Why cloud works: A reader’s perspective.
Reader: James Solomons, EFS Strategic
Cloud program: Xero
About 18 months ago I was contemplating my future in the profession given that I could see no end in sight of the day to day compliance based services that we were providing. As a 30 year old chartered accountant and practice owner it was so frustrating to have to deal with the “traditional way of doing things”.
Despite my best attempts to change our business model and get out clients engaged on the business development and improvement path the tools I had at my disposal were so cumbersome and ineffective and not to mention expensive that it was just not worth the effort. I didn’t know what the alternatives were and I was seriously ready to try something new after 11 years in public practice. I wanted to put my business skills to good use rather than wasting away doing tax returns.
That was until I started watching Tim Munro and Harvee Pene from Change Accountants through the Count Financial network. They got me onto Xero and I tried doing my firm’s March 2011 BAS. Straight away I knew I had found something special when I was able to code and allocate 400 transactions in 15 minutes! I was sold… and well the rest is history!
So in reality Xero really did give me the opportunity to run a better business. Xero’s ecosystem of cloud programs that I now promote and get almost weekly leads from has just completely changed what I do on a daily basis. I am now able to put my business acumen and skills to good use and compliance is slowly become a smaller part of our business mix. It is important and we will continue to undertake and offer these services but what I am able to do now is just so much more rewarding for me personally and for my clients.
Traditionally accountants are not business people and have relied upon the taxation compliance regime to generate recurring revenue streams. Many can’t see the benefits of Xero and that is fine. While they battle with legacy systems and antiquated products I will happily show their clients the light.
I am a business person and just happen to be in the business of selling accounting and advice services and I am here to run a successful and profitable business. Xero has given me the tools to do this and I can now provide business owners big and small with a much more proactive, efficient and effective suite of business management and development services. Sounds a bit overly sentimental, but it is the truth.
James Solomons, EFS Strategic
Why Cloud Works is a series of short blogs from readers on how moving to cloud software has helped them run their business. All Why Cloud Works posts include links to readers’ websites and their accounting or IT provider who assisted in the move. If you would like to submit your experience with cloud software please send to Sholto@BoxFreeIT.com.au.
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