Why would you want to change payroll providers?
- Service Stinks
- Cost expensive
- A lot of Errors
- No help with IRS
- Lost in the Shuffle
Service Stinks. Payroll service is all about service. Then you most likely aren’t getting great service,if you don’t perceive that your business gets great service. Payroll providers understand that their level of service has to be exceptionally high. Are you getting what you were assured? Too frequently salesmen guarantee what production can’t deliver. Are your issues attended to,and more notably resolved,instantly. If your account has actually been overdrafted and you don’t get your cash back in 2 business days or less you are not getting great service.
Cost expensive. Are you paying more than you should? How do you tell? Get some quotes. There are a variety of free quote services on line. Google “Payroll quotes” and go from there. Often times your payroll business will work out a revised deal with you if you feel the rate is expensive,however not every time. Remember that the significant payroll businesses have a profit maximization process. They will estimate you a rate to get your business. There was right on the Paychex agreement a line called WIT for the sales representative to complete. WIT meant “Whatever it Takes”. The sales representative would provide any concession to get the payroll service. Payroll service is all about service. Payroll service companies understand that their level of service has to be exceptionally high. The regional office would stealthily increase the rate every payroll or every few payrolls until it reached the optimum level the regional office thought it would be able to sustain.
The other thing a lot of payroll businesses do is quote you rates however don’t tell you what is not included because of rate concerns. Things like a cost for: each hire,each termination,each report,each brand-new report,each non standard report,each W2,each W2 reprint,tax service,phone entry,year end reports,unnecessary CDs,access fees,month-to-month fees and so on. Likewise if they provide you a “discount” to get your service it can quickly disappear.
Beware of quotes to make certain all services are included in them and your rate is guaranteed for a time period. Then examine it every pay period to make certain it is what you anticipate.
A lot of errors. When people manage the payroll,errors are inevitable. Then you might choose to leave what ever the expense,if your service is making too many errors. Errors cost you in time and spirit if not in actual dollars. Does your payroll company try to assign blame for an error or do they just fix it. They should just fix it! If it actually is your error and you admit it,anticipate a charge. If you believe it is their problem and say so,they need to take duty despite what they believe. Does your payroll company call you if they see something unusual or do they just do it their way? ,if they do it their way you understand they are not worried enough about you to make a phone call or send an e-mail.
Every worker of every customer takes a look at payroll and needs for it to be ideal. It won’t be,however it needs to be as close as possible.
No help with the IRS. Does your payroll service when presented with a letter from the IRS tell you to call your CPA? Shame on them. The IRS will send you letters. The IRS makes errors. The IRS will not fix their errors unless and until you can prove to them they are incorrect. Often times even if you made the mistake a great arbitrator can get the IRS to get rid of the penalties and often the interest. I can’t tell you how many penalties in the last fifteen years I have had reduced simply by calling the IRS in an expert manner and understanding what to say and how to say it. Your payroll provider should be a specialist in getting penalties eased off. Your CPA will most likely not be a payroll tax expert. Your payroll provider should have CPAs on staff,that you can talk with to resolve IRS and State tax issues.
Lost in the shuffle. Do you speak with a different person each time you call your payroll provider? Do you get passed from extension to extension to extension until you wind up with voice mail that is not returned? When you call for aid do you get a voice mail system and not an individual? When you call for aid do you reach India? If you can’t speak with live individuals,who can resolve your issues and do it in English,then you are lost in the shuffle. Enough stated! Here is a great small payroll service company that gives personal service for Northern California companies:
Summary
Payroll service is all about service. Payroll service companies understand that their level of service has to be exceptionally high. The regional office can stealthily increase the rate every payroll or every few payrolls until it reached the optimum level the regional office thought it might sustain so be wary.
Your payroll service company should be a specialist in getting penalties eased off otherwise change your payroll provider.