One of our four core values as a business is to be trustworthy. We always want to do the right thing for our clients and colleagues by being transparent, honest, and reliable.
When a public accounting firm serving the Greater Milwaukee area faced a challenge in worker productivity, we provided an immediate and direct response and accommodated the client’s specific needs and schedules on time.
Stark & Associates specializes in business consulting, tax preparation, and accounting services for small businesses. IPS provided a solution for their employees who were devoting too many hours to payroll and compliance each week.
“Thanks to IPS, our operations are streamlined to focus on strategic initiatives,” Manager Drew Oldenburg explains. “I now spend more time on consulting and tax planning, yet I can still be an integral part of my clients’ payroll planning as needed.”
Most of Drew’s live payroll clients switched to IPS, using an online portal that is easy to navigate. He says the reports and menus are consistent for each shared client.
“When working with my business owner clients, I can connect with IPS and my client to adjust my clients’ salary as needed, adjust withholdings, and advise on year-end payroll adjustments such as shareholder health insurance, vehicle usage, maxing out retirement plans, and more. IPS is very accommodating in facilitating these “off-system” adjustments.”
Drew credits this success to IPS Tax Manager Debbie Polly, who guides employee compliance in new states. He also commends Implementation Lead Ashlie Bruce and Client Service Lead Sarah Kempf for facilitating a smooth payroll setup and transition with new clients, and Senior HCM Specialist Ellie Ebben for efficiently handling ongoing payroll adjustments and answering questions.
“What truly sets IPS apart from payroll companies I’ve worked with in the past is the personalized, small firm feel with the resources of a large company. I like that when I contact someone at IPS, I can pick up the phone and immediately talk to a human being that I know and have spoken with in the past. I don’t get a phone bank with a new “representative” who doesn’t know me or my client every time I call.”
Drew notes that Dan Gotzler, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, and Business Development Manager, Brian Jakel, consistently check in with clients and proactively reach out to ensure that all needs are met and that the partnership remains strong.
“What we have with IPS is truly a mutually beneficial business relationship. They provide a level of comfort and familiarity I appreciate. At Stark & Associates, we follow three underlying principles: professionalism, responsiveness, and quality. That is what we have with IPS. Their team values the benefits of long-term business relationships just like we do, and that is what I respect and admire most.”