Let’s look at some of the services you could provide before we talk about engaging with experts to help you.

Migration to the Cloud

Business owners want to understand financial management. They want financial information in real time not at the end of the year. If you have a lot of customers using legacy systems or manual processes, consider a migration service to move them into the cloud accounting world.

The value to your customers is the same as the value to you in using a finely tuned app stack.

Health Check

If they are on the cloud already, you can do an audit of their financial processes, do they have adequate financial reporting, good debtor management, cashflow forecasting process, project/job profitability, inventory management, payroll and time keeping etc. Recommending where they could improve their systems and processes.

Add-On Apps and Integration

Look for problems in the business that could be solved by technology and help them scope out a business case to undertake a project. This is the same for a small job like implementing Hubdoc or Approvalmax through to a major overhaul of an entire app stack.

Use our How to choose and Implement Apps article to get some more detail on this but Add-On and Integration services need a process:

Stage 1: Scope

What’s the problem(s), what’s the business case, who’s involved (internal and external), what are your required outcomes etc

Stage 2: Discovery and Definition

Review and document existing processes and issues. Identify the problems to be resolved. Look for roadblocks, manual processes etc

Stage 3: Product Selection and Costing

App options are researched and reviewed for functionality fit, usability, ability to integrate to the other systems and of course price.

The final solution design (including how the apps integrate) is drawn up and the price for the implementation phase of the project is finalised.

Stage 4: Implementation

Update documentation, train staff, test and/or parallel run and go live!

Stage 5: Review

Review the outcomes back to the agreed scope. Did we achieve the business case and ROI. Learn for the next time.

Ongoing Support/Annual Reviews

The app world is changing - apps are continually being updated. Some apps change direction or get bought by larger companies.

Businesses are “pivoting” like crazy - the buzz word for 2020. But they are not only changing because they have to, they are making smart business decisions, looking for new products/services, changing to fit their customer needs.

And both of these factors continue to drive ongoing technology reviews and updates. The tech stack that works for you today may not do the job or be the best solution next month. So be prepared to move and change regularly. We recommend an annual review as a minimum but your review service can also be used ad-hoc.

You can also provide monthly support as a service. Not only answering questions but also letting customers know what is changing. New features of their cloud accounting program. New apps to integrate etc.

Engage with a specialist for support

Ok - so maybe it sounds like too much at the moment. But this is where an expert can help. There are experts around in many fields. Choose the services you want to provide and then lean on external support like us to fill in the gaps and help you learn and grow your revenue streams.

The added bonus is much less stress and impact on your staff as we are their teachers and their backup.