With 1,000 new mobile phones shipped every 21 seconds, the world is clearly going mobile. Smartphones are ubiquitous and wearables such as the Apple Watch are tomorrow’s must-have gadget. Where does this leave accountants who want to stay current with clients?
A marketing agency in the UK has come up with a concept it says gives accountants a mobile presence without sinking thousands of dollars into software development.
MyFirmsApp is a white-label app which gives clients a quick way to browse services and communicate with their accountant. Developed for iPhones and Android devices, the app can display a firm’s logo and a customised set of services including mileage tracking, currency calculators and receipt scanning.
Firms can include a button called “cloud accounting” that launches the client’s online accounting app. Accountants can also send messages directly to clients through the app, with alerts appearing as on-screen notifications.
MyFirmsApp has also integrated with document scanning app Receipt Bank. The company can add custom buttons for other cloud business apps so a client can launch them from one location. The home screen, menu and colour scheme are also customisable.
“It’s as close to a bespoke app as a firm can get without spending tens of thousands on a new app,” says Dan Richards, head of client services for MyFirmsApp. A branded mobile app sends the message that a firm is “forward thinking, proactive and cares enough to launch a free app for customers”, Richards adds.
MyFirmsApp is available on an annual subscription depending on the level of customisation. The Platinum app costs £2900 (A$5617.50) and was available for a limited time to Australian firms for £1450 (A$2808.75).
The subscription also requires a monthly fee of £59 (A$114) for hosting, support, financial updates, tech updates (iOS and Android). The 50 percent introductory discount for Australian firms applies here too (i.e. £29.50 or A$57).
MyFirmsApp has 80,000 end users in the UK and has recently visited Australia to gauge interest. The company is launching the Australian version of MyFirmsApp on 1 October by webinar – you can register here.
Image credit: MyFirmsApp
