In my line of business we have an inside sales team that will reach out to businesses and set appointments for the outside sales reps.  The shortest amount of time from contact to payment for me happens when I present to a prospect and they make the decision that day to either switch from their current payroll provider or start using our services for their business.   Sometimes a prospect will call in to our office and want payroll and that is another scenario for the shortest time from contact to payment.  I have met with businesses that aren't able to make the decision on the spot either because they need to present to a board for approval or they are using a PEO which is a company that has the business lease their employees through them.  The reason this takes the longest is because they are under a contract and we have to break apart the PEO which consists of Health Insurance and Workers Comp Insurance.  Once we can get that prospect it is well worth the wait because we will save them a lot of money and they are so appreciative for the services we provide.