The majority of what you read about a potential HR and Payroll solution provider is the provider’s own opinion of itself. Clearly that is always going to be biased. It is our message, what we believe we are providing presented through a website, brochures, sales people, advertising and a whole host of other activities that ultimately don’t mean very much to you.

Whilst Cascade’s marketing message is firmly built upon what we do, how do you know that’s the case? The only way to do it is to examine what a provider’s clients have to say and ultimately, to ask them your own questions directly.

That’s why our website provides a range of case studies and client testimonials (See the links below). It’s why we make a big thing of our landslide win at the Software Satisfaction Awards, an award 100% voted for by clients via an independent third party. It is also why we have such a good reputation, not least of all in sectors such as Housing Associations.

Housing Associations are unusual. They do the same thing but don’t compete. That means they are open and talk to each other, they talk to each other a lot!

When we are talking to Housing Associations we rarely get chance to offer and organise a reference site because typically, someone at the prospective client knows someone at our existing client. If we had a bad reputation, we wouldn’t even be invited into the selection process.

However, we don’t just get invited into the process, we consistently win contract awards in Housing Associations and now have more than 30 Housing Association clients, all through reputation built on high quality software, accurate and honest sales, determined and attentive implementation projects and flexible and knowledgeable support.

We see housing, and the legal sector where we have a similar client base and reputation, as snapshots of our approach across our entire client base. Referrals and recommendations now represent our third most common source of new clients.
But why do Housing Associations consistently choose Cascade? Let’s ask them…

Sue Gott, Head of HR at Futures Housing commented “After one failed attempt with another HR software supplier we were really nervous about taking the plunge again. After lots of research and helpful referrals from Cascade staff, we were excited about what Cascade could offer us.

I can’t tell you how happy we are with our choice and how much easier life has and will continue to become. Whenever I get the opportunity to tell people about our new software, I seize the moment. Great product, great support, great result!”*

Sue isn’t alone, Rosie Green, Group HR Manager at Synergy Housing said, “Staff and managers have really benefited from being able to book/approve leave through the self service option. They find the system easy to use.”* and Rosemary Horan, HR Officer at Community Gateway Housing, told us “Cascade has made our organisation more efficient. It is easy to use and the back up support from the Help desk is invaluable.”*

Sue’s comment above that “Whenever I get the opportunity to tell people about our new software, I seize the moment” sums Cascade up.

*Source:Cascade Client Survey January 2010.

To find out more please follow any of the links below or contact us on 0113 2554115.

Example Clients and split by sector

Case Studies

By number of employees

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One issue – apparent in law firms but echoed throughout varied industries – is that the expectations and workload associated with a senior position are often incompatible with the demands placed on a parent trying to raise a family. Sadly this indicates that to a certain degree the glass ceiling still exists, not just for women but for parents in general.

To begin to rectify a gender imbalance, the provision of flexible working practices is certainly key. So how can this flexibility be achieved?

• Operationally, a company needs to decide beforehand what flexible working options it can offer, without:
- causing too great a disruption to the level of work it can handle
- compromising the quality of service offered
- placing too much pressure on other members of the team

• Culturally, senior management need to adjust any blinkered attitudes, and realise that flexible working practices can be very effective. For example, a partner doesn’t need to be in the office to make a valid contribution to a meeting. It is also important to acknowledge the dynamics that a gender-balanced senior team can create

• In the ever-changing world, companies need to have the technology in place to effectively manage a flexible workforce. HR teams require a software solution that allows them to easily set up different working practices, procedures and rules, with which to manage their employees.

Because it is typically very expensive to modify traditional software, companies perhaps fear change. But by design, Cascade’s .NET solution embraces change so as to not restrict clients that are looking to improve their business. This is not just a matter of functionality – Cascade’s core principal is to encourage clients to adapt, because the software can adapt with them.

The 25 legal companies utilising Cascade HR – and indeed the full scope of our 215 clients – recognise the level of control they can achieve, with minimal effort. Flexible working is not for everyone, but it need not be feared. And software alone cannot completely eradicate all diversity issues, but it removes one of the barriers perhaps currently preventing the level playing field.

