Why Simple Biz came back to Hubstaff after experimenting with a cheaper time tracking tool

Key outcomes

• Scaled from under 50 workers to more than 700 globally
• Saved dozens of hours each week by eliminating spreadsheet-based processes
• 3–5x estimated ROI from productivity and operational improvements
• Restored reliable reporting and visibility for managers

Background

Simple Biz operates a globally distributed workforce supporting clients across multiple regions. As the business expanded, leadership needed a reliable way to track work, monitor productivity, and maintain operational visibility across a growing international team.

When the company first implemented Hubstaff in 2014, the platform helped bring structure and clarity to workforce management. At the time, the team consisted of fewer than 50 domestic workers.

“Hubstaff is a user-friendly and efficient way to track our workers’ hours.”

Over the years, the business began scaling rapidly and hiring internationally. Along the way, the company briefly explored switching to another platform to reduce software costs. However, the operational trade-offs quickly became clear.

To better understand the impact of returning to Hubstaff, we spoke with the Simple Biz team about how the switch affected their operations and growth.

As Simple Biz continued scaling its workforce, the team briefly evaluated another time tracking platform. Although the switch was intended to optimize costs, it quickly reinforced how essential Hubstaff’s reliable reporting and accurate productivity data were to their operations.

While using Apploye, managers encountered inconsistencies in recorded hours and unreliable totals in reports, making it difficult to confidently assess team performance and manage payroll.

“The main issues were inaccurate totals and inconsistencies in recorded hours.”

The team also experienced technical issues with the tracker stopping unexpectedly, which led to frequent manual time adjustments. 

As Simple Biz expanded its workforce, the problems with their previous platform became even more noticeable.

Around the time the company hired roughly 40–50 employees in a short period, reporting limitations began affecting management decisions.

“The breaking point came when we needed to conduct productivity reviews but lacked reliable data.”

These challenges ultimately reinforced the importance of dependable reporting and operational visibility, prompting the team to return to Hubstaff.

Returning to Hubstaff restored reliability and visibility

When Simple Biz returned to Hubstaff, the difference was immediate. Managers once again had access to accurate data they could trust when evaluating performance and managing workloads.

“With Hubstaff our managers have the ability to monitor their team's productivity, helping us better serve our clients.”

Just as importantly, the constant platform issues the team experienced with their previous provider disappeared.

“It eliminated the constant noise of platform issues.”

Support requests from employees dropped significantly because the system was easier to use and far more stable.

Before relying on Hubstaff’s reporting, payroll and operational tracking involved extensive manual work.

Managers frequently relied on spreadsheets to calculate hours, verify totals, and compile reports. The process required constant manual oversight and was prone to errors.

Hubstaff replaced those fragmented workflows with centralized reporting and automated data tracking.

The company estimates that the switch has saved dozens of hours each week, allowing managers to focus on client work rather than administrative tasks.

Faster invoicing and better financial visibility

Billing operations also improved significantly after returning to Hubstaff. Previously, invoicing required pulling data from multiple spreadsheets and verifying hours manually.

“Invoicing used to be a scavenger hunt across multiple spreadsheets.”

With Hubstaff, managers can now generate invoices quickly and with far greater confidence in the accuracy of the underlying data.

This visibility also improves project forecasting and budgeting accuracy, allowing leadership to better estimate project completion timelines and allocate resources appropriately.

Hubstaff reports act as a diagnostic tool for the business

For Simple Biz, reporting has become one of the most valuable aspects of the platform.

Beyond payroll, Hubstaff reports provide insight into productivity trends, workflow bottlenecks, and potential operational issues before they impact projects.

“They act as a diagnostic tool for our business.”

These insights allow leadership to proactively adjust resources and maintain high levels of client satisfaction.

Estimated ROI: 3–5x the cost of Hubstaff

When estimating the return on investment from Hubstaff, Simple Biz points primarily to time savings and productivity improvements.

Managers no longer spend hours compiling reports or troubleshooting platform issues. Instead, they can focus on client work and operational growth.

“I’d estimate our annual ROI from using Hubstaff is roughly 3–5x the cost.”

How Hubstaff helped Simple Biz scale from 50 to 700+ workers

For Simple Biz, what began as a small domestic workforce of fewer than 50 employees has grown into a global team of more than 700 workers.

Through every step of their growth, Hubstaff allowed leadership to confidently manage their distributed workforce while maintaining clear operational oversight. This visibility gave the team the confidence to continue hiring internationally while maintaining consistent operational standards.

That operational clarity has allowed the company to grow dramatically while maintaining accountability across a rapidly expanding global workforce.

“Hubstaff is the infrastructure that has allowed our business to grow 15x smoothly.”

As Simple Biz continues expanding its international workforce, reliable operational visibility will remain critical.

Hubstaff now serves as a foundational system supporting the company’s growth, ensuring that even as the organization scales globally, its standards for accountability, productivity, and performance remain consistent.