What does it take to turn a small payroll software into a trusted name for thousands of business owners? The story of BrightPay is a testament to power of vision, innovation, and an unrelenting focus on simplifying payroll processes.
From its early days of floppy disks to becoming a market leader in cloud-based payroll solutions. The roots of BrightPay trace back to the early 1990s when Paul, an accountant with a flair for programming created Thesaurus Payroll.
“It was a different world back then,” recalls Paul. “Growing our first customer base was a slow climb.”
Despite the challenges, Paul’s eye for detail and compliance soon earned Thesaurus a reputation as a trusted payroll solution across Ireland. By the late 1990s it was clear Thesaurus was no mere side hustle. Paul took the plunge, leaving his day job to focus on growing the business full-time.
2010 saw in a new chapter. Paul invited his nephew Ross, a software developer with a passion for UX (user experience) into the fold.
With Ross’s fresh perspective and Paul’s industry expertise they envisioned BrightPay. A product that marries compliance and simplicity turning payroll from a chore into a simple process.
The company name, BrightPay, was chosen to reflect the values of clarity and cleverness—clarity for ease of use and cleverness for comprehensive functionality—while also ensuring it was memorable and positioned well for visibility, especially in HMRC’s accredited payroll software list.
‘The word ‘Bright’ means two things; clarity, suggesting ease of use, and cleverness, suggesting comprehensive and accurate functionality. These values have been our foundation from the very beginning’ – Ross
A leap into the cloud
As times have changed so have the demands on payroll software and processors. Payroll solutions now need to be accessible anytime, anywhere. Whilst not all customers want to switch to cloud based solutions, the software industry as a whole is moving towards cloud-based payroll solutions and users are benefiting from the additional flexibility and security the cloud provides.
‘We put so much effort into transitioning desktop users to the cloud, making it as seamless as possible for them.’
“Nobody likes change” Paul acknowledges “we’ve worked hard to make the migration to BrightPay Online as seamless as possible, so customers would feel at home right away.” The result was a cloud-based platform keeping everything customers loved about BrightPay desktop, whilst adding the convenience of the cloud.
‘Performance is part of User Experience – not just how it looks, but how snappy it feels’
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift. With businesses under pressure to adapt quickly to new ways of working, BrightPay’s ability to roll out timely updates solidified it’s reputation as a reliable partner.
“We’ve always prided ourselves with being ahead of the curve, and that’s just what customers needed in such uncertain times” says Paul.
Listening to customers: The BrightPay Way
Customer feedback has always been at the core of BrightPay’s success.
“Our users aren’t shy about telling us what they need” Ross laughs “and that’s the way we like it. Their input has shaped every improvement we’ve made from desktop features to BrightPay online.”
A Bright future ahead
The journey from floppy disks to a cutting-edge cloud platform has been remarkable and BrightPay isn’t stopping here. The team is already hard at work refining their offerings and supporting new users, all whilst staying true to their mission: making payroll simple, reliable and stress-free for businesses everywhere.
Paul and Ross are optimistic for the future:
“We’ve built something we’re proud of and excited for what’s next” Paul says, “it’s been a great journey so far, but the best has yet to come.”
BrightPay isn’t just a payroll solution, it’s an Irish success story about persistence, innovation and teamwork with its roots firmly planted in trust and community, BrightPay’s future is brighter than ever!
