Gene is the Head of HR at a property maintenance company with almost 80 employees in 11 states. Being a department of one having a PEO in place has lifted compliance work off her plate. She loved having another HR person she can consult with and delegate tasks to as well.

Over six years, she cycled through four different PEOs, which was the problem.

They didn’t use a broker, leading to an expensive and unsatisfactory experience which Gene inherited upon joining the company. “We were with a PEO that was very large and wasn’t able to fit our specific needs” she explained.

They then turned to a broker to help find better fits, but the results were mixed. Service improved at their next PEO. However, after 3 years, they had an enormous increase in their benefits, which forced them to switch again using the same broker.

They picked their new PEO because they had a good reputation. Gene counteracted her comment by saying, “What we didn’t know is they were expanding immensely and because of that, a lot of their focus was on their internal growth. Their service was not what we were expecting…and not up to par with the dream we were sold. Communication was lacking and response time was slow.”

They also had issues with their benefits not being enrolled on time. “Team members were going to the doctors and not having active insurance. That was such a disaster…they weren’t feeling well, they’re at the doctor’s office and being told they have to pay out-of-pocket even though they’re having premiums deducted from their paychecks. Then they’re calling me and I didn’t have answers because the information I was given [from our PEO] was not accurate.” Morale took a hit because “..it’s like us saying you have these great benefits and then, in actuality [the employees] not feeling like they had them because they didn’t work.”

Employees’ commentary and behaviors reflected their frustrations. Gene sensed that their thoughts were along the lines of, “I don’t know that I’m going to work as hard for you if you can’t even make sure my benefits are available as you were supposed to.” To make matters worse, turnover in their service team was high, with 3 or 4 HR specialists leaving within a year.

Their PEO broker provided no ongoing support. The workers’ compensation broker, who had introduced the client to this PEO specialist, tried to help but lacked expertise in PEO. As a result, their support was limited. At this point, the workers’ compensation broker contacted AdviceHR for assistance.

AdviceHR had a drastically different approach and gained a deep understanding of their situation. “With AdviceHR being PEO specific, their knowledge base made it much easier to know what’s out there based on our specific needs. It’s all about tailoring for us and that’s what AdviceHR gave us.”

She mentioned it was so helpful having us manage the paperwork and field all questions from each PEO. “I don’t have to read 500 emails going back and forth with each PEO…” Gene said. Another unforeseen difference she saw was how the comparison laid out financials. Her AdviceHR advocate explained their options with their specific goals in mind. Growth by acquisition was on the horizon. “They gave us an illustration of where our money was going…and what to expect as far as costs go based on our growth model. Knowing that allows us to budget and strategize our relationship with the PEO.” All options were compelling, offering most of her and the CFO’s wish list while saving them up to $190,000.

 They decided to go with a PEO that offered unique technology, excellent benefits, and tailored support. She expressed satisfaction with the benefits coverage, noting there hasn’t been a single issue. She also praised the operational efficiency saying, “The accessibility of my HR team, the executive 911 number, and their 24-hour email response requirement are huge. If I have a question, I get an answer within a day or less. The technology is very intuitive and robust. Everything is smooth and streamlined, all coming from one system.”

Trying to illustrate how we’ve supported her after onboarding, we asked for commentary. Gene looked so perplexed. “[The AdviceHR rep] calls me periodically but there’s nothing for him to do because things have been great. I hope I never have to leave [this PEO].” We guess that’s a success penalty.

We asked Gene what advice she would give to HR professionals and executives experienced with PEO:

“Even though I have a lot of experience with PEOs, it has only made me want to utilize AdviceHR more… If you have somebody that can support you through the process of onboarding with a PEO, it’s quicker, easier, and more focused on your needs as an organization.” She mentioned it would be impossible for them to know every available player in the market suitable for them. “…you can only get that from a firm like AdviceHR, where they worked with all the PEOs…they know what you’re looking for and will help you find the best match. No matter how many PEOs I use, I’m always going to use AdviceHR to support me.”