Single Platform, Multi Platform or no Platform at all??
Ian Phillips
Sales Leader | Driving Growth in SaaS & Scale-Ups | Head of Sales, UK at Xero | GTM Strategy & Revenue Leadership
A question I have been asked several times over the last few weeks is "should we be working with one cloud software vendor or supporting multiple platforms?".
You could argue I am not the best person to ask but I will share some thoughts anyway! My take on this is that you need to do what is right for your firm and your clients and you should consider the following:
- Multiple platforms lead to multiple engagement models and therefore multiple workflows. You may be less efficient than your competition if you accommodate too many ways of working in the new digital world therefore simply replicating the existing, analogue model, but online which may mean you don't make the most of the technology.
- Clients want value and advice from their accountant. Shrugging your shoulders and saying "you decide" offers neither of these things, is likely to lead to the situation described above and does not help them to understand how they are going to get most value of their relationship with you - after all, this software is a means of you delivering a greater service!
- Further to that, if you are taking a multi-platform approach, you will need to think about the criteria for picking one piece of software over the other so staff and clients have clarity on your position.
- You will also need to think about how your staff are going to align to these platforms (i.e. who is trained on which software and who deals with which clients).
- Just because you have one or two clients who will do their own thing doesn't mean you cannot adopt a default position to help to drive efficiency and a better service across the clients who will listen to you!
- Those looking to attract new clients using different types of software should remember a jack of all trades is never appealing. If I am a Xero user looking for an accountant, I want someone who really knows their stuff on Xero rather than spreading their knowledge across multiple platforms.
Above all, always remember this is collaborative software. You are going to need to know and use it as much as the client if you are going to make the most of it. Don't apply traditional desktop software rationale to your decision - this is a whole different game! Oh, and no platform at all really is not an option!
Thoughts welcome as always.
HMRC - Helping tax agents get ready for Making Tax Digital.
7 年Accountants need to pick a product then stick to it. Lead the client, don’t let the client lead you. They're there to advise after all.
Off to travel in Europe and find somewhere sunny to settle - or I was until Covid-19 ??
7 年A good question and it is not an easy answer. Our practice with 8 offices to service has been not to restrict ourselves to a single platform which has meant ensuring our staff can cover a variety of softwares solutions. With such a variety of clients by size and needs that is working for us. However if I was a small practice running from one office I would go with one solution for all the reasons Ian has given!