ADP's complaint volume on G2 tells its own story: "Poor Customer Support" mentions jumped from 119 to 175 in just five months this year. For a franchise operator running payroll across several locations, that trend matters more than a brand name. When something breaks mid-payroll-run, you need a platform that answers the phone fast, not one trending in the wrong direction.

The Real Cost of a Support Ticket That Sits

ADP support reviewers report hold times ranging from 30 minutes to two hours, and the support model itself is a mix of US and offshore teams, meaning the person who answers doesn't always have the context your account needs. For a multi-location franchise, a payroll delay at one site can cascade into a compliance issue before anyone senior even sees the ticket.

Tax filing accuracy compounds the risk. ADP has multiple reported failures on record, including state filing errors, 941 reporting mistakes, and filings submitted to the wrong state entirely. None of that is hypothetical if you're running payroll across state lines already.

What Is Netchex

Netchex is a payroll and HR platform built for hourly, multi-location businesses in the 50 to 5,000 employee range, with a 4.5 G2 rating across more than 7,500 businesses. Shift differentials, piece rate pay, OSHA tracking, and biometric clocking are native, not add-ons.

What Is ADP Workforce Now

ADP is one of the largest payroll providers in the world, scaling from small business (RUN) up to global enterprise (Vantage HCM), with native payroll support across more than 140 countries. It's a legitimate option if your business genuinely operates internationally or needs that scale of infrastructure.

Support: ADP's Growing Complaint Problem

The 175-mention "Poor Customer Support" tag isn't a one-time spike, it's a documented five-month upward trend, and ADP's G2 support score of 7.9 out of 10 sits noticeably below Netchex's 8.9. Netchex answers 90% of calls in under a minute with a 90% first-call resolution rate, and every customer gets a dedicated, US-based, FPC-certified Account Manager, not a rotating support queue.

Running Payroll: One Screen vs. Several

Netchex's OneScreen payroll run shows your full roster in one place and typically takes about 15 minutes. ADP requires navigating multiple screens, capping at roughly 50 employees per screen, and reviewers cite data entry duplication as a result. Multiply that friction across several locations and it adds up to real hours lost every pay period.

Implementation: Weeks vs. Months, With Surprises

ADP's RUN product can be live in a few weeks, but Workforce Now and Vantage implementations typically run several months, and reviewers report mid-implementation surprises along the way. Netchex's implementation is free, project-managed, and wraps in about six weeks, with 96% implementation satisfaction.

ADP vs. Netchex: At a Glance

The Bottom Line

ADP's scale is real, and if you need payroll in 140 countries, that's a legitimate reason to consider it. Most multi-unit franchise operators don't need that scale, and what they do need, fast support, accurate tax filings, and pay rules built for hourly teams, is exactly where ADP's own reviewers report it falling short. Netchex was built specifically for the franchise reality: hourly, multi-location, and growing.

Visit Netchex to see payroll and HR built for how multi-unit franchises actually operate.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why are ADP's customer support complaints increasing?

G2 data shows ADP's "Poor Customer Support" mentions rose from 119 to 175 in five months, and reviewers cite long hold times (30 minutes to 2 hours) and a mixed US/offshore support model as contributing factors.

2. Has ADP had tax filing accuracy issues?

Yes, multiple reported failures are on record, including state filing errors, 941 reporting mistakes, and filings sent to the wrong state. Netchex has no documented tax-filing failures in this comparison.

3. How long does ADP Workforce Now implementation take?

Typically several months, with reviewers reporting mid-implementation surprises. Netchex's implementation is free, project-managed, and usually takes about six weeks.

4. Does ADP support shift differential and piece rate pay natively?

No, both require configuration according to this comparison. Netchex handles both natively.

5. Is ADP a good fit for a franchise operating only in the US?

It can be, but ADP's biggest strength, native payroll across 140-plus countries, goes unused if you're not operating internationally, while its documented support and implementation issues still apply regardless of your footprint.

‍