Fluz optimizes Remote’s contractor management platform to become a finance app powerhouse

Established in 2016, Fluz is a cashback app unlike any other rewards program. It leverages social networks to help users earn income whenever they (or someone in their network) makes a purchase, with a motto of “the more you spend, the more you earn.”

But as the company has grown, so too have its goals. As it seeks to become a one-stop financial app — expanding its reach well beyond cashback services — Fluz needs the experience and expertise of the world’s best fintech talent. To do that, it needs a proven, reliable global HR partner.

Here’s why Fluz works with Remote to hire globally at scale — while remaining compliant and flexible at every stage.

Fluz at a glance

• Headquarters: New York

• Founded: 2016

• Number of contractors with Remote:  24

• Industry: Fintech 

Initially, Fluz’s entire team — including its founders, engineers, and designers — was based in New York. But as the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the company was forced to adopt a remote work policy and, simultaneously, manage a significant growth spurt in both app users and staff.

At around the same time, two of the company’s core team members opted to migrate to Canada — which is when Remote first became involved. Fluz needed to find a way to accommodate the change, and ensure everything was above board.

“Remote was instrumental in retaining these two employees within the business,” says Amador Pilapil, Fluz’s Head of People. “They took care of the contracts, paperwork, and compliance, and it was a huge relief to have everything managed for us. They talked us through everything, and the whole process was a breeze.”

With the seeds of a positive relationship sewn, Fluz quickly realized that Remote could help with its other challenges, too.

Making the most of the world’s top contractor talent

To help support its rapid growth, Fluz was already working with contractors both in the US and overseas. However, the contractor management process was manual, opaque, and unscalable.

For instance, Fluz was running identity checks and handling paperwork for all its contractors, including personal information and contractor agreements. According to Pilapil, this was consuming multiple hours each week, with the potential for human error. The company needed a more robust solution.

“When we saw that Remote was offering a contractor management platform, we decided to transfer our international contractors,” says Pilapil. “The difference was immediate.” 

As well as removing the time-consuming administrative burden, the switch also enabled Fluz to start growing its international contractor base at scale. With most of its customer care team based in the Philippines, it’s a model that makes sense — and works well.

“We receive a high level of support from our contractors that’s on par with domestic-level service,” Pilapil explains. “As a result, we get to engage great people to support our business, while offering opportunities to people that really need it. It’s a very successful model for our business.” 

A more efficient approach

Remote’s Contractor Management platform also helps Fluz manage payments more efficiently — and avoid the anomalies of its previously manual setup.

“We discovered occasions where contractors had actually left the business, but the automatic wire transfer for payment would continue,” says Pilapil. “We needed a better solution." 

With Remote, Fluz can now settle monthly invoices in bulk (in each contractor’s local currency) in just a few clicks. Instead of settling one-off, ad-hoc payments through separate wire transfers, invoices are simply uploaded to Remote, where they are approved and added to the total monthly payment for each contractor. The process is quick and easy, with no more back-and-forth communication to get expenses paid.

Remote gives us full control over how we manage our contractors. The small fee each month is nothing compared to the peace of mind we get from knowing that we’re paying people correctly, compliantly, and efficiently.

Trust, transparency, and security

For Fluz, finding the right contractor and developing trust is crucial.

“Remote helps us do this, because it’s a professional platform that encourages accountability on the contractor’s end,” says Pilapil. “They have to upload all their documents, and they can see their history in one place. All in all, the communication is much clearer.”

In turn, Remote provides contractors with a transparent platform where they can upload invoices, access transaction history, and see when and how they will be paid.

“The feedback from our contractors has been so positive,” Pilapil says. “They love not having to email me for requests or copies of invoices, or to change their details.

“Remote makes our contractors’ lives easier. It’s a win all round.”

Fluz can also process its contractors’ personally-identifiable information securely, which, as a fintech company, is particularly beneficial.

“It’s a much slicker process than what we had before,” Pilapil says. “Contractors are no longer emailing us sensitive data such as ID scans, bank account numbers, or withdrawal methods.”

Finally, by handling its international contractor base through Remote, Fluz doesn’t have to worry about worker misclassification or legal compliance. Remote guarantees that paperwork and payment methods are compliant with labor and taxation laws in every country, giving Fluz the confidence to continue its global expansion.

A helping hand

For Pilapil, much of this confidence is grounded in Remote’s experience and expertise — and its high levels of support. 

“I don’t have a background in international hiring but the team at Remote is always on hand to talk things through and explain things,” he says. “We were nervous because there’s a lot to consider, but they have in-house experts that put our minds at ease.

“Our account manager is always available and will either send me emails with context, or offer to jump on a quick call to discuss my questions. I really value that flexibility and partnership.”

Remote has excellent support and that’s one of the reasons why we expanded with them.

Scalability is another key part of the collaboration — especially for a rapidly-growing startup like Fluz. 

“What sets Remote apart from all other platforms is that it is 100% scalable and reliable,” says Pilapil. “It’s so simple to onboard, manage, and pay employees and contractors. We set people up and then we don’t have to worry about it. It’s brilliant.”  

What’s next for Fluz 

Fluz has ambitious product expansion plans — and company growth is a key part of enabling that. For Pilapil, this means recruiting globally for the company’s engineering teams, with its sights set firmly on Europe.

“We know that we’ll have full support from the whole team at Remote to navigate new countries and their various labor laws,” he says. “It’s very reassuring to have that partnership as we grow the business.”

In the meantime, Pilapil is also keen to reflect on just how far the company has come — and how much of a positive impact Remote has had.

“’I’m proud of all that we’ve accomplished,'' he concludes. “I’m looking forward to expanding our partnership, and bringing Fluz to new customers around the world.”

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