Cascade Sales Director, Richard Anderson

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As quality of service is paramount to Lilian Faithfull Homes quality fo staff underpins everything the organisation does. To provide a solid foundation and basis for best practice the organisation has invested in Cascade .NET HR solutions and will implement the system making good use of it’s flexibility, process management, reporting features and ease of use.

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Epsilon is a global service provider headquartered in the United Kingdom and operates in the international telecoms wholesale market, with a core focus on voice and data connectivity. The organisation also specialises in other important network related services such as installation and commissioning, co-location, system integration, network management, and first line maintenance. Offices are now located in Singapore and Hong Kong and Epsilon provide global connectivity solutions between all major Telecoms Hubs.

The main objective of our business is to achieve excellence in all areas of our product portfolio, delivering a “service experience” warranted of an international telecoms carrier.

This focus on excellence is driven by Epsilon’s workforce who will now be managed through the Cascade .NET HR solution. A combination of .NET technology which Cascade and it’s client leverage to ensure unparalleled flexibility and a dynamic, proactive approach that is revolutionary ensures that Cascade’s clients get the very best from their investment in both Cascade and most crucially, their employees.

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Who takes responsibility for Payroll the day before the payroll must be completed and you need help? What about when you write a workflow or create a report and you’re not quite sure if it is right? When you call the help desk is it absolutely clear that they are responsible for everything?

With most suppliers there are grey areas. Why? Because many suppliers have taken on partner systems for Payroll, Workflow or Surveys and other crucial elements of their “Solution”. Other common partnered systems are Organisational Charting and a very common one is Report Writers. This approach is quick and easy for the developer. No initial or ongoing development costs, no support costs, just a quick and easy way to add functionality.

Instead the cost is passed on to you, the end user. A myriad of development styles is brought into one, different approaches to interfaces, different upgrade schedules, multiple systems being developed independently for different markets. Multiple databases, interfaces, the pitfalls are endless not to mention support and advice.

What about when a partnership comes to an end? You’ve invested in a HR system from company A, who supplied you with a rebadged Payroll system from company B, but now company A has been taken over by another supplier who have their own payroll system. They won’t support the payroll system you bought and instead, recommend that you re invest in their payroll system which they are now promoting and supporting. Sound familiar? To many companies, it’s all too familiar.

Here at Cascade we believe in one supplier, one developer, one solution, one helpdesk – in fact we believe in one phone number to call for 100% responsibility.

All of our solutions are developed by us, internally. All our staff are direct employees based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. All of our solutions are owned, implemented and supported by us.

That means everything is truly integrated. Not just our HR and Payroll systems, everything. All of our software, our services, our support, everything. Our Account Managers work in the same team as our Project Managers and all report to our Client Services Director, not our Sales Director. The people who write the software sit next to the people who implement it, who sit next to the people who support it and those that sell it. We even make a cuppa for each other, occasionally!

For a truly integrated, award winning, company, solution, services and support from one developer and supplier that is 100% UK based and focused on HR and Payroll solutions, Cascade are the only choice.

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But whilst our software provides an excellent solution for our HR and Payroll clients and their organisations, that is just the tip of the iceberg. Success can only be achieved by backing our innovative software with high quality services.

In fact the largest team in our business is our Client Services Team. Cascade has invested heavily in Support, Project Managers, Trainers and Consultants because we recognise that each of our clients is unique and that they need a quality service that supports their ever changing requirements.

Our software is a tool, a very powerful and flexible tool but still, just a tool. The architects of your solution are our Project Teams who translate your objectives into features, thereby realising benefits on your behalf.

It’s clear from our website that many organisations choose Cascade. But they don’t just choose us, they implement our systems and go live making full use of our solutions. This was recently demonstrated by the sweeping win our clients, old and new, awarded us at the recent Software Satisfaction Awards where we took a remarkable 81.6% of the vote against four of our key competitors.

Clients that have gone live in 2009 cross all sectors and sizes including education and private business, public sector and even non UK organisations. Examples include The Lanesborough Hotel, Autism West Midlands, International Transport Workers Federation and Ministry of Sound as well as Brooks McDonald Group PLC and Baroney College.

