Emerson & Co.

Shared buying power and long-standing supplier relationships are the backbone of Emerson & Co, a financial services firm in the Kansas City area. The firm provides bookkeeping, payroll, merchant services and insurance, and it says it works with businesses and public organizations to cut costs and improve efficiency.

Bookkeeping built around each client

The firm provides a customized bookkeeping solution for each client's situation, so the arrangement is shaped to how the business actually records its money. The firm says its clients benefit from its problem-solving attitude, which it applies to each challenge, and from its ability to keep them ahead of compliance and regulation.

Payroll that scales to full HR

The payroll service runs from basic payroll processing through to fully integrated human resource management. The firm presents this as a single route for businesses that want to grow their payroll function without taking on more administration. It also offers access to the latest tools, which the firm says keeps payroll running smoothly and gives clients a clear understanding of what they are paying for.

Merchant services and insurance cover

The merchant services team draws on experience with several payment processing solutions, and the firm uses that experience to suggest the arrangement that suits a client. Its insurance work covers property and casualty insurance, general liability, professional insurance and health insurance. Clients can rely on the firm's long-standing relationships with top-tier providers, which it presents as a source of value for clients.

Cutting costs through shared buying power

Emerson & Co's model is that its buying power and partner relationships work for clients who would otherwise deal alone with large providers. The firm says it works with public organizations and businesses to cut costs and find efficiencies, and it founded the firm in June 2006 with a background of 28 years in the financial services industry. Its clients are based in and around Kansas City, and the firm offers a short first conversation to help a business see how it can take the administration off the owner's desk.