You should be willing and able to take hold of your client’s accounts in whatever chaotic mess, or organised spreadsheet they give you – yes? Well, yes, this is part of what you do. You make sense of the nonsensical and bring order where there is none.

However, the role as accountants is also about making sure clients excel and are as profitable in their businesses as they can possibly be.

A key way of enabling and encouraging this is through encouraging your clients to use cloud-based bookkeeping software – particularly if it’s one you favour or can use across a range of clients such as the Pandle Partner Account and Brandle.

This makes it a win-win: good for you and good for them.

You’re Already a Convert

We’re sure that you’re already a convert to using software to make your life easier. You know it automates tasks that have the propensity to be labour-intensive. You know it lowers your data entry time. You know it reduces mistakes. You know it makes everything easier.

So we’re not going to preach to the converted. However, do your clients know that? Or do they only see their records and bookkeeping as a necessary evil which eats time with little return?

If they used cloud based bookkeeping software, your and their lives would be easier. So, how do you convince them?

Getting Clients On Board

Firstly, consider which of your clients will benefit most from using cloud-based bookkeeping software such as Pandle. Then you need to make a plan. You need to convince them it’s going to save them time, and money, to do it your way. The easiest way to do that is to consider yourself in their shoes.

As accountants, we’re not used to the amateur dramatics, but you need to become a restauranteur, a retailer, a builder or whatever your client is. Think through their work processes and the state in which you normally receive their accounts. This way you’ll quickly be able to identify the benefits for them.

Then you need to sell it to them. Cloud-based bookkeeping software is great for small businesses for a myriad of reasons. Adapt the benefits to suit the particular client, but the main ones are:

• Accuracy and ease of record-keeping (including secure back-ups)
• Invoice management
• Quotation streamlining
• VAT and tax management
• Bank feeds
• Accurate forecasting

These are all things that usual bookkeeping methods fail at.

Then you need to let them know the real crux of the matter: this is free. That’s right. They can actively get their accounts in to better order for themselves and you at no cost to themselves.

From here just think about the when and how. It makes sense to help them move over at a sensible point – the end of the calendar year, or the end of the tax year. Then be there with them to get them started.

Any Problems?

Any resistance you meet can usually be overcome with some hand-holding and reassurance – remembering that this benefits you both in the long run. So what are you waiting for?