1.Complex Pay Calculations.
It turns out 8am-5pm payroll calculations with some occasional overtime isn’t that hard. But what about when you throw in complex pay-rules such as shift-differentials, holiday pay, or call-back time? What about that complicated scenario when your on-call employee gets called back in to work for 30-minutes but is guaranteed at least two hours of pay? Do you still pay them for being on-call during that time? Probably not. These are the types of sophisticated calculations that separate the “clock-in-the-cloud” vendors from credible solutions in the enterprise market.
2. 24/7 Support
Everybody makes mistakes. Whether it’s a vendor or a client, mistakes will happen and sometimes they need to be rectified immediately. What happens if a failure happens at 5:01pm and it needs taken care of immediately? You’ll find out that when it comes to customer support there is a lot of fine print. Often times the employees who are solving emergency problems aren’t worried about the cost. This is great and we value employees who rise to the occasion, but we don’t value the $450/hour a vendor is charging us to do it.
Look for vendors who provide 24-hour customer support with no additional support cost. Also, pay attention to the services provided within your support agreement. There are certain scenarios that might not be “covered” under your existing support agreement.
3. Upgrades.
The great thing about software in the 21st century is that it is constantly advancing to create more efficiency and greater savings. The software product of any competitive vendor is going to be exponentially more advanced five years from now. However, HR vendors are notorious for doing one of two things; 1) “sunsetting” the system you are currently using and forcing you to upgrade to the newest version for an “upgrade cost” which looks suspiciously similar to buying the system all over again and 2) rebranding their module which you can purchase, but its really your previous system with the last couple years of enhancements built in.
Look for company’s who either allow you to stay on your current product for as long as you want or don’t charge you fees to upgrade in order to stay compliant with their support offerings.
4. Implementation Strategy.
There are a lot of time and attendance systems out there, and some of them are exceptional. However, the quality of the system is only as good as the implementation strategy. What’s the point of signing a three-year deal with the award-winning XYZ company if its going to take you 18-months and numerous resources to get the system implemented and employees successfully trained? Wasn’t this supposed to save you time and money?
Look for company’s who offer project management, onsite-training, and on-going support. The burden of implementation should be carried by the vendor, not you.
5. Compliance Awareness.
Did you know that if your timekeeping system miscalculates your employees worked hours it is your fault? It is not the responsibility of the time and attendance vendor to ensure that employees are paid correctly, it is the responsibility of the employer.
What happens when this miscalculation happens over a couple of years to several employees? Class. Action. Lawsuit. Avoid this problem entirely by using reputable vendors with a strong track record in your industry.
If you have questions, we’d love to help.