When you find something you know will work for your practice and your clients – you jump at it. But what do you do when others just aren’t sharing the love? In the case of cloud solutions, it’s all about spotlighting the many benefits (think time, money and value):
Start with you
Accountants see the benefits of cloud technology, but sometimes have difficulty articulating these to their clients. Clearing this hurdle is a lot simpler than you think, and it begins with how you view your own practice. First step: Recognize your value as a service provider. You provide quality service – and technology is a bridge to get you there. Don’t focus on any particular product, instead, focus on what you do.
Emphasize the monetary savings
Some businesses believe they have made the right technology decision by working with hosted products. Hosted products are more expensive than a true cloud solution. To help clients understand this, let the numbers do the talking. Show the clients that are hosting over time how much they have laid out to buy the software licenses. Add to that the maintenance and upgrades that come along with desktop software.
Show the benefits of a deeper relationship
Ask your clients how much time they are spending – if you don’t already know – on maintaining their monthly books. By going with a cloud offering, they can automatically reconcile their books and remain connected with you throughout the year. Most CPAs are used to dealing with clients on a quarterly or even annual basis for tax purposes. But what if you were able to maintain those connections throughout the year and provide ongoing advice in real time? Clients love the partnership.
Add value
It’s simple: Cloud accounting solutions allow you to offer better service to your clients. With the savings and efficiencies you gain, you free up time that can be used to add more value to your clients. And by adding more value, your clients are happier.
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Jamie Sutherland is the president of U.S. operations for Xero, a developer of cloud-based business management and accounting systems.
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