QuickBooks And The Cloud

There has been a lot of buzz recently about Cloud Computing. I think we all understand that the "Cloud" is that little picture you always see representing the Internet, and that's what the term refers to: the computing platform isn't in your office, it's "out there", across the Internet. Just think of the Internet as a really big keyboard and monitor cable that connects you to the system that is really running the software.

When companies like Intuit talk about Cloud Computing and QuickBooks, it's a little bit confusing, given that the largest part of their QuickBooks market is based on locally-installed desktop software. And, with the volume of 3rd party developers with widgets, gadgets, plugins, extensions, and integrations with desktop QuickBooks, the momentum of the desktop solution seems unstoppable. But there has been a recent catch to the old model of plugging into QuickBooks, and it's catching on really well.

The creation of the Web Connector and improvements to the SDK (Software Development Kit) for QuickBooks introduced an entirely new range of capabilities for QuickBooks developers. Finally, persistent connections to Web-based and other applications could be crafted, allowing the locally-installed QuickBooks to "speak" over the network to other applications or platform services. This development opened up an entirely new model for extending QuickBooks functionality - extending to a Web application framework.

Businesses are now able to take broad advantage of Web-based application services and the features they can deliver without compromise to their choice of accounting and financial management system. Extending access to operational, sales, service, and other users within the enterprise has become a simple and seamless operation. For example, a business that needs to extend it's QuickBooks Enterprise system to accommodate multiple inventory or warehouse locations can do so easily by simply plugging in the Warehouse Management ES solution. This solution, actually developed and delivered by AccuCode, is a SaaS (software as a service) application which not only provides functionality for multiple warehouse management, but is designed as an anytime, anywhere application to allow those multiple locations to access the system when they need to.

By creating the means for businesses to use the Web to extend their QuickBooks software, Intuit has extended the useful life of the QuickBooks product. Functionality is no longer limited to what can be built and installed on the PC - the application is now able to be extended in numerous ways and on numerous platforms. Businesses are able to take advantage of the best software fit for their organizational operations - including leveraging the anytime, anywhere benefits of a Web-based application service - and still are able to utilize their QuickBooks.

Consider how beneficial it would be to businesses who elect to take advantage of the Web for them to be able to run their QuickBooks (feature-rich desktop QuickBooks) in an anytime, anywhere sort of environment, as well. With InsynQ's hosting services for QuickBooks Pro, Premier, and Enterprise, organizations are able to have their QuickBooks financial applications managed, protected, secured, and made available to users all the time and from any location. The hosting service also supports many integrations and extensions for QuickBooks - for both desktop and Web-based applications and services. And, with InsynQ's ability to provide authorized subscription licensing for both QuickBooks and Microsoft Office, a business can have a complete, outsourced IT solution and pay only monthly service fees to get it. No upfront expense of purchasing software. No installation or system management to worry about. The QuickBooks financials, as well as the solutions it connects to, are connected in the cloud.

Managing Client Relationships in a Down Economy

There is no question that the current economy is putting the squeeze on many professional practices. While most accountants aren't in danger of going bankrupt, there is heightened anxiety throughout the industry as professionals grapple with flat or falling revenues and rising costs. You, too, are probably feeling the effects of the economic downturn, as your clients also look for ways to cut costs.

During tough economic times, a familiar pattern occurs in small business. As production drops, profits drop even faster. Even a slight drop in income sets off alarm bells in the minds of many owners. To stave off a serious decline in revenues, the small business owner will often feel compelled to offer services to customers that might previously have been referred out to "specialists", or to substantially discount products or services in order to obtain business. Additionally, the business owner will certainly seek to cut business overhead.

This last point has a direct impact on the livelihood of the professional accountant, bookkeeper or business consultant. When businesses tighten their belts, they may not necessarily do it in a logical manner. They may procrastinate by stalling on purchases or putting projects on hold indefinitely. They may buy smaller quantities of supplies, even if this means ordering much more frequently. And they may cut back on their reliance on accounting or consulting professionals.

