Services

Three ways to engage.
One standard of work.

Every Zappa engagement is built on the same foundation: 30 years of payroll industry experience, two enterprise deployments, and a Zoho platform configured by someone who has run a bureau. How we structure the work depends on where you are.

Engagement Models

Start where you are. Scale from there.

Most bureaus start with Discovery & Blueprint to see exactly what's possible before committing to a full implementation. Others arrive ready to build. A few already have Zoho and just need it running better.

Step One — Low Risk Entry
Digital blueprint and system architecture map

Discovery & Blueprint

Before a single workflow is built, we spend 2–3 weeks inside your bureau — mapping how you actually sell, onboard, serve clients, and manage compliance. The output is a Blueprint: a complete Zoho architecture designed specifically for your operation, with a full implementation roadmap and ROI estimate. It's yours to keep regardless of what you decide next.

  • Full current-state workflow mapping across all six bureau functions
  • Zoho module selection and configuration architecture
  • Automation logic design — every trigger, action, and handoff
  • Data migration plan and integration map
  • Implementation roadmap with phased delivery schedule
  • ROI estimate tied to your specific operation
  • Blueprint is yours to keep · Credit applied toward implementation if you proceed
One-time fee · Custom quote
Fee determined by your existing setup and configuration — or new installation and setup from scratch · Blueprint credit applied if you proceed to full implementation
Core Engagement — Full 4D Build
Team collaborating on Zoho CRM implementation

Full Zoho Implementation

Our flagship engagement. End-to-end design, build, and deployment of your complete Zoho system — configured from the ground up around payroll bureau workflows. Every phase produces deliverables you approve before we proceed. We don't go live until you say it's right.

  • Discovery & Blueprint (included, credited from any prior session)
  • Full Zoho system build across your selected modules
  • Custom CRM pipeline, onboarding workflow, and compliance calendar
  • Zoho Analytics dashboards — pipeline, service load, client health, revenue
  • Integrations with your existing payroll platform and third-party tools
  • Data migration from your current system
  • Managed go-live with staff training and documentation
  • 30-day stabilization support post-launch
Scoped per engagement
Typical go-live: 10–14 weeks · Priced after Discovery & Blueprint · Fixed-scope, not hourly
Ongoing — Monthly Retainer
Professional client service and ongoing support

Optimization & Development Retainer

For bureaus already running on Zoho — or post-implementation clients who want a dedicated partner keeping their system ahead of the business. A monthly retainer gives you a set number of hours each month for new automation builds, module expansions, reporting improvements, and proactive system reviews.

  • Monthly allocation of dedicated development and consulting hours
  • New automation builds and workflow refinements as your bureau grows
  • Zoho Analytics report and dashboard development on request
  • New module configuration and rollouts (e.g., adding Zoho Desk or DataPrep)
  • Proactive system health review each month
  • Priority response — retainer clients move to the front of the queue
  • Rollover hours policy — unused hours carry to the following month
Monthly · Custom scope
Minimum 3-month commitment · Scaled to your bureau's pace of change · Cancel with 30 days notice
Set Project Work

Not ready for a full build? Start with one thing.

Sometimes the right move is a targeted, scoped project — one workflow fixed, one module built, one gap closed. Set project engagements are fixed scope and fixed price, with a defined deliverable and timeline before we start.

Onboarding Automation Sprint

We scope and build your client onboarding workflow in a dedicated sprint — from signed agreement through first live payroll setup. Configured in Zoho CRM, Zoho Forms, and Zoho Flow. Bureaus typically cut onboarding time by 40–60%.

Typical: 4–6 weeks
CRM Pipeline Build

A structured sales pipeline in Zoho CRM built around how payroll bureaus actually sell — from first referral contact through signed agreement. Includes stage definitions, automation rules, follow-up sequences, and Zoho Sign integration for proposal delivery.

Typical: 3–5 weeks
Analytics Dashboard Build

A custom Zoho Analytics dashboard suite for your bureau — pipeline visibility, client health scoring, service load by rep, revenue by product, and compliance deadline tracking. Built to replace the spreadsheet reporting most bureaus still rely on.

Typical: 3–4 weeks
Client Portal Setup

A branded Zoho Creator client portal — giving your payroll clients secure, self-service access to their documents, communication history, and payroll status. Configured with your bureau's branding and linked to your existing CRM and Desk records.

Typical: 4–6 weeks
Tax Deadline Automation

A compliance calendar and automated deadline system inside Zoho CRM — tracking quarterly and annual filing deadlines across your full client book, with automated reminders, task assignments, and escalation alerts when deadlines approach without resolution.

Typical: 3–5 weeks
Zoho Health Audit

Already on Zoho but not getting full value? We conduct a structured audit of your current configuration — identifying unused automation opportunities, data integrity issues, underutilized modules, and quick wins that don't require a full rebuild.

Typical: 2 weeks · Flat fee

"The difference between a Zappa implementation and a generic Zoho build isn't in the software. It's in what gets asked before anything is configured."

— Built on 30 years of payroll bureau operations

Every scope is fixed before we start
No hourly billing. No scope creep surprises. You know exactly what's being built, what it costs, and when it goes live — before any work begins.
Industry knowledge embedded in every build
PEPM billing structures, compliance calendars, ancillary product enrollment, multi-contact client records — these are built in from day one because the person configuring them has lived them.
Two enterprise deployments, not theory
The founder built and ran these systems on his own bureau for 11 years, then managed the CRM re-deployment for the acquiring organization. What gets built here has been tested at full operational scale.

Not sure which engagement fits?

Start with a free 30-minute discovery call. We'll listen to where your bureau is, tell you honestly which path makes the most sense, and give you a clear picture of what the first 60 days look like — no obligation.

Book a Free Call hello@zappaconsulting.com