How to find the right fit for your payroll needs

If you are making the decision to outsource your payroll services, picking the right partner is important since they will be handling a large and important part of your business. While many business owners know when it’s time to bring in payroll help, they might not know the right questions to ask when determining if a potential payroll services company is a good fit. Our company is a full-service payroll company based in the Bay Area, and we have helped numerous businesses in the Dublin area by providing payroll, tax, HR, worker’s comp and other administrative tasks so they can focus on what matters. Over the years, we have learned the most common, and most informative, questions our clients have asked and we would like to pass on these ideas to other business owners who may be searching for a payroll services company. When determining if a payroll company will be a good fit, the best place to start is finding out exactly what services they offer. While many companies offer “payroll services,” the term can have multiple meanings. Asking if the provider sets up direct deposits, calculates and withholds taxes, pays those takes to the IRS and/or creates tax documents like W-2s and 1099s is a great place to start. In addition, it might make more sense to use a company which offers services beyond payroll like we do. If you’re looking to work with a company offering multiple services, ask if you can create your own “package” to meet the needs of your business. If they do not have all the services you will need, ask if their solution can integrate with other platforms to produce the desired end product. For example, can their payroll system work with your time management system to ensure check amounts are calculated correctly? Like any contract you will sign, another consideration should be the contract terms of the services to be provided. Our contracts don’t have a set duration, this allows the client and our people freedom to move on if it’s not a good fit. Another part of this is determining if there are any additional fees on top of the rate they charge for services. Asking if there are fees for tracking time off, withholding funds or rushed checks will give you a better idea of what you can expect to pay. If the company you are considering has a contract duration, you will want to understand what the requirements are to move on in the event a change is needed. The most labor-intensive part of using a payroll service from the business owner’s perspective will be the process of getting all your data into their system, so ask what steps they have in place to make the onboarding process as easy as possible. Onboarding can make or break your payroll service, so make sure they can do it right. If you want answers to these questions, and ones specific to your business, we have years of experience in payroll services and our team is happy to discuss the services we provide. Give us a call today and we will be happy to help!