HR and payroll software can make your life easier, but not all providers are created equal. It’s crucial to find the best provider for your specific business needs, from the kind of technology they offer to their support options to their pricing structure to their size and reputation in the market. If you know what you’re looking for, it’s much easier to spot the right provider and move forward with confidence. This guide will help you take these five steps to find a new HR and payroll software provider that will work perfectly with your business model and your budget.
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Research what you need
The last thing you want is to go shopping for something that doesn’t do what you need. Before you start looking at vendors, it’s important to have your requirements in mind so that you can weed out any software packages that are unlikely to meet your needs. Start by doing an inventory of what your current system does or doesn’t do well, then compare it with your future needs. One way to do that is through an internal audit called gap analysis—basically, determining where your systems are falling short in terms of features. The results of that should help inform which products will be viable when it comes time for evaluation.
Clarify your business’s needs
Before you start researching solutions, take some time to clarify your needs. Don’t just say that you need HR and payroll software — detail what specific things you’re looking for. What features do you absolutely need? What functionality will be nice-to-have, but not necessarily essential? It’s important to look at both sides of what’s important here: You want your new provider to be as flexible as possible, but also realistic about what they can offer based on their own offerings. If it looks like something critical is missing from their offering, consider holding off until they’ve got it before making any commitment.
Assess your software supplier’s service levels
When you first begin looking for a new provider, you probably have an idea of what features or capabilities you’re looking for. Keep that list handy as you look at different software packages. It might sound obvious, but it’s helpful to have an idea of what your top priorities are when evaluating programs. The last thing you want is to sign up for something only to realize later that it doesn’t meet your expectations because it lacks one or two key features.
Narrow down your list
Now that you’ve got your list, it’s time to narrow it down. Do some research on each company and eliminate those that don’t seem like a good fit. Are they full-service or do they specialize in certain areas? Do they offer customizations and training? Does their customer service seem friendly and knowledgeable? Are they easy to reach by phone or email, and if so, how quickly does someone respond? If anything seems unclear, leave them off your list—it might be hard for you to rely on an employee if you can’t trust his or her company.
Take action and make the switch!
As you can see, finding a new HR and payroll software provider isn’t that difficult. By making it a habit to follow these steps before getting stuck in your current system, you’ll save yourself from having those we’ve been with them forever, so we should stay with them thoughts creeping into your head. To make sure you don’t fall behind, make sure you review every year or as often as possible for changes in functionality, pricing models or service offerings. This way, if there are any red flags you can take action immediately instead of waiting until it is too late.
Deciding that it’s time to upgrade your payroll software or find an external provider can be stressful. You might feel like you’re getting rid of your current relationship, all of your data, maybe even some employees. But take a deep breath, know that you’re not alone, there are plenty of places for HR teams to go! Start by planning out exactly what you want in your new system. This could mean asking for referrals from other companies who use similar software, checking out online resources like G2 Crowd or user-review sites like TrustRadius, or speaking with other members of your company who have experience with different systems.
