Payroll & HCM Marketing Consultant for Workforce Technology Companies
Payroll is quiet infrastructure until something goes wrong. Then a missed deduction, a broken time rule, a failed integration or an employee who cannot get paid becomes a leadership problem in a hurry.
I help payroll providers, HCM platforms, workforce-management companies, PEOs, EORs, benefits technology firms and HR software businesses make complicated value easier to discover, understand, trust and choose.
The work connects positioning, technical content, SEO, GEO, AEO, AI search, product storytelling, demand generation, partner channels, sales enablement, customer proof and the commercial realities of long B2B buying cycles.
Paper Boat Media · Dr. Robert Urban · DeLand, Florida · National and selected international B2B growth strategy. Payroll, tax, employment, legal, privacy and compliance judgments remain with qualified professionals and the appropriate authorities.
Payroll is a technology decision with a very human blast radius.
A payroll or HCM buyer is not simply comparing software screens. The buyer is imagining payday, tax deposits, employee questions, manager adoption, data migration, support calls, security review, executive scrutiny and the first difficult month after launch.
A vendor can have a beautiful demo and still leave the buyer wondering what happens at 2:17 a.m. when a timekeeping rule behaves strangely, a state tax account changes, a new acquisition enters the system or an employee says the paycheck is wrong.
That is the confidence gap. Marketing has to explain the product, the operating model, the people, the integrations, the safeguards, the implementation path and the business consequences in language different decision-makers can actually use.
Find the part of workforce-technology growth that needs attention.
Payroll and HCM are related markets. They are not the same sale.
A payroll processor, an enterprise HCM platform, a PEO, an EOR and a timekeeping company may all discuss workforce technology. Their buyers, risk, proof, implementation burden, pricing and retention logic can be very different.
Payroll Providers
Payroll processing, tax filing support, wage calculations, direct deposit, year-end reporting, employee self-service and service operations.
HCM Platforms
Core HR, talent, performance, workforce data, benefits, analytics and the systems that connect the employee lifecycle.
Workforce Management
Time, attendance, scheduling, labor forecasting, absence, overtime, mobile access and rules that connect labor to cost.
PEOs and Employer Services
Co-employment models, payroll, benefits, human resources support, risk services and the practical needs of growing employers.
EOR and Global Payroll
Cross-border employment, local requirements, entities, currencies, workforce mobility and the complexity of hiring across jurisdictions.
Benefits Technology
Enrollment, eligibility, carrier connectivity, employee choice, administration and the communications that help people use the benefit.
Talent and Recruiting Systems
Applicant tracking, sourcing, scheduling, screening, onboarding, internal mobility and the connection between talent acquisition and retention.
Earned Wage and Financial Wellness
Access to earned pay, financial tools, employer programs and the trust required around sensitive wage information.
Implementation and Advisory Firms
System selection, migration, configuration, integration, change management, training and the work that makes software usable after the contract.
A company can serve several of these categories, but the public story should reveal the commercial center of gravity. A buyer looking for multi-state payroll compliance does not need the same first explanation as a global employer evaluating an EOR. A CFO comparing systems wants economic and control clarity. A payroll administrator wants operational detail. An employee wants a correct, understandable paycheck.
The buyer cannot test the whole system before signing the contract.
A prospective customer can click through a demo, read a feature list and attend a sales presentation. The buyer cannot fully experience implementation, parallel payroll, year-end processing, support escalation, manager adoption and employee trust in advance.
That makes credibility unusually important. A workforce platform is judged through the evidence surrounding it: clear product explanations, realistic implementation detail, security answers, integration documentation, customer references, service model, leadership visibility and the vendor's willingness to explain limitations.
The old language of “easy” and “seamless” is too thin for a system that touches every employee. The useful question is: what becomes easier, for whom, under which conditions, and how will the organization know?
One platform can have five different audiences before the first contract is signed.
The marketing may begin with a payroll keyword, but the decision rarely ends with one person. The page, demo, proposal and proof system should let each audience find the question it needs answered.
Finance
Payroll cost, controls, cash timing, tax exposure, auditability, reporting, reconciliation and the business case for changing systems.
Human Resources
Employee data, lifecycle workflows, benefits, talent, policy, service quality, adoption and the relationship between technology and the employee experience.
