The Personnel People ensures fast and efficient payments with ALBACSip from Albany Software

Leading independent recruitment consultants, The Personnel People, switched from cheque payments to Albany Software electronic payment solutions in 1993. Since the agency upgraded the system in 2005, ALBACSip has evolved into an integral business tool, allowing The Personnel People to maintain total control of all company staff and temporary staff wage payments, as well as supplier payments, reducing costs and maximising resources as it streamlines business processes.

Founded in 1987 The Personnel People is one of East Angliaís most established recruitment consultancies. With offices in Norwich and Great Yarmouth, The Personnel People recruits Temporary and Permanent staff for Technical, Engineering and Construction, Commercial, Driving, Industrial and Catering businesses. The consultancy also recruits people for Senior Executive and Management positions. Since 1993, The Personnel People has relied on Albany Software to facilitate efficient, accurate electronic payments. The 2005 upgrade to ALBACSip has allowed the agency to further improve on the swiftness and timeliness of payments to its clients and candidates alike, as well as increasing efficiency of payments to suppliers. This in turn has maximised financial and human resources within the agency and afforded a leaner business model.

For The Personnel People it is paramount to ensure that all temps are paid on time each week, therefore, cash-flow running through the business must be consistent and substantial. Donna Howlett, payroll supervisor at The Personnel People, explained, ìAll our temps are paid weekly directly to their bank accounts as they could be working at various different companies.î She added, ìAll our staff payments and invoices we issue to the companies are generated through ALBACSip. The difference in terms of time and cost saving between electronic payments and cheques is phenomenal.ì

The Personnel Peopleís transactions performed with ALBACSip are mainly direct credits, including internal staff salaries as well as the payment of weekly wages for at least 200, and up to a possible maximum of 600, temps. Howlett commented, ìAll payments are processed through ALBACSip. The Albany system is a lot swifter and simpler than our old-fashioned method of issuing cheques and as we have instant verification that all the money has been sent; nothing can be lost in the post. We donít use cheques at all any more.î Howlett continued, ìALBACSip has proven to be a much more straight forward way of paying people and collecting payments ourselves. Our electronic Direct Debits receive payments from companies promptly every week or month ensuring our own cash flow never suffers.î

ALBACSip remains a cost-effective and time-saving financial e-transaction tool for The Personnel People. Late payment problems, typically caused by slow cheque processing, are avoided thanks to the electronic Bacs facility. ALBACSip has also proved superior to the Bacs system the agency previously had in place. Howlet said, ìPrior to using ALBACSip our old system failed frequently. When we tried to send payments it would crash or not connect to the bank, which was both nerve-wracking and time-consuming as we always have to get a lot of people paid in a short period of time - problems we have never experienced with the Albany system.î

For The Personnel People, upgrading to ALBACSip was a simple, natural progression easily facilitated by Albany with complete staff training on the new system included. Howlett explained, ìWe upgraded as the old system was a little dated, we were familiar with Albany as it was what we had used previously and when they came for the upgrade demonstration we knew it would work for us as it was quick and easy.î She went on to say, ìALBACSip allows us to be flexible. For example, we can make interim payments before we run a large payroll for any temps that file late worksheets so weíre not limited to one payment run.î

ALBACSip is fully integrated with other applications in use at The Personnel People such as TempAid 5 and Sage. ALBACSip electronically prepares and submits payment and collection data based on all the information it extracts from these applications directly to Bacs. Donna Howlett has total confidence in ALBACSip in terms of reliability of the system. She confirmed, ìWhile Albany has always been extremely helpful, I really have very little need to call them. The system is so robust that it suffers no major problems. The rare occasions we have needed support, our issues are dealt with in one quick phone call.î

It is the time and cost savings that have proven particularly dramatic for The Personnel People since implementing ALBACSip. Howlett concludes, ìTransactions that took days by cheque take minutes with ALBACSip and are also a fraction of the cost of cheque payments. I canít fault the system. Itís absolutely maximised our resources and made the business run much more smoothly as a result.î