Easy-to-use Payroll Solutions

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Outsourcing your payroll is one of the best business decisions you can make and offers 7 important benefits:
1. You can concentrate on growing your business, rather than the details associated with payroll.
2. You will get a highly trained specialist managing your payroll. Consider the changes that have occurred with federal payroll taxes alone over the last 2 years - payroll service providers are best able to handle these complicated changes.
3. Someone else will make the tax deposits. One late deposit penalty could cost more than having a professional payroll provider process for the entire year.
4. Payroll processing companies are flexible and can provide resources that can't provide - like online paystubs and W-2's.
5. Outsourcing will reduce your task workload in areas such as new hire reporting and Social Security verification.
6. Payroll companies will manage the paperwork required to be filed with the IRS and are far less likely to make errors.
7. Payroll companies offer a selection of payroll submission options like phone, fax, online, or remote software.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. All payroll companies should offer a Performance Guarantee, meaning if they make a mistake they should be willing to correct it FREE of charge and REFUND the fees you originally paid.

In addition, they should offer a Money-Back Guarantee if you make the switch and you are not satisfied. The payroll conversion should be easy, quick, and seamless.

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. 1. What features does your payroll service offer? Make sure you understand what their basic service covers and how long those rates will remain in effect. Also, if there are payroll data mistakes, how long will it take to reconcile the errors and what will it cost?
2. How much of payroll will you need to manage? Different payroll providers offer different processing features. The type of services vary widely. Determine how much you want to be involved with and what tasks will need to be completed by you. For example, ask yourself, "Do I want to run my payroll when I want to, or only when the service has me scheduled for a run?"
3. How will you get your reports? Larger providers can be inflexible with their reporting systems.
4. How easy is it to switch payroll providers? Find out what is involved in switching. How will your data accepted? Will you be responsible for the accuracy of the data or will they?
5. Will you know your payroll totals before finalizing? Will you get a preview to look over before submitting your payroll so you can catch any errors you might have made? Ask what is available and if they charge extra for it.
6. Does your payroll service offer a money back guarantee? Generally, payroll services will complete your payroll correctly, but what type of guarantee do they offer covering their service in the event they make a mistake? Make sure they offer a guarantee and that you receive it in writing.
7. Does your payroll service provide references? Checking references is an important way to validate the payroll provider you are considering. Ask the references how responsive the payroll provider is to your questions and ask about their payroll processing accuracy.