Something’s been bugging me for a week or two. During a conversation with a start up colleague, he said his company use the packaged accounting application recommended by his accountant. As it happens, the accountant uses the same package. My colleague shrugged and said: “It is what it is.” I wonder just how appropriate those choices really are.
25 years ago, professionals were deeply concerned about putting computerised systems into the hands of non-professionals. They were book-keeping systems built by accountants for accountants. Those same packages dominate the market. And in all that time, they’ve not fundamentally changed. Sure, they’ve had makeovers and usability is a world apart from the green screen days.
New entrants are changing the landscape. I’ll quickly review the different delivery, training and support models:
- More! – a simple book-keeping system that has a significant training component. The professional buys a block of ’systems’ for a fixed fee and in return has access to a rich set of materials geared towards leading the client through the learning process. Clients are expected to achieve a level of competency before they’re let out into the wild.
- Winweb – online survival toolkit where the professional delivers training but where support is provided through a variety of services, including inline chat plus call centre service provided by virtual assistants
- Sage – the poster child for on-premise applications where the professional may provide training services but where Sage offers front line telephone support through a maintenance contract.
But here’s the problem. Many of those using full systems like Line 50 are having a terrible time of it. Not because the product is bad but either because clients have not been properly trained or it is too complicated for the business concerned. The result is an endless stream of queries and error corrections. It is hardly surprising then that many professionals throw their hands up saying that non-professionals should not let near Line 50/Intuit etc.
The choices currently available can solve their problems. But would you, after umpteen years of wrestling with a client’s computerised books, be prepared to admit defeat and put them onto something different? Think of the benefits.
- Drastic reduction of time expended on error correction
- Reduced support time – you are inevitably the first line of support and not the provider. The client often pays in additional time charges.
You could then re-allocate that time to additional services, pocket the difference as a super profit, service new clients. If you choose to offer additional services then perhaps the client’s perception will change. Perhaps they will see you as first line advisor instead of their ‘free’ mate across the street who knows just how to mess up your VAT return.
In this scenario, the Sage’s of this world can win too. I was talking with Emily Coltman earlier today. She said that in her opinion, Sage Accreditation is a tough ask. You have to be well prepared and even then, the examinations are not easy. That means your Sage qualification has meaning and value. If you want to capitalise on that then you could think about offering additional information services, teaming up with others who may have a solution that would fit particular clients. You too are then adding value.
From Sage’s perspective, there is the risk of lost revenue. But I think that short term issue would be more than compensated by the additional stickiness they could create within the Accountants’ Club. It would not happen overnight and any downside may well be balanced out. I also believe that the level of support calls that are really around training would reduce.
If you think through the capabilities of the target client group and are prepared to understand the ups and downs of each service type, then you have elevated yourself to true consultant status.
It is not without reason that IBM, Accenture, EDS and the other big consultancies have software practices in multiple applications. They provide the right solution for the right circumstances. And everyone – in their own way – is a winner.
As an SMB practitioner, making what seem like painful choices in pulling clients off one system onto another is in fact liberating. It is one way of combating the relentless pressure on fees while keeping clients on-side. and it demonstrates a true commitment to client service. Something I suspect has been lost in the various pressures there are upon professional advisors.
Technorati Tags: EDS, IBM, More! Software, accenture, Sage Line 50, training, Winweb
