How adopting cloud technology can increase customer satisfaction

Cloud computing for accounting is definitely how the firms of the future run ad optimize their business.  Adopting cloud technology may not be a primary objective for your practice but it should be high on the list.  Cloud technology has exploded in the last 5 years and more and more innovative firms, large and small are jumping on the cloud bandwagon.  These days there are so many features and perks that you can get with cloud accounting that is almost doesn’t make sense to stay on a private network or computer. Many of us have been running our firms for years, even before cloud software was available, and are used to the current software you use, and your current workflow. However, in today’s age businesses that don’t change with the times lose big time (Think blockbuster not purchasing Netflix). You don’t want that to be your business, so today we are bringing you more information on how moving to the cloud can improve your business and keep your clients happy.

Like most major technology shifts the move to the cloud comes with some natural fears and concerns, mostly on security and a feeling of insecurity in placing our digital lives in the hands of faceless, nameless data centers in far off places.  However if you use a modern bank, you are using cloud technology and for the most sensitive of all data, your personal finances.  Cloud apps are safe, secure and widely adopted by your clients, who, quite frankly, demand that their service providers use them.

Some of the primary benefits to cloud technology for accounting firms are listed below

Many, some or all of your customers work this way

With the explosion of mobile apps, there’s little that small business owners DON’T do on the cloud and they often demand, through their repeat purchases, that their service providers and partners work in the cloud.  Small business owners are always looking for ways to increase efficiency and the cloud is one sure fire way to give your tech savvy clients what they demand.

Efficiency Gains

One of the primary benefits of cloud technology is the elimination or reduction of need for on-site technical resources.   When you limit the amount of internal infrastructure requirements, your internal IT costs will go down dramatically.  Companies can often keep minimal or part-time IT staff on-hand and/or leverage off-site IT service companies.  The less time you spend on IT, the more time you have to service clients and grow.

Work anywhere

This one is more for you and not so much for your clients but working from anywhere is one of the great features of clod accounting. Not only are you able to work from anywhere but so can your employees. The best talent these days are looking to work at remote firms and moving to the cloud can help you do that for your employees and yourself. Work from your office one day and your bed the next if your feel like it (however I recommend all working spaces at least be ergonomic, but I digress)

Easy client collaboration and app integrations

This is the tip that you and your clients will love. Collaborating with them on certain aspects of their books is some much easier when they can just log in and see it. Sure, you could email it to them but that opens up the doors for hackers to try and intercept their information. Not only that you have to store the information on your computer and your computer can be more vulnerable than you think. In addition to collaborating made easier, the overall workflow process can become easier when using apps that can integrate into your software. Let’s face it, apps are everywhere these days and people enjoy using their hones more so than their computer. For example, neat has an app that integrates with your cloud accounting software. Your clients can easily use the app to take picture of their receipts and the app will do the rest, saving your time and theirs.

Scale your business easier, and more securely

Ever wondered how to take your business to the next step? Specifically, when you are just starting your firm you always wonder how to get to the next phase of your business. Scaling is easier when you are cloud based because you don’t need a brick and mortar store to store information on paper. Keeping everything in the cloud takes the security out of your hands and puts it in the hands of a company that has much more money to invest in their security like Google, and Intuit. Without those additional expenses you can begin to higher your first employees or beef up your marketing campaigns much more quickly than before.

So those are the top ways how moving to the cloud can improve your business and keep your clients happy. Join neat today and get listed in our accountant directory to bring in new clients, improve your workflow process in one step, and become a firm of the future.

About The Neat Company

Neat eliminates manual bookkeeping tasks.  Whether it be by scanning, mobile capture, email or drag and drop, Neat automates the capture, extraction, categorization and storage a small business’s most important transactional data and financial documents.  Collaborate online with your accountant to prepare for tax audits, file taxes, run expense reports and gain insights and intelligence into the health of your business, all within a bank-level secure cloud environment accessible across all devices.