FEATURE TOPIC
check a payroll will result in errors affecting employee pay, and can be costly to a business in many ways. KT: This is always a tricky question. On one hand you want to offer some flexibility and tailoring to clients, and on the other, you need to ensure you can meet client expectations regarding deadlines and processing of the payroll. The terms of engagement should be accurate and refer to timetables agreed. This allows the client to review the deadlines at the start of each tax year via the processing calendar, and only in exceptional circumstances should these be allowed to change. By doing this annually, you can adjust for shutdowns for clients e.g., Christmas breaks. How often should payroll service providers and their clients meet for a catchup to ensure everything is running smoothly? AL: The frequency of catchups or meetings really depends on the: l type of service provided l size and complexity of the payroll l historical service performance l ongoing issues. Catchups should be frequent enough to ensure any potential issues are resolved promptly before they escalate and have a greater impact. LL: The frequency of meetings will depend on the client. Meetings should be regular to allow the client to engage with the payroll provider and discuss any queries or concerns they have, and for the payroll provider to keep the client up to date. Even where all is running smoothly, regular meetings allow for continued engagement and relationship building. CP: It’s beneficial to have monthly virtual meetings, which enable both parties to address any issues which need to be discussed in a proactive manner. This also gives an opportunity to exchange ideas and build connections, which can encourage a more seamless flow of information between teams. The following ideas have helped me: l set clear expectations with your clients and providers, and establish clear channels of communication l know your stakeholders and the role they play in the relationship l nurture your relationship, irrespective of the impact they may have on your bottom line. Some clients may have more strategic
importance to your business, but they all contribute to the success l be proactive and dynamic – share updates on technology that could create efficiencies and ask your providers about their road map for changes which positively enhance your payroll operating model. SS: Clients should feel like they can catch up at any time and as frequently as they need to. Providers should actively agree on the standard for a formal review and check in. This should be more frequent when planning significant change together. KT: In an ideal world, all the time. Here at AAB, each team member has a client portfolio for which they’re responsible, and this includes client contact monthly via Teams and, where possible, a face-to-face meeting. It’s amazing what comes from conversations with clients. Often, something viewed as a potentially difficult conversation turns out to be so easy when chatting instead of emailing. I recall a conversation one of the team had around how data was coming in. The team member arranged a Teams meeting and upon discussion, it turned out the client didn’t like the situation either and together they formed a new plan to collect the data via integration from their HR system to our payroll system – 15 minutes well spent! What can be done when a payroll client consistently fails to provide the right information at the right time? AL: Again, the SLAs are important here, and having the greatest amount of detail and clarity is key so the provider can challenge the client on any delays. It’s also important to have good working relationships and optimal communication, to become aware of, and resolve, any issues promptly. Clients may have challenges preventing them from providing the data in a timely manner, and the provider, based on their experience, can support them to improve the delivery of the necessary data. LL: The payroll provider will need to discuss the reason for repeated failures with the client, to provide the right information at the right time. If the payroll provider keeps a log of the failures, they can consider if there’s a pattern they can discuss with the client. The payroll provider should highlight to the client how not receiving the right information at the right time impacts, or could impact, on the level of service being provided, which could create additional
costs that must be charged back to the client. CP: Clients don’t intentionally create delays for their payroll providers. Many companies are focussed on their growth and strategy, without ensuring the basic foundations are established and operating seamlessly. If clients continue to fail to provide information and you’ve re-established the basics to manage deadlines, it may be worth adding an additional fee for late submissions and tracking them transparently. If there are financial consequences, this will often create traction with senior stakeholders to address internal efficiencies and ultimately save money. Data on deadlines missed can be used in your regular catchups and review meetings to demonstrate the challenges that exist and encourage your client to improve their ways of working. You’ll need to remain collaborative in your approach, to encourage your client to see the value in working with you to support their change management journey. SS: It’s an initial conversation when it’s recognised that a pattern is forming. Initially, the goal is to uncover what’s impacting their ability to meet the deadlines. Whatever the reason, it should be identified quickly, and a simple plan of action can be implemented to allow both parties to support each other. This can protect the quality of the payroll for the period any challenges exist. The most important thing is that adequate metrics are in place to recognise there’s a problem and ensure supportive conversations happen promptly. KT: This is that potentially difficult conversation; however, a conversation must be had. I’ve found from experience when discussing the challenges of late information being received with the client, they understand why the deadlines are so important. Often a compromise is reached with some tweaks to the original deadlines. When it comes to accurate information coming in from clients, I’ve found it’s an educational conversation. After having these conversations and not by email (albeit please follow up any agreements / changes in email), then the situation improves, and the clients feel much closer to the payroll team. n
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | May 2023 | Issue 90 30
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