Fluz optimises Remote’s contractor management platform to emerge as a finance app powerhouse

Founded in 2016, Fluz is a cashback app that stands apart from traditional rewards programmes. It uses social networks to enable users to earn income whenever they (or someone in their network) make a purchase, captured by the slogan “the more you spend, the more you earn.”

As the business has expanded, its ambitions have widened. Aspiring to become a one-stop financial app — extending well beyond cashback services — Fluz requires the expertise of the world’s top fintech talent. To achieve this, it needs a dependable, proven global HR partner.

This is why Fluz partners with Remote to recruit globally at scale — while remaining compliant and adaptable at every stage.

Fluz at a glance

• Headquarters: New York

• Founded: 2016

• Number of contractors with Remote: 24

• Industry: Fintech

Originally, Fluz’s whole team — founders, engineers and designers — were based in New York. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the company introduced a remote-working policy and, at the same time, handled a sharp rise in both app users and staff.

Around that period, two core team members decided to relocate to Canada — which is when Remote first became involved. Fluz had to find a way to accommodate the change and ensure everything remained compliant.

“Remote played a vital role in keeping those two employees in the business,” says Amador Pilapil, Fluz’s Head of People. “They handled the contracts, paperwork and compliance, and it was a huge relief to have everything managed for us. They guided us through the process, and it couldn’t have been simpler.”

With a solid relationship established, Fluz quickly recognised that Remote could help address other challenges too.

Making the most of the world’s top contractor talent

To sustain rapid growth, Fluz was already engaging contractors in the US and overseas. However, the contractor management process was manual, lacked transparency, and was not scalable.

For example, Fluz performed identity checks and processed paperwork for all contractors, including personal details and agreements. Pilapil says this took several hours each week and left room for human error. The company needed a more resilient solution.

“On discovering Remote offered a contractor management platform, we moved our international contractors across,” says Pilapil. “The impact was immediate.”

As well as eliminating the time-consuming administrative burden, the change allowed Fluz to scale its international contractor base. With much of its customer care team located in the Philippines, the arrangement is both sensible and effective.

“Our contractors offer support that matches domestic-level service,” Pilapil explains. “That means we can engage outstanding people to support the business while offering opportunities to those who need them. It’s a very successful model for us.”

A more efficient approach

Remote’s Contractor Management platform also streamlines Fluz’s payment processes — and prevents the inconsistencies of the previous manual setup.

“We discovered cases where contractors had left the business, yet automatic wire transfers continued,” says Pilapil. “We needed a better approach.”

With Remote, Fluz can now settle monthly invoices in bulk (in each contractor’s local currency) with just a few clicks. Rather than making one-off, ad-hoc payments via separate wire transfers, invoices are uploaded to Remote, approved there and rolled into each contractor’s total monthly payment. The procedure is quick and removes the back-and-forth previously needed to reimburse expenses.

Remote provides us with full control over contractor management. The modest monthly fee is minimal compared with the peace of mind we gain from knowing that we are paying people correctly, compliantly and efficiently.

Trust, transparency, and security

For Fluz, identifying the right contractor and building trust is essential.

“Remote aids this because it is a professional platform that promotes accountability from contractors,” says Pilapil. “They must upload all their documents and can view their history in one place. Overall, communication is much clearer.”

In turn, Remote supplies contractors with a transparent portal where they can upload invoices, view transaction history and see when and how they will be paid.

“The response from our contractors has been extremely positive,” Pilapil says. “They appreciate not having to email me for requests, invoice copies or to amend their details.

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

Fluz can also handle contractors’ personally identifiable information securely, which is particularly advantageous for a fintech company.

“It’s a much slicker process than what we had before,” Pilapil says. “Contractors no longer email us sensitive material such as ID scans, bank details or withdrawal methods.”

Finally, by managing its international contractor base through Remote, Fluz can avoid concerns about worker misclassification and legal compliance. Remote guarantees that paperwork and payment methods comply with labour and taxation laws in each country, giving Fluz the confidence to continue expanding globally.

A helping hand

For Pilapil, much of this assurance comes from Remote’s experience and specialist knowledge — and from its high level of support.

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

“Our account manager is always reachable and will either send contextual emails or offer to jump on a quick call to go through my questions. I greatly value that flexibility and partnership.”

Remote provides excellent support, and that is one of the reasons we expanded our relationship with them.

Scalability is another vital element of the collaboration — especially for a rapidly growing start-up like Fluz.

“Remote stands out because it scales completely and is dependable,” says Pilapil. “Onboarding, managing and paying employees and contractors is straightforward. Once people are set up, we don’t have to worry about it. It’s excellent.”

What’s next for Fluz

Fluz has ambitious plans to broaden its product offering — and company growth is central to making that possible. For Pilapil, this means recruiting engineers across the globe, with a clear focus on Europe.

“We know that we will receive full support from the entire team at Remote to navigate new countries and their various labour laws,” he says. “Having that partnership is very reassuring as we scale the business.”

In the meantime, Pilapil is keen to reflect on how far the company has come — and on the positive influence Remote has had.

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

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