Payroll Companies & Payroll Services in Houston, TX

MPower Partners Inc. is an independent advisory firm. It helps business owners choose among the many payroll companies, professional employer organizations (PEOs) and HR outsourcing vendors on the market. The firm does not run payroll itself. It works as a broker and consultant: it studies each client's situation, measures several screened providers against those needs and recommends the best match.

The selected provider then handles payroll processing and related administration, and MPower Partners stays involved as the client's advocate. Founder and president John W. Crochet leads the practice and has more than 16 years of experience advising companies on these decisions.

How the engagement works

Crochet describes a four-stage approach. First he gets to know the organization: its employees, goals, current vendor arrangement and problem areas. Next he weighs competing payroll, HR and PEO offerings on criteria such as responsiveness, technology, cost, onboarding and fit. He then gives a clear recommendation along with candid commentary on the trade-offs.

Finally, he keeps advising the client after the switch and as the company grows. Companies that already use a payroll service or PEO can ask him to audit that arrangement and judge whether it still serves them. The first analysis is free and carries no commitment.

The firm says clients pay nothing directly for the advisory work and that it explains how it is paid during the first conversation.

Services relevant to payroll buyers

• Independent payroll consulting and side-by-side comparison of payroll vendors
• Review of an existing payroll or PEO relationship
• PEO consulting, brokerage and selection help
• Help preparing and evaluating PEO requests for proposal
• HR outsourcing consulting
• Employee benefits and compliance guidance
• Workers' compensation and employer liability evaluation
• Continued advisory support after implementation

Because the firm brokers rather than processes payroll, it does not sell payroll software or products of its own. Its value lies in narrowing the field and explaining how vendors differ in contract terms, fees and service approach. Crochet notes that these differences, including costs that are not always obvious up front, can make comparing PEOs confusing for owners acting alone.

Clients, location and background

MPower Partners works with companies of many sizes in a broad range of industries rather than focusing on one niche. It is based in the Spring Branch area of Houston, Texas, and serves businesses across the country. Its service-area listings include Minneapolis and St. Paul along with many other U.S. cities.

Crochet has written a published article and guide on measuring the value of HR outsourcing, which the firm offers as a download. He also writes a blog on PEO industry trends and compliance risk for small and midsize businesses.

For buyers in Minneapolis, the main distinction is independence. MPower Partners is not tied to any one payroll or PEO vendor, so its advice is meant to follow each client's priorities rather than a sales target. Companies that would rather compare payroll and PEO options with a single personal adviser than with a vendor's sales team may find this model useful. The payroll service itself, however, will come from whichever provider they choose.