Payroll Administration
Rules, calendars, exceptions, deductions, approvals, tax accounts, time feeds, retroactivity, year-end work and the practical reality of getting payroll out.
Information Technology
Identity, access, integrations, APIs, data movement, architecture, logging, support boundaries and the effect on the existing technology environment.
Operations and Managers
Scheduling, approvals, labor visibility, reporting, workforce planning and the amount of administrative work the system creates or removes.
Procurement and Legal
Commercial terms, implementation obligations, data handling, service levels, indemnities, renewals, exit provisions and vendor accountability.
The sale runs from a payroll problem to a lived employee experience.
The highest-value marketing question is not only how a prospect finds the platform. It is how the organization moves from concern to confidence without losing the thread.
Features are evidence. They are rarely the whole reason to switch.
Payroll and HCM platforms can accumulate feature lists until every vendor sounds like a very confident spreadsheet. Positioning has to connect capability to the pain, risk, decision and outcome that matter to a specific buyer.
A stronger message might connect multi-state complexity to control and confidence. It might connect timekeeping to labor visibility rather than clock software. It might connect benefits administration to participation and fewer manual handoffs. It might connect analytics to a decision somebody can make before the next payroll cycle.
That requires a hierarchy. The buyer should understand the commercial problem first, the product's role second, the proof third and the next step fourth.
Technical content should reduce uncertainty before the sales call.
A serious buyer wants more than a promise that the platform is intuitive. Useful content shows how the system behaves, where it connects, what the customer must prepare and how success is evaluated.
| Buyer question | Useful proof | Commercial effect |
|---|---|---|
| Can the platform handle a customer's pay and workforce rules? | Rule explanations, workflow diagrams, product documentation, scenario examples and clear boundaries. | Reduces the fear that the demo hid the difficult part. |
| Will the system connect to the tools already in place? | Integration catalog, API documentation, data ownership, supported formats and implementation responsibilities. | Helps IT and operations assess effort before the shortlist. |
| Can people actually use it? | Role-specific journeys, screenshots, training approach, administrator resources and service model. | Makes adoption a design question instead of an afterthought. |
| How will migration affect payroll continuity? | Implementation phases, data mapping, testing, parallel processing, communication and escalation paths. | Turns a frightening switch into a sequence the committee can discuss. |
| Can the vendor support a hard problem? | Customer stories, support structure, escalation rules, implementation expertise and honest answers about fit. | Builds confidence beyond feature parity. |
Compliance is not a slogan a software vendor gets to borrow.
Payroll and workforce technology sits near tax, wages, benefits, employment records, identity, banking information and sensitive employee data. Marketing can explain responsibility and controls. It cannot turn a product claim into a legal conclusion.
The IRS Employer's Tax Guide is a useful reminder that payroll withholding and employment-tax responsibilities depend on the actual facts and the employer's obligations. The U.S. Department of Labor recordkeeping guidance describes employer record obligations under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
A good marketing system makes the platform's role clear. Does it calculate, transmit, remind, integrate, store, report, support or help a qualified professional make a decision? Precision is more credible than a giant promise.
The integration is part of the product story.
An HCM platform never lives alone. It exchanges information with accounting, benefits, timekeeping, recruiting, identity, finance, scheduling, expense, banking and reporting systems. That network is where much of the value and much of the anxiety live.
Before the contract
Explain supported systems, data ownership, integration methods, timing assumptions, customer responsibilities and the questions that deserve technical review.
During implementation
Make mapping, configuration, testing, validation, parallel work, training, communications and escalation feel like an accountable sequence.
After launch
Show how customers monitor changes, add entities, manage permissions, handle exceptions, request help and prepare for the next operating need.
The phrase “integrates with everything” creates more questions than it answers. A stronger page names the important connection, the direction of data movement, the owner of the decision and the consequence when the connection is incomplete.
Search visibility starts with the questions buyers ask before they know the vendor.
A payroll buyer may search for a vendor. More often, the first search is about a problem: multi-state payroll, timekeeping integration, PEO versus payroll, global employment, benefits administration, payroll migration, wage compliance, employee self-service or a system that can keep up with growth.
Own the problem language
Build useful explanations around the operational situations, comparisons, roles, industries and moments that create demand. Product language can follow once the buyer understands the problem.
