Item: TriNet
Rating: 1
Author: Brian Hole

Overall Satisfaction with TriNet

Support Rating

Our account manager was polite but was usually unable to solve problems we had quickly, such as configuring the online system to give us access to functionality we were supposed to have. They were also completely unable to help us when we were 1-2 days late on a payment, despite telling them this was the case. They had no way of supporting us and all TriNet services were abruptly cut off for us, despite our attempts to communicate and escalate the issue.

Usability

The online system did not work correctly, and did not give us access to functionality we should have had. They provided a new system 1-2 months before we left and this was very far from feature complete.

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We used TriNet to manage the payroll and benefits for our new US subsidiary. The aim was to provide us with a reliable partner who could ensure that we complied with regulations as we were still not familiar with how things worked in the US.

Pros and Cons

Pros

They have a wider range of benefits available than we could source elsewhere.

Cons

Using TriNet was a disaster for us as a small company, as they really did not support us. When we were 1-2 days late on a payment due to a hold on a check we'd received, they simply cut off. This was despite us giving them notice of the problem. Sometimes being 1-2 days late on payments is normal for early-stage companies, as we have fewer customers at this point of our development, and they certainly don't pay on time. TriNet absolutely did not support us here and gave no second chances. This meant that we had less than a week to organize an alternative payroll, and some of our staff were left with stressful situations in regard to healthcare, as their coverage was abruptly ended. I, therefore, cannot recommend TriNet for small or early-stage companies. You will get much better service from other companies that understand your business and want to build long-term relationships with you.
TriNet also misadvised us on our healthcare, telling a staff member that they were not eligible for the COBRA programme, which was incorrect and caused a lot of stress.
Overall the TriNet software platform was of low quality. Features that were supposed to provide self-service often did not work, mainly due to misconfiguration. Switching on features we were supposed to have access to took a month on average.

Return on Investment

We were able to provide a wider range of benefits to attract new employees than we would otherwise have been able to. This is a bit overstated though, as we have been able to find pretty good packages elsewhere since then.

Alternatives Considered

Xero

We now use Xero to run our payroll with advice from our accountant, and a private insurance broker to provide our benefits. The payroll is much cheaper to run (important for a small company), and the broker really has our back and is interested in building a long-term relationship with us. We are therefore much better off for having moved off TriNet.

Likelihood to Recommend

Not bad for companies with 50+ staff who want to provide a wide selection of benefits, though at this point it would likely be much more cost-effective to run payroll internally.
Bad for start-ups, early-stage and small companies, as they cannot be relied upon to back you up if even small problems occur, and their online systems don't provide an adequate level of self-service.

TriNet Feature Ratings

Comments

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Not a good match for early-stage or small companies