US companies have recently shown much interest in the Australian payroll and workforce management industry. Workforce Software has acquired RosterLive, a supplier of online rostering systems, and Replicon, a provider of web-based time tracking applications, has launched its operation in Australia.
Last week I attended the Replicon launch in Sydney. With already over 200 clients in Australia, they have a product that is well suited to the local market and it has a particularly nice user interface.
The reality is, however, there are many payroll and time tracking systems available in Australia and most of them are very good products. So neither a nice looking interface nor a highly functional product is unique.
However, what did pique my interest was Replicon’s client servicing model, which definitely is unique. The model is in response to their international client base of organisations that work around the clock. To manage this, Replicon run a global help desk that is available to its 7800 international clients 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
It goes to my question, what are clients really looking for in a software provider?
Almost every complaint about payroll suppliers that we hear at Australian Payroll Association is to do with the service (or lack of service) that the client has received: the client didn’t get their question answered to a satisfactory level; suppliers won’t provide services that clients are willing to pay for; or just a seeming lack of interest in the client’s business problem.
So with the ongoing development in products that support the payroll industry, it is making it harder to differentiate between them. So it’s really in the area of customer service and associated products to support clients where suppliers can really make themselves noticed.
I look forward to seeing the innovative ways they can make this happen.
If you have any questions on payroll projects and how to address these issues, please let me know at tracy@austpayroll.com.au
Tracy is the founder and chief executive officer at the Australian Payroll Association and the director of Payroll HQ.