Make entities connect
Clarify the organization, platform, modules, integrations, service model, industries, leadership, evidence, partners, locations and customer types.
Answer the hard questions
Use direct answers for pricing logic, implementation, security review, data migration, pay rules, support, switching, employee adoption and fit.
Support machine retrieval
Clear headings, plain definitions, structured relationships, authoritative references and human authorship help search systems and AI tools understand the business.
For the broader discovery discipline, see AI Search & Organic Growth Strategy. The specialist work remains grounded in the actual payroll and workforce questions a buyer needs to answer.
A demo is a destination. It is not a strategy.
Paid search, LinkedIn, email, events, partner referrals, review sites, organic search, analyst conversations and direct outreach can all matter. The channel should match the product, audience, deal size, urgency and evidence available.
Search can capture a buyer with a defined problem. LinkedIn can reach a named account or a professional audience. An association event can create trust that a banner ad cannot. A partner may introduce a customer at the exact moment the current system is failing. A technical guide can become the quiet reason the vendor makes the shortlist months later.
I look at channel as a path through the buying process. The job is not to make every channel louder. It is to make the next decision easier.
The payroll market has trusted intermediaries for a reason.
Accountants, benefits brokers, HR consultants, implementation firms, technology advisors, banks, associations and existing customers can shape a workforce-technology decision before the vendor ever appears in search.
Accountants and advisors
They may understand the employer's growth, reporting, tax, cash and administrative pain before a software provider does.
Benefits and HR partners
They see enrollment, plan administration, employee questions and the friction created by disconnected systems.
Implementation specialists
They know which platforms can be configured, migrated and adopted in the environment the customer actually has.
Technology partners
They care about identity, data movement, APIs, support boundaries and the integrity of the wider stack.
Associations and events
They create places where professional credibility, education, product experience and relationship-building can happen together.
Customer advocates
A credible customer story can explain the difficult part of change better than a dozen polished product claims.
The incumbent has one enormous advantage: people already know where the buttons are.
A customer may dislike the current platform and still fear changing it. Payroll is recurring, visible and unforgiving. The cost of switching includes technology, time, training, data, employee communication, manager behavior, parallel processing and the emotional cost of being responsible for the decision.
That is why a strong growth story must include adoption and continuity. A vendor that only markets acquisition leaves the most important proof hidden after the contract. Customer education, implementation resources, release communication, support quality and useful expansion content all help retention.
Marketing can also help customers recognize new value inside an existing relationship. A company that bought payroll may later need benefits, time, analytics, recruiting, global employment or workforce planning. Expansion should feel like a useful next chapter, not a surprise invoice with a login screen.
The administrator, manager and employee do not experience the same product.
A payroll platform can be technically sound and still feel exhausting if every routine action requires a specialist. It can also be powerful and still underperform when managers avoid the workflow or employees do not understand what changed.
Administrators
Need control, visibility, exception handling, audit trails, calendars, permissions, support and enough explanation to diagnose a problem.
Managers
Need approvals, scheduling, labor insight, access to the right information and workflows that do not turn supervision into data entry.
Employees
Need correct pay, understandable deductions, usable self-service, timely communication and a place to ask questions when the screen does not make sense.
This is where customer-experience thinking becomes commercial strategy. Adoption affects retention. Retention affects lifetime value. Employee confidence affects the story customers tell inside their professional networks.
AI should remove administrative friction without hiding professional responsibility.
AI can support payroll and HCM companies in research, document retrieval, support triage, configuration guidance, anomaly detection, workforce analysis, customer education and internal operations. The appropriate use depends on data, risk, review, access, explainability and the person accountable for the decision.
The NIST Generative AI Profile provides a useful cross-sector framework for thinking about risks across the AI lifecycle. It is not a payroll certification and it does not replace legal, employment, tax, privacy or security advice. It is a disciplined starting point for asking better questions.
Marketing should say what AI does, what data it uses, what a human reviews, what happens when confidence is low and which decisions remain with an employer or qualified professional. “AI-powered” is a beginning of an explanation, not the explanation.
Security content should help a serious buyer ask sharper questions.
