Customers who are setting out on a global payroll journey frequently want to know what questions to ask as part of their Global Payroll RFP and vendor selection process. Besides the standard questions about service scope, customer references and service fees, here is a list of questions to ensure that you don’t get blindsided and avoid any unexpected surprises:
- Can we keep our existing local payroll partners?
- What if we want to process payroll in-house in certain countries (now or in the future)?
- Do you publish operational KPIs and SLAs for each of your local in-country payroll partners (ICPs)? If so, what details do you provide?
- What happens if an ICP does not meet our expectations? Can I replace that ICP with a new different one? Do we have a say in which one?
- How frequently do you release new product functionality to customers?
- If I want to get custom reports beyond your standard reports, how long does it take to get such custom reports generated and how much does it cost?
- What is your minimum contract term?
- Can I talk directly to the local payroll providers?
- Is the global service rep who is assigned to help me resolve potential issues with the local payroll partners a certified payroll professional? In how many countries has that person processed payroll in their life?
- Once I end my relationship with you, can I keep the ICPs who are delivering the local services as part of your global payroll solution or do I need to find new ICPs?
Typical Answers (from traditional global payroll vendors):1) Sorry, no. 2) Sorry, no can do. 3) No, I’m not going to expose my partners. 4) Tough luck and no and no. 5) Once a year. 6) It depends, generally a few weeks and x hundred dollars per report. 7) 3 years. 8) Absolutely not. 9) Hell no and none of your business. 10) Do you think I’m stupid? Of course not.Correct Answers:1) Of course. 2) No problem, we support both in-house and outsourced models. 3) Of course, detailed real-time KPIs & SLAs. 4) Replace the vendor. Yes and yes. 5) 4-6 times a year. 6) Instantly, it’s included and you can create them yourself. 7) 1 month. 8) Yes, of course. 9) n/a – central service reps create little value but cost a lot. We give you the right tools to better communicate and coordinate with ICPs. 10) Yes, of course.Want more details on the correct answers? Good! Because you are already in the right place and we hope you find them when you keep on browsing our website. Or, if you prefer, contact us so that we can share more insights with you directly.Other resources for Global Payroll RFP: Global Payroll Management Institute, Global Payroll Association