During a difficult financial year Cascade actually implemented more systems than in any previous year as organisations realised that implementing our unique solutions would help them gain advantage and become more efficient when efficiencies were most needed.

Cascade were also awarded more projects than ever in 2009 through recommendation. Sectors such as Legal as well as Housing Associations, where reputation is essential, represent more than 35 and 20 of Cascade’s client’s respectively. Examples such as Trowers and Hamlins LLP and Ruffer LLP as well as Broxbourne Housing Association and Aldwyck Housing all went live in 2009.

In fact more than 65 organisations went live with Cascade in 2009. Many of those clients, as well as longer standing clients, voted for us in the Software Satisfaction Awards.

It is common for our clients to contact us to provide feedback. People such as Susan Westron of Castle Leisure Ltd tell us “It is a pleasure to use Cascade on a daily basis. The ease of functionality for both new and experienced users is ideal. The amount of support offered is excellent and cannot be faulted.” and Helen Ratcliffe of Allford Hall Monaghon Morris LLP who said “Cascade has allowed us to adopt a truly professional approach to our HR function. It is efficient, easy to use and overall a great investment.”

We can only achieve those levels of satisfaction by investing in the implementation and support services that underpin our hugely popular HR and Payroll Solutions and we continue to invest in this team with recent new appointments to our Projects, Support and Account Management teams.

When you invest in Cascade you invest in our entire company, not just our software.

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Add to that the news that growth in HR job vacancies has outstripped that of any other sector and there really is something to smile about. Not only is this reassuring to unemployed Human Resources professionals, but it is perhaps an additional indication of confidence levels for 2010.

Many companies have gone through a period of cost and size reduction since the recession began. So as the country looks to regain some economic stability there is now increased demand on HR teams to recruit the best new candidates, and retain existing talent.

A recent CIPD mini-poll revealed for example that 63.95% of respondents believed they may lose staff in 2010 when the jobs market recovers, which further emphasises the need for companies to boost their HR quota to ensure talent management is at the top of their agenda.

This reliance on the HR function provides Human Resources gurus with a chance to raise their profile and really shine. The fiercely debated argument surrounding the true value of their role will now really come to the fore, providing the opportunity to show that HR has developed beyond the simple necessities of payroll, and now has a valuable, strategic contribution to make in the boardroom.

Richard Anderson
Sales Director
Cascade HR

To discuss how Cascade’s software solutions can help improve your approach to HR and workplace interaction, please contact Cascade on 0113 255 4115.

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Yet the Government’s proposed changes have been met with much negativity. It is certainly important to acknowledge the difficult implications – namely cost – that such revisions could present for SMEs if introduced in April. Indeed the changes could effectively double the challenges faced by smaller companies that already struggle when offering statutory maternity leave.

However this beleaguered veil of disapproval must not cloud the fact that this is a giant leap towards achieving a greater level of equality in the workplace, and even the smallest of companies are capable of managing the changes.

For the Government’s plans to be a success I think that senior managers should be supporting fathers who want to embrace their paternity entitlement, and should be championing the legislative changes. A caring and consultative approach is likely to encourage soon-to-be-fathers to consider paternity leave options as soon as they are aware of the pregnancy, hopefully giving the company 6 – 7 months to plan for and arrange temporary cover. Companies should never assume that the full paternity, or indeed maternity leave will not be taken because by planning for every possible scenario, change is naturally easier to deal with. The cost to recruit temporary cover can obviously not be overlooked, however SMEs must remember that the majority of statutory payments will be paid by the Government, therefore helping to alleviate any monetary concerns.

No-one can be certain what the take up level will be if the plans become reality, but at least the positive opportunity is there for fathers to seize.

Cascade helps organisations comply with ever changing legislation across all HR and Payroll areas ensuring best practice and legislative compliance automatically.

Well…yes.

A network cable connecting a company to its hard-wired server is a widely regarded thing of the past. However ingenious technological progression now means that the computing model has evolved further still.

