When you run a small business, you have several options for processing employee payroll, including processing payroll in-house or outsourcing to a payroll company, accountant, or PEO. Outsourcing payroll is often cheaper than employing an in-house payroll team. Additionally, payroll companies use experts in payroll and employment laws to ensure your company stays in compliance. These teams often offer services beyond just running payroll that can give your business a huge advantage. Because of this, many small businesses choose to partner with an outsourced payroll provider. How can you choose the payroll company that works best for you?
What to Look for in a Payroll Company
When you start working with a payroll company you want to make sure they offer all the services you need. Decide if you want direct deposit, paper checks, or on-demand wages as some payroll companies don’t offer all these options. You may also wanted to consider other services like garnishments, PTO tracking, verifications of employment, and payroll reports and decide how important these services are for your company. Another important thing to evaluate is how easy the payroll system is to use. If you spend hours trying to input employee hours so you can process payroll, that’s probably not the company for you. One of the best benefits in a payroll company is the expert support they offer. Try to find a company where you can easily access the experts with your questions and know you’ll get a timely answer.
Tips for Choosing the Best Payroll Company
To choose the best payroll company, you want to be aware of several things. First, you want to know what their reputation is. Check reviews online to see how their clients feel about them and how they deal with complaints. If a company has a lot of unaddressed negative reviews, they’re likely not a good company to trust.
Understand the level of service you will receive. Will you have a dedicated payroll Specialist who knows your company, or will your payroll be processed by different individuals each time? Can your employees reach out directly to the payroll company for support, or will they need to go through you? Can you call and speak with someone on the phone, or do you have to submit a support ticket?
You also want to know if a company is committed to cybersecurity. When you partner with a payroll company, they have access to yours and your employees’ data. The best payroll companies are the ones that take that responsibility seriously.
Questions to Ask When Choosing Among Top Payroll Companies
Does the Payroll Company Work with Benefits? – Some payroll companies also process benefits deductions and PTO, but it’s not a guarantee.
What Happens as Your Company Grows?- Make the company you choose can keep up if your company grows so you won’t need to switch companies as you expand. Find out whether the company can process payroll and provide support in multiple states.
Do They Have Other Clients in Your Industry?-There may be payroll laws or best practices connected to your specific industry, so you want to make sure that the payroll company you choose has experience in your area.
What Technology Do They Use? – Taking a look at a demo video of the technology used by the company can give you a sneak peek into what it would be like to work with the payroll company.
How Can I Reach Someone for Support? – Ask about customer support hours and methods. Do they offer phone support or just email and chat?
Want to Talk to a Payroll Company?
Helpside provided payroll solutions for small businesses in a variety of industries. If you want to talk with our experts to discuss payroll options, reach out to Helpside at service@helpside.com.