Payroll and HR data carry practical, financial and personal consequences. A security page cannot be decorative reassurance. It should explain controls, responsibilities, access, retention, incident communication, integrations and the evidence available to a qualified buyer.
| Area | Questions buyers may ask | Useful communication |
|---|---|---|
| Identity and access | Who can view, approve, export or change payroll information? | Roles, permissions, authentication, review and offboarding practices. |
| Data movement | Which systems receive data, and who owns the connection? | Integration scope, transfer methods, logs, responsibility and exception handling. |
| Retention and deletion | How long is information retained, and what happens at exit? | Policy language, contractual context, export process and customer responsibilities. |
| Incident response | How will the customer know, who responds and what happens next? | Communication principles, escalation contacts and documented response expectations. |
| Evidence | Which claims are supported by current documentation? | Trust-center material, audit reports, certifications only when verified, and clear boundaries. |
The strongest workforce-technology content teaches the buyer how to think.
A vendor can publish feature announcements forever and still fail to become useful. Authority grows when the company explains the difficult questions that surround the product.
Decision guides
Compare payroll, HCM, PEO, EOR, timekeeping and workforce-management choices around actual requirements and tradeoffs.
Implementation field notes
Explain migration preparation, data mapping, testing, training, parallel processing, communications and the moments that deserve executive attention.
Technical explainers
Make integrations, APIs, data flows, access, reporting and workflow logic understandable without pretending every reader is an engineer.
Operational insight
Discuss payroll calendars, exception management, workforce cost, manager behavior, employee experience and the decisions the data can support.
Responsible AI education
Explain useful applications, review requirements, data boundaries, risks, human accountability and the difference between assistance and delegation.
Customer proof
Show the before, the hard part, the change, the adoption and the result with enough context to be believable.
Good content creates a better sales conversation because the buyer arrives with vocabulary, questions and a more accurate sense of fit. That is much more valuable than a prospect who clicked three times and cannot explain why.
Marketing should measure the quality of the relationship, not just the number of demos.
| Business question | Signals to examine | What the answer informs |
|---|---|---|
| Are the right companies finding the brand? | Qualified organic visibility, branded demand, account engagement, partner introductions and role-specific inquiries. | Positioning, market selection, content and channel investment. |
| Are prospects reaching a useful conversation? | Demo quality, requirements fit, decision authority, urgency, employee count, systems and implementation readiness. | Qualification, landing pages, sales enablement and audience targeting. |
| Can the company win the right deals? | Shortlist rate, proposal conversion, sales-cycle length, competitive objections, pricing pressure and implementation confidence. | Proof, product communication, offer design and commercial strategy. |
| Does acquisition become durable revenue? | Implementation completion, retention, expansion, support patterns, module adoption, referrals and customer advocacy. | Customer education, lifecycle marketing and product priorities. |
For deeper analytical work, see Predictive Analytics Consulting and Root-Cause Analysis & Business Analytics. A good dashboard should make the next decision clearer, not merely prove that the dashboard exists.
Payroll becomes more complicated as the employer's footprint expands.
A local payroll provider may win through relationships and responsive service. A national HCM company may sell through scale, integrations and a broader product system. A global payroll or EOR provider may need to explain entities, local employment requirements, currencies, data, service boundaries and the practical experience of hiring across borders.
I am based in DeLand, Florida, and work with organizations across the United States and selected international markets. The strategy should match the service model. Local trust, regional networks, industry concentration, partner ecosystems, state rules, country coverage and implementation capacity can all change the buying decision.
For broader market entry and geographic growth, see Market Expansion Consulting.
The useful starting point is the constraint inside the growth system.
Positioning
Clarify the buyer, market, problem, product role, proof and reason to choose the company.
Technical content
Explain integrations, workflows, implementation, data, support, controls and product boundaries.
SEO and AI search
Build discoverability around real workforce questions, entity relationships and useful direct answers.
Demand generation
Connect search, LinkedIn, events, email, account-based programs, paid media and partner channels to the buying journey.
Sales enablement
Give sales and implementation teams clearer stories, requirements tools, proof, comparisons and follow-up material.
Customer growth
Support adoption, education, retention, expansion, customer advocacy and the signals that turn service into reputation.
I can work on a focused strategy, a technical content and search program, a market or product launch, an authority campaign, a partner-growth initiative, a broader transformation effort or a fractional leadership role through Fractional CMO & Executive Strategy.
I am comfortable where systems, language and decisions meet.