Cloud-based computing now provides an elastic technology, capable of growing alongside the needs of a company. The dynamism of an internet-based resource (such as .NET HR software) allows users to access information wherever they may be, without the pressure or cost of managing an internal IT infrastructure.

Research findings (highlighted on HR Zone last week) predict that by 2012, 20% of companies will own no IT infrastructure whatsoever – and indeed this is a trend I see set to continue as the popularity of Cloud computing gathers pace.

For directors and managers looking to develop their HR strategies, the benefits are endless. The use of sophisticated technology such as iPhones means that the boundaries between work and leisure time are becoming evermore blurred. For example with Cloud technology, an employee can request and obtain authorisation for annual leave, having also checked the team diary to ensure no holiday clashes, all whilst sitting at the travel agents’ desk.

Such accessibility provides employees with responsibility for their own HR-related actions – an autonomous philosophy which ensures HR is embraced by the entire company, and which provides the opportunity for the HR function to really raise its profile.

Concerns have been expressed surrounding data security, back up and access, but most issues were ironed out years ago. Responsibility still lies with the software and ‘Cloud’ providers to ensure continuous development of technology and protection from security threats, and care must be taken by the end user when choosing reputable providers.

Ironically though with less people involved in internal IT infrastructure, the level of data confidentiality is now perhaps heightened. When considering recent news that corporate fraudulent activity remains rife in businesses, Cloud computing therefore provides yet another silver lining.

If you think your company could benefit by putting its head in the clouds, call 0113 255 4115 to speak to one of the Cascade team.

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The article, which has also appeared in local press in Yorkshire where Cascade are based such as the Yorkshire Post and Telegraph and Argus, was based on the following copy.

Optimistic Outlook for Cascade in 2010

Innovative software firm Cascade faces 2010 with optimism after increasing turnover levels in 2009 despite the recession.
The Pudsey-based company, which develops and supplies award-winning HR and Payroll solutions, reports turnover of £3.35m in the 12 months to December, against £3.2m in 2008.

And, after winning 42 new pieces of business this year including Morgan Est, Cascade is forecasting further growth next year to between £3.5 and £4m.

Software development director Dan Edwards (pictured) said: “The impact of the tough economic climate has curbed our previously steep growth trajectory, which saw turnover double in both 2007 and 2008, placing us in the top 1% of Britain’s fastest growing businesses.”

“Our strong start position, fortified by the pre-emptive introduction of a new team structure at the start of the downturn, has however enabled us to maintain momentum and our forecasts for next year, though conservative, are very healthy.”
Cascade has grown its staff from 12 to 54 in the last three years, and its clients worldwide to 207, without any borrowing or outside investment.”

“Its ‘intelligent’ software, which can be tailored to ‘push’ other processes rather than existing solely as a data bank, has won the support of charities, manufacturers, retailers, telecommunications firms, housing associations, and the legal sector. “It’s been an organic growth as our reputation has spread by word of mouth,” said Edwards.

Significant contract wins for 2009 include specialist small business lender Bank of Cyprus UK (recent overall winners at the Personnel Today Awards 2009), international banking consultancy SOFGEN, and the aforementioned Morgan Est, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of public and private infrastructure services.

In October, Cascade was named Best Enterprise HR Solution Provider in the Software Satisfaction Awards which, significantly, are voted for independently by clients. The company’s combination of flexible solutions and excellent after sales support combined to win it 82% of the overall vote.

Edwards said: “We have become the market leader in integrated . NET HR and HMRC Accredited Payroll software. We have also guarded against going down the easy route of using add-on software and partner systems in favour of achieving higher levels of quality by developing our own client-focused solutions.”

“Sustained investment has seen the release of version 4.0 of the Cascade solution. The new version introduces yet more innovations and ensures our clients remain in line with HR and Payroll developments. Functionality that allows HR teams to post vacancies online and also receive applicants seamlessly, has been particularly popular as organisations reinvest in people as the economic outlook improves.”

“We are continuing to thrive in a challenging climate because we excel by design, by desire and by sheer determination!”

Cascade is a Microsoft Gold Partner based in Pudsey, Leeds.

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