Cost and Workforce Options at HITEC 2025 – Picture Credit score Unsplash
In my earlier weblog submit (Could 23, 2025), I highlighted key options to search for when evaluating distributors within the fee and workforce options house. Now, after spending a day and a half talking with exhibitors on the present flooring at HITEC 2025, I’m sharing just a few well timed insights – particularly on the questions try to be asking potential companions earlier than making any selections.
Fashionable Cost Techniques: Outbound AP Automation
For the sake of brevity, this submit focuses particularly on outbound funds by way of accounts payable (AP). The opposite aspect of the coin, customer-facing fee acceptance — deserves its personal in-depth evaluate (coming quickly!).
At this time, automating your bill funds is less complicated than ever due to a rising roster of distributors. Many associate instantly with ERP suppliers to streamline integration. Their core providing? Automated bill funds utilizing ghost playing cards (digital bank cards), with fallback choices like ACH and even dwell checks for these distributors who don’t or received’t settle for card funds.
So the place do distributors differ?
“Free” Automation: Sure, it’s potential to totally automate AP funds at no direct value, because the transactions are routed by way of card networks. ACH and examine choices are nonetheless very competitively priced.
Tip: Earlier than diving right into a fee supplier settlement, examine along with your ERP/accounting vendor first. Most have most well-liked AP automation companions — however many fee distributors solely require an AP file to get began, supplying you with flexibility no matter your system.
Workforce Options: Many Options, Few All-in-Ones
After strolling about 75 p.c of the exhibit corridor, I discovered a variety of distributors providing instruments throughout each main perform of workforce administration. These embrace:
Nonetheless, integrating all of those options into one seamless resolution? That is still a problem.
Level Options Nonetheless Dominate
For instance, a vendor would possibly provide sensible scheduling and time clocks however not deal with onboarding or payroll. Equally, many recruiting platforms streamline hiring and scale back paperwork, however cease brief as soon as it’s time to share information along with your payroll or HRIS programs.
That mentioned, these platforms do present highly effective capabilities:
Payroll Companions Are Evolving
Most organizations nonetheless outsource payroll, however right this moment’s payroll suppliers are catching up quick. They typically embrace:
Closing Ideas: Prioritize and Ask the Proper Questions
Proper now, a single vendor able to totally addressing all workforce administration wants stays elusive. My recommendation? Deal with the core options that matter most to your operation and ask distributors:
A unified workforce tech ecosystem will not be a actuality right this moment, however with ongoing improvement and vendor collaboration, it’s not out of attain.
Keep tuned for my wrap-up weblog subsequent week with broader reflections from HITEC 2025.
Ron Strecker
Ron Strecker, CHAE+, CHTP+, is an unbiased marketing consultant, writer, and speaker. He presently serves as chair of the HFTP CHAE Advisory Council, member of the HFTP Academy Advisory Council, and an advisor within the HFTP Certification Advisory Program (CAP). All through his profession, Strecker has utilized his finance and know-how abilities to enhance the group’s monetary and administration reporting. His consulting work aids shoppers in bettering their back-office practices and know-how. Along with consulting, Strecker has authored quite a few articles associated to hospitality finance and know-how and spoken at varied conferences together with HITEC, HFTP Annual Conference, and the FEI Management Summit.
This text initially appeared on HFTP.
