Let’s face it, even though Zenefits was facing challenges when comes to compliance, their HR software/platform is outstanding. They integrate payroll, benefits, time-off, ACA reporting, and even stock options. All of it is supposed to be automated and insanely easy to use.
Now, unless you have been hiking in the Himalayas for the last year you should know how Zenefits works. They operate as a “hub-and-spoke model”. You get their software for “free” (the hub), then to actually utilize it properly you pay for the services (the spokes) that you use. The primary spokes are the insurance lines and Zenefits gets the Agent of Record (AOR) on all of them.
Depending on who you talk to some will say this way of doing business is unethical, others have even gone so far as to say it’s rebating. Personally, I don’t care. They can run their shop how they like. As long as I know my staff is more knowledgeable, helpful, accessible and can provide technology alternatives that rival the competition I’m happy.
One of my favorite things to do when reading an article about industry trends or other companies is to read the comments. You can learn a lot from the comments. Here is the first comment from a recent Business Insider article about Zenefits:
GOOD! It sounds like they are finally going to begin telling the truth. Our firm looked at them when considering their “HR” solution. The software interface is incredible. What we found was that the method of closing the deal was a bait and switch or disingenuous at best.
The lure is that the software is free. Then comes the, “who does your employee benefits? Oh, boy, you could turn on this feature we told you about and this feature we showed you if you let us become agent of record on your health insurance”. Well that sounds like it is great huh, except my health agent is amazing and helps my staff deal with hugely complicated health issues and is on-site whenever we need him to serve our team. He holds 2 workshops each year and is available at the drop of a hat. What I figured out is that this was really a pitch to get our health business.
Once I discovered that, I asked all sorts of prodding questions. “Who would be my agent? – oh, a team with a primary contact at this 800 #.” I asked for references that would and could confirm that our 401K provider and and ADP would be able to handle data transmission. Guess what, radio silence. What I heard from asking questions from other businesses is that they really couldn’t pull it all off.
So, the interface is amazing. The sales team, not so honest and straight forward. And didn’t have the ability to put me in touch with 3 or 4 happy clients.
Sad, cause we liked their system. Sounds like they need to work on compliance, integrity, and having a book of business.
It seems they have a lot of work ahead of them, fixing internal processes, with their new CEO. However, they do not need to fix their online portal.
Here are a few platforms to look at if you are trying to provide online solutions for your clients. Some of these are a mixed bag of everything, some are online enrollment platforms, and some are just for educating employees. Finding the right combination of these platforms is key.
Bswift – The one stop shop: Reporting, Billing, COBRA, Compliance, HCR/ACA, Online Enrollment, and More
These guys have an amazing platform and have been in the game for 14+ years. Originally known as Platinum Healthcare, they quickly discovered there was a great market for online benefits and administration systems. They have numerous case studies and reviews to back them up. Definitely worth a look.
“bswift’s innovative, highly configurable software delivers more bang for your buck than traditional outsourcing and ERP vendors that require costly installation, customization and development. And our best-in-class technology is backed by a dedicated team of benefits and health care experts who not only provide knowledgeable customer service, but also share industry insights, best practices, ideas and suggestions for making your benefits — and your business — work better.”
Check them out at www.bswift.com
MeetAlex – An explanation tool that integrates with your HR software
A new way of explaining benefits that makes it easy, fun, and interactive. Jellyvision, the makers of ALEX, work with hundreds of companies to transform confusing jargon, legalese, and gobbledygook into useful information and helpful advice for their more than 3 million grateful end-user employees.
Check them out at www.meetalex.com
Employee Navigator – Complete Benefit Administration Software
I found out about this company last year and have not heard a single bad thing about them. Their pricing is affordable, their customer service is top notch, and ease of use on the client side is phenomenal. They are an online enrollment platform with a robust toolset that makes them a great option.
“Employee Navigator is benefits HR and compliance software for brokers and their clients. With Employee Navigator brokers can now offer their clients a sing solution to manage everything from benefits administration to onboarding and PTO & vacation tracking. Best of all, because the system is self-service we were able to lower the costs of the technology by over 90%, putting first class technology in the hands of every broker and employer in the United States.” –Capterra.com
Check them out at www.employeenavigator.com
Maxwell Health – Everything you could possibly want
These guys do everything. They have online enrollment, payroll integration, HR management, ACA reporting, and even an app. If you are looking to take down Zenefits, look no further. I have heard their implementation process is a lot smoother than most of the other benefit administration software companies as well.
“Maxwell Health is an HR and benefits technology platform and innovative marketplace that combines the management of and enrollment in benefits into one experience: eliminating the hassle of day-to-day benefits administration and providing a beautiful, streamlined experience for employees.”
Check them out at www.maxwellhealth.com
SmartBen – Benefit Administration Software with a Unique Take
Last year Hodges-Mace bought out Continuous Health. They took Continuous Health’s online enrollment platform Pathfinder and put it on steroids. Not to mention cleaning it up, getting rid of all of the bugs, and topped it off with a new make-over. Hodges-Mace has been in the business for 10+ years and know how their way around the industry. They aim to focus on the education and streamline the online enrollment process.
Check them out at www.hodgesmace.com/smartben-platform.
Now these are just a few examples of online platforms available. I do not have any personal affiliation with any of these companies, nor am I receiving any form of monetary value from them for posting them here. These are all companies we have personally looked at for expanding our services. I cannot say if one is better than the other, but they all have similar features.