| Why change your payroll provider? | | | | Too many errors. Errors are inevitable when |
| | | | humans handle the payroll. If your service is |
| - Service Stinks | | | | making too many then you may choose to leave |
| - Cost too High | | | | what ever the cost. Errors cost you in time and |
| - Too many Errors | | | | morale if not in actual dollars. Does your payroll |
| - No help with IRS | | | | provider try to fix blame for an error or do they |
| - Lost in the Shuffle | | | | just fix it. They should just fix it! If it really is your |
| Service Stinks. Payroll service is all about service. | | | | error and you admit it, expect a fee. If you think |
| If you don't perceive that your business receives | | | | it is their problem and say so, they should take |
| good service then you probably aren't getting | | | | responsibility regardless of what they think. Does |
| good service. Payroll service providers know that | | | | your payroll provider call you if they see |
| their level of service has to be extremely high. | | | | something strange or do they just do it their |
| Are you getting what you were promised? Too | | | | way? If they do it their way you know they are |
| often salespeople promise what production can't | | | | not concerned enough about you to make a |
| deliver. Are your problems addressed, and more | | | | phone call or send an email. |
| importantly solved, immediately. If your account | | | | Every employee of every client looks at payroll |
| has been overdrafted and you don't get your | | | | and needs for it to be perfect. It won't be, but it |
| money back in two business days or less you are | | | | needs to be as close as possible |
| not getting good service. | | | | No help with the IRS. Does your payroll service |
| Cost too High. Are you paying more than you | | | | when presented with a letter from the IRS tell |
| should? How do you tell? Get some quotes. There | | | | you to call your CPA? Shame on them. The IRS |
| are a number of free quote services on line. | | | | will send you letters. The IRS makes mistakes. |
| Google "Payroll quotes" and go from there. Many | | | | The IRS will not fix their mistakes unless and until |
| times your payroll company will negotiate with | | | | you can prove to them they are wrong. Many |
| you if you feel the price is too high, but not | | | | times even if you made the mistake a good |
| always. Remember also that the major payroll | | | | negotiator can get the IRS to remove the |
| companies have a revenue maximization process. | | | | penalties and sometimes the interest. I can't tell |
| They will quote you a price to get your business. | | | | you how many penalties in the last fifteen years I |
| There used to be right on the Paychex contract a | | | | have had abated simply by contacting the IRS in |
| line called WIT for the salesperson to fill in. WIT | | | | a professional manner and knowing what to say |
| stood for "Whatever it Takes". The salesperson | | | | and how to say it. Your payroll service provider |
| would give any concession to get the payroll | | | | should be an expert in getting penalties abated. |
| business. Then the local office would stealthily | | | | Your CPA will probably not be a payroll tax |
| increase the price every payroll or every few | | | | expert. Your payroll service provider should have |
| payrolls until it reached the maximum level the | | | | CPAs on staff, that you can talk with to solve |
| local office thought it could sustain. | | | | IRS and State tax problems. |
| The other thing a lot of payroll companies do is | | | | Lost in the shuffle. Do you talk to a different |
| quote you prices but don't tell you what is not | | | | person every time you call your payroll service |
| included in that price. Things like a cost for: each | | | | provider? Do you get passed from extension to |
| hire, each termination, each report, each new | | | | extension to extension until you end up with voice |
| report, each non standard report, each W2, each | | | | mail that is not returned? When you call for help |
| W2 reprint, tax service, phone entry, year end | | | | do you get a voice mail system and not a |
| reports, unnecessary CDs, access fees, monthly | | | | person? When you call for help do you reach |
| fees and so on. Also if they give you a "discount" | | | | India? If you can't talk to live people, who can |
| to get your business it can easily vanish. | | | | solve your problems and do it in English, then you |
| Be careful of quotes to make sure everything is | | | | are lost in the shuffle. Enough said! |
| in them and your price is guaranteed for a period | | | | Check out |
| of time. Then check it every pay period to make | | | | Payroll Service, Changing Providers. Chapter Two. |
| sure it is what you expect. | | | | What Should you Look for in a New Provider? |