We have deliberately used the word ‘partner’ rather than provider, because we believe that is the best type of relationship for outsourced payroll to work.
Yes processes and systems are important, but let’s not forget that at the heart of a good outsourcing experience is the trust and confidence you have with the people you are dealing with.
You want to be working with a payroll service company who is not purely interested in short term gains but who want to work with you, building your business for many years to come.
So what are the key criteria when choosing a payroll partner?
Flexibility
You need to make sure that your payroll partner will be able to work with you, your systems and deadlines without imposing their rigid processes on you.
At Dataplan we take this approach - companies of 50 employees plus will already have reasonably sophisticated systems for paying their people. If it isn't broken don't fix it.
If you don’t have established systems then, of course, we can help you with your systems and processes.
Going the extra mile
So many businesses talk about ‘quality’ and ‘service’ but what does it actually mean. At Dataplan we have translated this into a number of tangible promises including –
- Regular update meetings
- Proactive communication and recommendations
- Consistency of a named team that will get to know your business
- Service that is backed by our awards from the IPP (Institute of Payroll Professionals)
- A Customer Charter
- Continued technological innovation designed to streamline and add value to your payroll
Transparency
It is a sad fact that the payroll outsourced industry has in the past been driven by the cheapest ‘per payslip’ price. Whilst on the surface this may look like good news for you as the buyer, the reality is that all too often this is achieved by stripping out costs for things that actually have to be provided, such as starters and leavers. These ‘additions’ then get added on leaving you with unexpected, and unbudgeted for, costs.
We believe in transparent pricing. Once we define your requirements, we will provide a complete price that has no hidden extras or surprise charges.
Not all payroll service companies are made equal. Take care when you choose your payroll service provider.
See our checklist of questions to ask your payroll service company.
