Name:
Job Title:
Company:
Industry:
John Whelan
CEO
My Digital
Payroll Software
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, your background and your company?
Hello, I'm John Whelan, my background in the contingent workforce industry stretches back over twenty years. My early career was rooted in operating umbrella companies, giving me a comprehensive understanding of the sector.
In 2015, I embarked on a new venture by founding My Digital. This move was inspired by my ambition to bring innovative solutions to the payroll software market, particularly for those involved in the contingent workforce supply chain. My Digital is a distinctive cloud-based solution, adept at integrating payroll, accounting, and timesheet management, and it's specifically designed for payroll companies and staffing agencies working with temporary workforces. Developing My Digital wasn't a quick job, but here we are - nine years later it's recognised as a leading choice in the UK, especially for umbrella companies.
How did you first become involved with SafeRec?
Our first encounter with SafeRec came about through one of our customers. They were using SafeRec and really liked it, so they suggested we take a look. I was pretty impressed when I saw what SafeRec's technology could do for compliance in the sector. It was clear this was something special and not just your average tech tool.
Seeing SafeRec in action made me realize how much it could help us. It was easy to use, made things more efficient, and you could really see the difference it made. This experience made it clear to me that teaming up with SafeRec was a smart move. It was a great chance for us to bring this kind of technology to more of our clients and help improve their work just like it did for the customer who told us about SafeRec.
What do you believe sets your company apart?
What sets our company apart is our dedication to exceptional customer service and strong cybersecurity. We've implemented a state-of-the-art conversational helpdesk platform, significantly improving our response times. On average, we respond to customer queries in under four minutes and resolve them within just a few hours. Our efforts have been recognised by our users, with 99.4% rating our support as "excellent" or "very good" in the last 12 months, setting a new benchmark for customer support in the payroll software space.
Furthermore, cybersecurity is a critical focus for us. We're proud to be the only provider in our field with both Cyber Essential Plus and ISO27001 certifications, ensuring our customers' data is always secure. Additionally, we've introduced the Disaster Recovery Standby Solution, specifically for umbrella payroll companies. This service is designed to maintain business continuity in the event of a cyber attack, highlighting our commitment to both security and reliability.
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing The Umbrella Industry today?
One of the foremost challenges facing the umbrella industry today is ever-changing legislation, particularly in light of the recent Umbrella Consultation. In an environment where transparency is not just valued but essential maintaining ongoing compliance is a complex task. It's about consistently demonstrating that umbrella providers do the right thing, not just in response to immediate changes but as a continuous commitment.
The ongoing issue of compliance also complicates the industry's landscape. Agencies and workers often find it challenging to navigate through a myriad of providers, each claiming compliance. The difficulty lies in verifying these claims, which can often be ambiguous. The central challenge, therefore, is to empower industry participants to make informed and confident decisions about their providers. This complexity, while daunting, also opens doors to opportunities for improvement and setting new benchmarks in the industry.
How do you think SafeRec help to address these challenges?
The market is facing more complex challenges than ever before, and it's crucial to embrace technology to tackle these issues effectively. This is where SafeRec steps in with its innovative real-time payroll vetting technology. It supports the contingent workforce market, ensuring everyone adheres to a high standard of compliance and transparency.
For umbrella companies, SafeRec is a game-changer. It offers them a stamp of proven credibility. Agencies benefit too, as they can confidently trust their payroll partners. And for contractors, it's all about peace of mind – knowing that their pay is not only accurate but also fully compliant with the latest legislation. In essence, SafeRec is creating a win-win situation for everyone in the supply chain.