Workforce technology requires translation. Somebody has to understand the technical and operational issue, see the business consequence, respect the limits of the claim and explain it to a human being who has to make a decision.
I hold a Ph.D. in Earth & Environmental Science from Columbia University, with training grounded in research, evidence, data and complex systems. My professional work expanded across marketing, analytics, AI, machine learning, digital transformation, executive strategy and business growth.
I am also the author of 11 published books, including seven national humor bestsellers. That combination is useful here. Payroll and HCM marketing can be technically serious without becoming unreadable. A good explanation should survive contact with a CFO, a payroll administrator, an IT reviewer and a person who simply wants the paycheck screen to make sense.
I have also worked with growth-stage companies through GrowFL's business-growth program alongside specialists in finance, strategy, operations, technology and organizational growth.
See my education, certifications, leadership and professional background.
Start with the business problem, then earn the right to recommend the tactic.
For the broader professional-services context, see Professional Services Growth Consulting. For reputation, trust and executive visibility, see Reputation Management Consulting.
Workforce technology deserves current sources and careful claims.
Payroll and employer tax
The IRS Employer's Tax Guide explains federal employment-tax responsibilities, withholding, deposits, reporting and related employer questions.
IRS Publication 15, Employer's Tax GuideWage and hour records
The U.S. Department of Labor describes recordkeeping responsibilities under the Fair Labor Standards Act, including payroll and hours information.
U.S. Department of Labor, FLSA RecordkeepingResponsible generative AI
NIST's Generative AI Profile offers a cross-sector way to identify and manage risks across the generative AI lifecycle.
NIST AI Risk Management Framework, Generative AI ProfileEmployment technology questions
Workforce technology can affect hiring, evaluation, access, pay and employee experience. Product and marketing claims should be checked against the appropriate law, regulator, professional guidance and qualified counsel.
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Artificial Intelligence and the ADAThis page discusses marketing, growth and technology communication. It does not provide payroll, tax, employment, legal, accounting, benefits, privacy or security advice.
Payroll, HCM and workforce-technology marketing questions worth answering directly.
The answers below are written for leaders, marketers, product teams, payroll professionals, HR executives, technology reviewers and partners trying to make a complex offer easier to understand.
What does a payroll and HCM marketing consultant do?
A payroll and HCM marketing consultant helps workforce-technology companies clarify positioning, explain products and integrations, improve SEO and AI-search visibility, build technical authority, generate better-fit demand, support sales and strengthen customer growth.
What types of payroll and workforce-technology companies do you work with?
I work with payroll providers, HCM platforms, workforce-management companies, timekeeping businesses, PEOs, EORs, benefits technology companies, HR software providers, talent systems, implementation firms and related B2B advisors.
Why is payroll technology marketing different from ordinary software marketing?
Payroll and workforce technology affects pay, records, compliance responsibilities, employee trust, integrations, support and recurring operations. Buyers need confidence in the system and the implementation experience, not only an attractive feature list.
Can you help a payroll company explain complex products in plain language?
Yes. I translate product capabilities, workflows, integrations, implementation requirements, controls and commercial value into language different buyers can use without stripping away the technical truth.
Can SEO work for payroll and HCM companies with long sales cycles?
Yes. Search can influence a buyer researching payroll, HR, timekeeping, benefits, integrations, migration, compliance or workforce questions long before a demo or formal evaluation begins.
What is GEO for a payroll or HCM company?
Generative Engine Optimization helps AI systems understand the company, products, modules, integrations, industries, service model, leadership, evidence and relationship to the workforce questions prospective customers ask.
What is AEO for workforce technology?
Answer Engine Optimization organizes important product and market knowledge so search and AI systems can retrieve clear answers to questions about payroll, HCM, timekeeping, benefits, implementation, security, integrations and vendor fit.
Does AI search replace traditional SEO for HR technology?
No. Crawlability, useful content, internal links, technical clarity, authority, demand and search fundamentals remain important. AI search adds another discovery and interpretation layer.
How should a payroll platform describe AI features?
It should explain the task AI supports, the information involved, the review process, the limits of the output, the people accountable for decisions and the controls that reduce avoidable risk.
Can AI replace payroll or HR judgment?
AI can assist research, retrieval, analysis and routine workflows, but payroll, employment, tax, benefits, privacy and workforce decisions still require qualified people, context, review and accountability.
