The Paymaster People Solutions story: 20 Years of successful payroll processing

The Paymaster People Solutions story: 20 Years of successful payroll processing

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Corporate days at Bergers Stores

Back in 1997, Ian Hurst and Karen Morrison worked for Bergers Stores, a large clothing retail chain owned by the Morkels Group. Ian was the Human Resource Manager and Karen was involved in the corporate training department. During that particular year, Ian was tasked with investigating the option of outsourcing the company’s payroll; or, alternatively, converting the existing rather cumbersome payroll for a significantly more streamlined inhouse option.

Bergers opts for a streamlined inhouse VIP Desktop solution

The outcome of Ian’s payroll investigation revealed that there weren’t any outsource companies that offered an easy payroll processing alternative. The only payroll solution proved to be rather complicated and cumbersome: the client was required to submit hand-written forms and documents to an outsource company for processing. In other words, this meant that, what the client ‘put in’ the client ‘got out’: errors and all. Consequently, the payroll solution that was decided upon, was for Bergers Stores to implement a desktop version of VIP. The implementation was successful.

Seeds of Paymaster’s beginnings germinate

It was during this time, the beginning of Paymaster’s history, that the seeds of the fledgling company started to germinate: In 1998 Bergers Stores was sold to Dunns clothing stores. This prompted Ian and Karen’s decision to cease their jobs with Bergers and their involvement in the corporate sphere if business. Instead, they recognised a gap in the market: namely, to use a desktop version of VIP to process clients’ payroll, but also, to add further value to their service offering by ensuring that their own payroll administrators checked for accuracy and compliance. This resulted in a truly unique outsource company being registered and established: An authentic payroll processing company that genuinely understood the importance of all things payroll. At the time, inaccurate and clumsy payroll departments fell guilty of regularly demotivating its employees because payroll-run mistakes and errors where happening during almost every payroll-run.

The Paymaster People Solutions story: 20 Years of successful payroll processing1 March 1999: Paymaster is born

Paymaster’s doors officially opened on 1 March 1999. It took just two months for Ian and Karen to sign their first corporate client with Aries Packaging. Paymaster had taken off and the company’s ascent to new heights had just begun.

Paymaster: Built upon an early well-researched solid foundation

One of Paymaster’s core beliefs was to build its business model upon a solid foundation: it’s founding members wisely took the time to research what was needed to build a solid foundation—A foundation that would ensure that Paymaster was suitably able to service its client base well into the distant future.

Since 1998 Paymaster has achieved consistent year-on-year growth

Since 1998, Paymaster has achieved slow, steady and consistent year-on-year growth. Every time Paymaster signed new clients, Ian and Karen (and the competent team of Paymaster payroll professionals) would patiently and professionally ‘settle them down’ and make sure that they were always happy with their payroll runs. An error-free payroll has always been, and continues to be, the benchmark that Paymaster People Solutions strives to achieve for its clients.

2002: Amber Stynes joins Paymaster

In 2002 Amber Stynes joined the Paymaster team. Amber soon became indispensable to the Paymaster team and in 2011, she was appointed as director. Today Amber heads up the day-to-day operations at Paymaster People Solutions.

2006: Paymaster procures an online payroll software platform

Since 1999 when Paymaster was founded, payroll software technologies continued to rapidly evolve. Accordingly, in 2006 Paymaster’s directors took the strategic decision to evolve with changing technologies by procuring an online payroll software platform. After a year-long investigation, it was finally decided that Paymaster would partner with PaySpace.

Paymaster uniquely branded PaySpace’s online payroll software platform and migrated all of its existing clients to the new online payroll platform. The strategic decision was a huge success. So too was the migration of Paymasters’ clients to the new online system.

Online payroll software platform an absolute winner

Paymaster’s online payroll software platform has been and absolute winner—An excellent move it has certainly proved to be. Online payroll allows Paymaster to offer its clients a rich assortment of online-specific benefits and features. Now, not only do Paymaster People Solution’s clients have full online access to their own payroll data and information, but they also benefit from being able to access and manage human resource functions such as leave, training and disciplinary action records.

2016: Paymaster rebranded to Paymaster People Solutions

Over subsequent years, Paymaster continued to show excellent growth of its client base. For this reason, in 2016, Paymaster was rebranded to Paymaster People Solutions. This change suitably represented the significant growth that had taken place in the rich collection of additional benefits and services that Paymaster was now offering its many happy clients.

2019: Paymaster People Solutions celebrates its 20th Birthday

This year, Paymaster People Solutions proudly celebrates its 20th birthday!

The staff team consist of 18 full-time employees servicing more than 700 clients. These many satisfied clients make use of a combination of payroll solutions: from fully outsourced ‘we-do-it-for-you’ services, to the basic ‘you-do-it-yourself’ online package. Additionally, over 80% of Paymaster People Solutions’ clients sign up for the empowering self-help Employee Self-service module.

Looking ahead: the next 20 years and beyond

Ian Hurst, CEO of Paymaster People Solutions believes that the payroll service and function will always be central to the success of any company or organisation. Hurst maintains that “the ongoing success of the companies that we offer services to, is based on the our ability to keep up with technology, whilst also being able offer our clients customised levels of service that they require in order to efficiently manage their payrolls.”

As Paymaster People Solutions looks forward to the next 20 years, Hurst believes that there will always be ongoing changes to legislation, changes in software technology, and changes to the way in which payrolls are processed. “What won’t change however” says Hurst, “is the expectation that to be successful we will resolutely and proudly continue to deliver exceptional customer service to our many happy and valued clients.”

