addition to the common complaint of individual differences, the following three elements are those that are often highlighted as the reason a business moved on from one company and made the choice to begin a working relationship with a new payroll company or HR management company:

1. Customer Service

Obviously, as a business owner, you don’t want to have to contact a call center and speak with a different person each and every time you contact your payroll provider. This process is extremely frustrating, and by not talking to the same person, in many cases, the person trying to solve your problem has no knowledge of your business. Instead, you want someone who understands your business, who is in the same contact group each and every time. You don’t want to be routed through a call center and then have to navigate an annoying voice messaging program via an 800 number.

It makes sense that you want someone to help you who knows your name and is familiar with your business. This is better customer service overall, and if you aren’t getting this level of service from your current payroll provider, this could be your sign it’s time to make a change. You shouldn’t have to waste precious time when you could be doing other things like making money or overseeing your business, stuck on the phone trying to deal with a payroll issue. Any problem that comes up should be easily handled by a team of experts who know your business well and understand your business goals.

2. Technology

Another common reason that businesses will change their current payroll service is to gain access to better technology. This can mean that their current provider doesn’t provide the desired technological resources, or the payroll company provides decent but not great technology options. Due to today’s advancement in technology, even within the HR industry, there is simply no excuse for a modern payroll company to not offer top-notch technology for today’s growing businesses. Therefore, if you feel your current payroll company is lagging behind in this department, this could be yet another sign that it’s time to consider a change. Ask yourself if your business is being left behind and would benefit from updated technology within your current setup.

3. Ease of Access

When you want something done in terms of your business, you likely want it accomplished quickly and efficiently. Time is of the essence, after all, when you are running a successful and busy business. If your payroll provider doesn't give you easy access to their services and products, you can find yourself wasting a great deal of time trying to navigate to their services. Ask yourself how quickly you can pick up the phone and talk to a person directly, or how long it takes to receive reports or information needed for filing. What about questions, how quickly can you get an answer? How easily does your current payroll company make it to learn new software or access that software? Does your current payroll provider offer customer service technology and the ease of access that you would prefer?

Benefits of Payroll Services

If you have never before contemplated procuring payroll services and have stumbled upon this information, consider this your sign that now is the time to move into such a relationship with a company that will address all the issues outlined above. The following are some practical benefits that indicate why you should consider payroll services if you haven’t before:

• Help With Challenging Tasks: According to Small Business Trends, payroll and administrative work are listed as the top challenge stated as it relates to running a business. Thankfully, these tasks can be outsourced to a payroll provider, easing the responsibilities of a business owner. This can mean you are able to spend more time handling your business matters that need your attention instead of worrying about mountains of paperwork.
  
  
• Payroll Services Can Meet Other Needs: In addition to overseeing the payroll side of things, many payroll companies can also come alongside businesses and provide recruiting support among other services. This can be an extremely beneficial service as recruitment can cost dearly both in terms of time and money. In fact, the average cost of recruiting an employee is over $4,000 according to the Society for Human Resources Management.
  
  
• Ensure Compliance and Reduce Fees: State and federal employment laws can be extremely confusing and difficult to navigate. This is to say nothing of the requirements brought about by the Federal Insurance Contributions Act that covers state unemployment, Medicare, and Social Security. Thankfully, payroll service providers know all the legal and tax codes required to ensure that your business is compliant. This will keep you from facing fines or fees that you might otherwise incur just because you didn’t know you were making a mistake.

Bottom Line: Three Reasons to Make a Change

If you find your current payroll company lacking in any of the above categories, either customer service, technology, or ease of access, it’s likely time for you to explore other options. At TPC, we are happy to offer you all these and more. Our goal is to provide solutions to your payroll and HR issues along with providing a higher level of service throughout the entire process.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help advance your current payroll system and advance your business in terms of technology and service.