These types of client behaviors can be very frustrating for a professional practice. If several of your "normal" clients cut back on their service from you, your income will be affected. The real question is what can you do to help protect your business and your client relationships?

Be Genuinely Empathetic. Your clients are interested in themselves and their business, not in you. You need to get their attention, and in order to do this, you need to know their pains, pleasures, and fears. These are the emotions that make people buy, not "needs" or "wants". Pain, pleasure, and fear are strong, passionate forces that supersede any economic climate. Ask questions in a way that will extract these feelings, enabling you to be truly empathetic. Relationships are what are important, not the price, and relationships are long-term. When you help your clients build their businesses, they will help you build yours.

Be a source of positive information. You might be the only positive person the client meets with this week. When the economy weakens and business slows down, the "commiserators" begin to work overtime, and misery loves the company. Imagine a room full of gloomy doomsayers, sitting around a conference table talking about the latest negative economic news, and feeling worse for the experience. Compare that to the consultant who throws their client a lifeline of hope and optimism. Who would you rather work with?

Be watchful for situations that represent opportunity for you. Pay special attention to the following elements that put a client account "in play".

• Change in control, such as a change in ownership of the client's business
• Change in current provider performance
• Loss of favor in a provider
• Change in decision maker
• Change in cost/value to client

These are fairly universal, but occur more frequently in a down economy. While these types of activities may mean more opportunity for your business, they also underline the importance of keeping current clients satisfied and feeling they are receiving value from you.

Help your client recognize when it's smart to spend money. Too often, software and business consultants succumb to the pressures of a tough economy and actively look for ways to help clients "get by" with what they have. This may seem like a way to conserve capital, but the result is often that the client spends more in services, repairs, and lost productivity than the initial investment would have been. Just as it made sense to buy a new economy car to save on gas bills, it often makes sense to invest in software and services in order to obtain better and more predictable results for the cost.

The working model for demanding clients is On Demand

Imagine being able to access your clients' accounting data when you need to. It wouldn't matter if it was early in the morning, in the middle of the day, or at night. And it wouldn't matter where you were - at the office, at home, or on the road. That would be pretty nice, wouldn't it?

From Wikipedia: "On-Demand refers to a service or feature which addresses the user's need for instant gratification and immediacy of use. In most cases the value proposition for an on-demand service is wrapped up in the fact that the user or consumer of the service avoids a significant up-front financial investment and instead participates in a "pay as you go" plan - a model which makes on-demand services frequently more affordable for users.

Today's technology solutions allow you to have this type of flexibility and "instant gratification", while delivering the reliability, security and performance your business and your clients' businesses demand. By using technology to improve how you, your team members, and your clients work together, you can introduce new efficiencies into your existing business model. By using technology to your strategic advantage, you can change the way you do business and build new and more value into your services.

If you haven't yet involved your practice with online and Internet-based application services, you should move now to find out how they can streamline your existing processes, or even transform your practice into a firm which is ready to offer the type of "on demand" services and solutions business owners are looking for. The market has created the demand. Will you be ready to meet it?

Online Collaboration with QuickBooks Pro

The trend for small business accounting is outsourcing - sending the work to a professional who has the time and the knowledge to properly account for the business activities. The only problem with this approach is that the business owner frequently loses touch with this key business information while it is in the hands of the accountant or bookkeeper. Anyone who has delivered the monthly work to their professional, only to receive it back some time during the following month, understands what it means to be out of touch with the business numbers.

The better way is collaboration in real-time. Through the use of Internet technologies and online applications, the professional and the business owner are able to work together on the numbers, ensuring that the data is accurate, complete, and recorded in a timely manner. With online access to QuickBooks Pro, for example, the accountant and the small business owner can work closer in "keeping score" on the business. The close working relationship afforded with the online application service allows the professional to increase efficiency and effectiveness in processing the client information. And more efficiency often means more time - time to review the information, consult with the owner, and help keep the business on target and moving towards their goal.