NEWSFLASH — South Africa: TAX AND RETIREMENT REFORM

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ANNOUNCEMENT! Employers note the following:

 

TAX AND RETIREMENT REFORM — ‘COMPULSORY ANNUITISATION’ TO BE POSTPONED FOR 2 YEARS

The Minister of Finance, on the 17th of February 2016, confirmed the postponement of certain elements of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2015 which was set for implementation on 1 March 2016 (‘T’ day). He outlined that he wanted a way forward, and stated that Government was willing to be flexible on the implementation of annuitisation.

The Minister proposed the following points as the way forward

National Treasury is now proposing that the ‘compulsory annuitisation’ element affecting provident funds and the tax-free transfer between pension and provident funds (points 2 and 3 above) be postponed for two years. The postponement is in response to some stakeholders’ call for a deferral of implementation of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act.
The Minister, in a proposal document dated 16 February 2016, proposed the following points as the way forward:

Social Security Reform Paper

The Minister noted that SA does have a social safety net, but it has some gaps in it. He agreed that the social security reform papers are to say what is possible when as there are certain gaps. He noted that this paper was ready to be published at the end of his last term and will contact Minister Dlamini (who co-chairs the inter-Ministerial with him) on its status. The broad thrust of retirement reform remains in place and will continue.

Annuitisation

Government is flexible on the implementation of annuitisation for provident funds and proposes to postpone implementation for two years, from 1 March 2016 to 1 March 2018. With the postponement of the annuitisation requirement, to prevent tax abuse, it is proposed that no tax-free transfers from pension funds to provident funds be allowed for the next two years.

Tax deduction

Government will look at a technically appropriate way to allow the tax deduction to provident fund members for two years. All tax related measures, including the harmonised 27.5% tax deductions (up to R350 000 per annum) on contributions to any retirement fund, will be implemented for all retirement funds from 1 March 2016. If by the end of the two years there is no agreement between stakeholders and Government, the tax deduction for provident fund members will fall away.

Means Test

Government will review the Means Test and ask the Department of Social Development and National Treasury to consider this proposal and take it forward. The next step for Government is to make a formal announcement in the Budget Speech and to then make the necessary changes to the legislation, which will need to be fast-tracked.

Technical provisions

This has to be in place to prevent tax abuse. For example, with the postponement on annuitisation for provident funds, no transfers from pension funds to provident funds can be allowed for the next two years to avoid weakening the current pension system.

Courtesy credit: news flash originally featured by www.crs.co.za

5 Steps to Achieve Professional, Efficient, Payroll Immortality

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Accurate efficient and deadline driven. Words that should make you feel challenged and confidant at the same time. This is the foundation for all payroll people and departments. Without these three words we cannot hope to become or remain relevant. In fact, if we are not accurate, efficient and deadline driven we will not survive the new era .
1.Communicate your expectations to line management
Line management have a reputation for ‘Forgetting” that the payroll department requires information. It is not unusual, as you know, to have to beg management for information. So, set up meetings, walk the floor, use your e mail, start a payroll department Facebook page and/or sms them the day before (some payroll programs have this built in). Just keep on talking to your customers about what you expect from them to enable you to deliver an outstanding service.
2. Agree deadlines in writing
I know this is obvious but you need something ( a contract or agreement) to make sure that the information arrives on time. Remind them gently when they miss they deadline. A funny e- mail or text showing a snail for example. In the same way reward those that are on time. (create a honor board on Facebook or send a chocolate)
3. Plan your workload
We know when we will be really busy, so plan what needs to be done , when. As the plan comes together so the monthly routines fall into place. As these routines start to become effective, and the payroll department develops a reputation for excellence, so everybody wants to make sure that the routines and procedures work. Nobody will want to be the person who does not follow procedure.(or receives the snail mail)
4. Prepare for the unexpected
Always make time, leave time to deal with the unexpected. It will happen and It will always be at the worst time. So leave yourself some time to deal with the employee who nobody knows about, or the time and attendance system not recording properly, or the unpaid leave documents that suddenly appear on your desk. to maintain your sanity, don’t take these interruptions personally.

5. Check Your Work

Lastly reconcile and balance. Make sure you have totals to balance to, and do the last month versus this month variation report. Check and investigate those funny numbers before releasing the payroll to management for approval.

Next week: Payroll automation – how that can save us from extinction.

The budget and payroll – some important things.

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In this year’s budget there are some interesting changes that we need to understand and implement. Once we have understood and implemented the changes, then we have to be able to communicate all the changes and make sure that all the policy documents and contracts are up to date. So what are these changes.

 

1)      The tax threshold is now R 63 556.00 per annum or R 5230.00 per month.  If your employees earn less than that then you will not be required to deduct PAYE from the salary.

2)      The official interest rate is still 6,5% per annum.   No changes there

3)      Reimbursive travel allowance has been increased to R 3,16 per kilometre. The maximum in terms of kilometres per year remains at 8000km

4)      There have been some movement on the tax tables but these will be supplied/downloaded by your payroll service provider or you can download them from SARS

 

There are two major changes that need to be dealt with:

A)    Medical aid deductions.

In the past we have been used to deducting the medical aid benefit from the employees income and then calculating the tax to be paid. A so called tax deduction. This reduced the taxable amount of the employee.

From the first of March you can no longer do this. There will now be a tax credit. What this means is the employees earnings are not reduced and the tax is calculated on the full amount. Only once the tax has been calculated is a tax credit passed. This will reduce the amount of tax to be paid.

You will be entitled to a tax credit of R 230 for the main member and spouse and R 154 for every additional member.

This is seen as a more equitable way of dealing with the medical aids benefit and is also step one for the new NHS.

 

B)    Tax on fringe benefits

From 1 March all Group risk benefits (disability and death) need to be taxed as Fringe benefits. This means that they need to be separated out from the normal retirement funding and taxed accordingly.

If you are in any doubt please speak to your financial advisor or pension fund advisors.

 

 

Download 2012/2013 pocket guide here