Q&A
From Paper to Cloud Gary Deans is CEO of Box Accounts based in North East England and we asked Gary how he has managed to transfer a client who is reliant upon manual paperwork and basic spreadsheets to the Xero cloud-based accounting system...
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What were the first difficulties in persuading the client to change?
Then showing the user-friendly way of invoicing to clients with the various tracking they can set.
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money on print and even giving the feel good factor of saving the trees. As each transaction entered also had the unique purchase invoice number in the reference there is not chance of ‘doubling’ up as other systems can allow.
Finally, we show them that scanning The first thing was to the paper invoice to xero can be gain the trust of the allocated quickly client. They had engaged us and proof is to advise them the best automatically stored way of accounting as So can you estimate “About 18% of to that particular the staff were finding how much time you Accountants transaction. excessive timehave saved them? still use Pen Showing the client taking in the manual and Paper the Xero app on our way they had done Yes, we can usually Ledgers…” iphone and how to things in the past. estimate the time taken Gary Turner, Xero quickly add a file was It also helps that we on manual entries to spreadsheets, also persuasive. are a Xero ‘Expert’ with filing, reviewing the totals etc. over 25 years of accounting This is even considering time on experience in business. bank entries which weren’t even You say they were being done! In this scanning ‘paper’ particular client’s invoices to Xero. Is that How did you approach case we estimated not doubling up on giving the client the “A Business that that around 8 hours purchase invoices? best advice of a cloud accounting has an advisor grow per week were system? being saved in the Not at profits 23% faster accounting process all, the We always start with than those without” and also because client was receiving the Bank Feed and Anna Curzon - Xero they linked us as emails with purchase how easy it is to set up. We show their advisor on Xero invoices and as we on the demonstration data of how we could even produce demonstrated to them the transactions are fed through to management accounts for their Xero and how easy it is to reconcile. that they could email directly business review on a regular basis. to their Xero system, they did not Clients love how quick and simple need to print them off! Saving them it is. What would you advise to other companies doing this method?
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What I would advise is this: if you would like time to grow your business or even to save time on processes then please get away from manual paperwork and change to a cloudbased accounting system like Xero. It will improve your business instantly!
Luca Pacioli (the father of accounting and bookkeeping) would still get a job at one in five firms
Also make sure that you employ the services of an Accountant who is a Xero Expert, they will save you so much time in the long run!
today!
64 / Issue 14
XU Magazine - the independent magazine for Xero users, by Xero users. Find us online at: xumagazine.com