7 questions before choosing a payroll or HR partner: evaluating vendors beyond software features

Payroll and HR solutions are natural extensions of selling business and IT services. You might not be a payroll or HR specialist, but all your clients rely on those disciplines to keep their organisational wheels turning. Many of them are interested in reliable software services that improve their payroll and HR experience.

Evaluate partners beyond technology

Partnering with a reputable payroll and HR software vendor to resell their services to your customers is the solution to meeting such specific needs. Thanks to cloud-native platforms that can scale based on user numbers and desired features, doing so is straightforward. The software vendor's central platform control gives them oversight over security, storage, and performance improvements. At the same time, you can label their service with your branding or even white-label it for your customers.

The shift to cloud-native platforms has fundamentally improved payroll and HR software services. These platforms create interoperable environments where the vendor handles technical and critical system elements such as development, infrastructure, and features like tax calculations or legislation updates. Meanwhile, the partner can focus on their customers' experiences and requirements.

Important: The Vendor Relationship is an Ongoing Partnership

You are providing an ongoing solution rather than just a product. If your vendor doesn't support that relationship, they will inevitably undermine you, even if unintentionally. The right partner goes beyond selling software and becomes an extension of your business.

7 questions to ask your payroll and HR software partner

When business service providers vet a software platform partner, they should look beyond the software's features. The best options leverage modern cloud technologies, platform economics, and expected features such as security and integration. But none of those aspects reveal if they are good partners. They describe what a vendor does, but not what they will do for you.

1. Are they focused on enablement

The right vendor partner doesn't just sell software. They sell everything around that software. They shouldn't just talk about features, but also how they help you bring those features to your customers and drive adoption.

2. Do they respect your relationship with your customers

Some vendors have few qualms about poaching your customers, using you to access them. Reputable vendors know you are their customer, support you, and engage with your customers as if the vendor's staff are part of your organisation.

3. How good are their training services

Good training resources will help both you and your customers reach desired levels of control and confidence in the software. That training should cover different formats, from online self-training to webinars and workshops tailored to your specific requirements.

4. Do you have a dedicated account manager

Some vendors can leave partners without reliable human contact when they have nuanced or specific issues to resolve or features they want to request. Good vendors dedicate people to partner accounts, regardless of the partner's size.

5. Will they support you with co-marketing

You excel at your job and your customers value working with you. But you may not be a payroll or HR expert, and you need support in selling the software's deeper features or explaining technical customer problems. The vendor should provide marketing support such as participating in demos or creating joint collateral.

6. Do they provide integration support with other software

Very few companies start with a clean slate. Most use other software products for time-keeping, accounting, or other functions. The payroll or HR software vendor should be willing and able to integrate with other software types where technically workable.

7. Are you learning about their new features

Software platforms innovate and add new features regularly, from self-service portals and communication channels to artificial intelligence. Reliable vendors will keep you informed and might even invite you to test new features early, giving you a competitive edge.

The right partner goes the distance

There was a time when technology features were the most critical part of selecting partner vendors. But as businesses digitise and cloud services make technology more accessible, it's much easier to assess whether software is worthwhile in terms of features and costs.

The actual difference lies instead in how the vendor behaves. What do they bring to the table? How do they support you? Are they trying to sell licences or support experiences? The difference will grow your business and strengthen your customer relationships.

Ask the hard questions. If the vendor is worthwhile, they'll find those easy to answer.