What should a payroll company say about compliance?
It should describe the product's actual role, controls, documentation, support and customer responsibilities precisely. Marketing should not imply that software alone makes an employer compliant or replaces qualified professional advice.
How do you market a multi-state payroll platform?
Start with the employer's operational complexity, locations, pay rules, tax responsibilities, systems, support needs and decision roles. Then connect precise product explanations, current references, technical proof, implementation clarity and qualified demand generation.
How do you market a PEO or EOR?
Explain the service model, responsibilities, customer fit, geographic scope, employment or co-employment context, benefits, payroll, support, implementation and the questions a buyer should resolve before signing.
How important are integrations in HCM marketing?
Integrations are central because payroll and workforce platforms exchange information with finance, benefits, timekeeping, recruiting, identity, banking, scheduling and reporting systems. Clear integration content reduces technical and implementation uncertainty.
What content helps a payroll platform earn a shortlist?
Useful content can include decision guides, implementation explanations, integration documentation, product comparisons, compliance education, workflow examples, customer evidence, security answers, technical explainers and direct responses to buyer questions.
How should a workforce-technology company market to CFOs and CHROs?
Lead with the business decision each audience owns. Finance may need controls, cost, reporting and risk. HR may need employee lifecycle, service, adoption and workforce insight. Both need credible implementation and support evidence.
How do payroll brokers and implementation partners fit into growth?
Partners can introduce trusted opportunities, explain customer context, support implementation and influence the shortlist. Marketing should give partners clear language, useful resources, proof and a reason to make the introduction.
How can a payroll company reduce fear around switching systems?
Show the implementation sequence, data preparation, testing, parallel processing, training, communications, support and escalation path. Buyers need a credible picture of how continuity will be protected during change.
Can you help a workforce-technology company improve demo quality?
Yes. Better positioning, requirements content, qualification, role-specific landing pages, technical proof, pre-demo education and follow-up can help sales conversations begin with more context and better fit.
What metrics matter for payroll and HCM marketing?
Useful metrics can include qualified opportunities, account engagement, demo quality, shortlist rate, proposal conversion, sales-cycle length, implementation completion, retention, expansion, partner-sourced pipeline, customer advocacy and engagement profitability.
How do you market workforce technology to employees?
Employee-facing communication should focus on understandable pay information, self-service, access, timing, support and the reason for change. The employee may not choose the platform, but employee experience can affect adoption and customer retention.
Can you help with product marketing and sales enablement?
Yes. I can help connect positioning, product stories, buyer requirements, technical content, comparisons, case evidence, presentations, proposals, nurture and sales follow-up.
Can you help a payroll company expand into new markets?
Yes. Market expansion can include research, competitive positioning, geographic or industry selection, partner strategy, localized content, search, executive visibility, sales enablement and the economics of serving the new market.
Do you work with internal marketing teams and existing agencies?
Yes. I can provide senior strategy, technical translation, research, content direction, prioritization, executive perspective or focused execution alongside internal teams, agencies and subject-matter experts.
Do you work as a fractional CMO for workforce-technology companies?
Yes. Fractional CMO work can provide senior marketing leadership, prioritization, positioning, team and agency coordination, budget logic, reporting, demand strategy and accountability without adding a full-time executive.
Do you only work with payroll companies in Florida?
No. Paper Boat Media is based in DeLand, Florida, and I work with B2B companies across the United States and selected international markets when the service model, market and engagement make sense.
How should a smaller HR technology company compete with a large platform?
A smaller company can focus on a specific customer, problem, industry, implementation strength, service model or point of view where relevance and responsiveness matter more than feature-count theater.
Where should a payroll or HCM company start?
Start with the commercial constraint. Define the customer, problem, product role, buying committee, proof, implementation reality and the part of discovery, trust, sales, adoption or retention that needs to improve first.
Tell me where the product is strong and where the market still hesitates.
Maybe the platform works beautifully but the website sounds like every other HCM company. Maybe the sales team is explaining features while buyers are worrying about migration. Maybe partner referrals are valuable but inconsistent. Maybe the company has excellent technical people and almost no public authority around what they know.
Those are useful problems. They point toward the work that deserves to change first.
Paper Boat Media · DeLand, Florida · Payroll, HCM and workforce-technology growth strategy for B2B companies across the United States and selected international markets.