I have finally got my ICB level 3 result, after a tense afternoon of waiting (I called after lunch as it has been a month now and she put me on hold before saying the result would be online later today. I convinced myself that if I had passed she would have told me and that it must mean I'd failed. So I'm pretty pleased that I actually got 98%!!!). Still waiting on payroll, but that one has got a couple of days until the month is up.
I'm pretty sure I'm going to switch to IAB to get my practising certificate, insurance and MLR, thanks to the various discussions on here. I'll sort that out later today. But in the mean time I've published my website so I would appreciate any comments or thoughts so that I can get it ready to actually go live on 1st June.
The views expressed in this post are my own personal (HRA protected) views, and are not representative of any organisation I have any involvement with.
I think it is really good, probably agree that there is too much text though. I think (but I haven't checked) that it should be 'liaise' rather than 'liase' and if you think that's picky, I would also spell 'customer' as 'client'! But that is very much a personal thing as I think 'client' makes the customer feel more important (though I think hmrc considers us tax payers as customers nowadays!)
It's interesting about the customer or client thing. To me, customer is a more personal term, I think I would use client if I was aiming at larger corporate clients but customer for small business customers. I'll have a ponder on it all.
There is nothing for Website visitors to do other than leave or call you. Consider giving visitors something in between; resources for visitors to register for and download and/or a newsletter sign-up. Also consider "starter" products.
Have a blog because you have some interesting things to say.
Interesting position using the word "accounting" - why did you do this?
This is outside your question but you may find it useful...
Interesting service range - I would recommend not separating the coaching aspect of what you do because this should be part of every engagement, so you uplift the price. This will treble your recovery rates.
There is no point you just winning basic bookkeeping because you have limited resources and have something unique to offer. And, from what research I am doing I think all this will be off-shore (so to speak) in 5-10 years. We are looking at this now and I think it could be common for the processes part of bookkeeping to be available at less than £10 an hour.
If you agree, you should probably have some content which will qualify criteria for clients.
Based on working with a couple of hundred accountants who try to do business consulting I suggest you drop the word "sales" and "team" development and replace with with business management and talk about improving the businesses performance off the back of effective financial reporting.
Develop packages and bundle them together so clients buy solutions and price them on a value basis rather than time.
There is no point you just winning basic bookkeeping because you have limited resources and have something unique to offer. And, from what research I am doing I think all this will be off-shore (so to speak) in 5-10 years. We are looking at this now and I think it could be common for the processes part of bookkeeping to be available at less than £10 an hour.
What research is this. Is it really true if so what do you think would combat it, or do you think book-keeping and I suppose accounting is going to be yet something else that will die in this country?
There is nothing for Website visitors to do other than leave or call you. Consider giving visitors something in between; resources for visitors to register for and download and/or a newsletter sign-up. Also consider "starter" products.
This is an interesting comment, would like more ideas on things to give people to do on your website?? or indeed my website, but then this could distract people away from your website?????
-- Edited by lor on Saturday 8th of May 2010 10:47:19 AM
There is no point you just winning basic bookkeeping because you have limited resources and have something unique to offer. And, from what research I am doing I think all this will be off-shore (so to speak) in 5-10 years. We are looking at this now and I think it could be common for the processes part of bookkeeping to be available at less than £10 an hour.
Interesting point of view. I, however, do not subscribe to it. Just like other industries offering cheaper rates for a remote services, not everyone wants to use them. Some people still like to have face to face contact with real people.
Of course some people, those where price is the main concern, will head off to such services, I only see that this will help the bookkeepers offering the face to face service.
Personally I would use some remote services, but never for finances. I cant be the only one. There is, I believe, room for both remote and traditional services to grow.
The views expressed in this post are my own personal (HRA protected) views, and are not representative of any organisation I have any involvement with.
There is no point you just winning basic bookkeeping because you have limited resources and have something unique to offer. And, from what research I am doing I think all this will be off-shore (so to speak) in 5-10 years. We are looking at this now and I think it could be common for the processes part of bookkeeping to be available at less than £10 an hour.
Interesting point of view. I, however, do not subscribe to it. Just like other industries offering cheaper rates for a remote services, not everyone wants to use them. Some people still like to have face to face contact with real people.
Of course some people, those where price is the main concern, will head off to such services, I only see that this will help the bookkeepers offering the face to face service.
Personally I would use some remote services, but never for finances. I cant be the only one. There is, I believe, room for both remote and traditional services to grow.
Kris
There's an answer that makes me smile again, spent the morning debating whether or not to continue my studies or pick another industry, thanks.
Kris and Steve, I don't think Bob is saying that clients will go direct to the 'off shore' bookkeepers. They will still come to you for the face to face, but you could scan and email the info to Pakistan/India for the work to be done. There was a guy from Pakistan on here the other week offering his services for £4 per hour. Eventually more and more accountants will be doing this, there is already a big take up of it. I know a few practices that do this. Suddenly they can drop the £000's it costs to have Iris and Sage and employees etc. I have resisted for a number of reasons up to now. However if it really does take off, it will also become a selling point for not doing it. When networking, you simply say 'oh and I do the work rather than sending it to India so I can give you some proper advice!' or something like that. Don't pack in the studies just yet Steve, I think you have a good future.
Kris and Steve, I don't think Bob is saying that clients will go direct to the 'off shore' bookkeepers. They will still come to you for the face to face, but you could scan and email the info to Pakistan/India for the work to be done. There was a guy from Pakistan on here the other week offering his services for £4 per hour. Eventually more and more accountants will be doing this, there is already a big take up of it. I know a few practices that do this. Suddenly they can drop the £000's it costs to have Iris and Sage and employees etc. I have resisted for a number of reasons up to now. However if it really does take off, it will also become a selling point for not doing it. When networking, you simply say 'oh and I do the work rather than sending it to India so I can give you some proper advice!' or something like that. Don't pack in the studies just yet Steve, I think you have a good future.
Rob
Nice one thanks for your kind words Rob
I can see what you mean about pushing the face to face side of not going off-shore and the idea of giving better advice, thanks again I shall crack on with my studies.
The views expressed in this post are my own personal (HRA protected) views, and are not representative of any organisation I have any involvement with.
It's interesting, I wonder if anyone here was practising before bookkeeping became computerised and could comment on how technology has already affected costs and earnings?
I'm also of the opinion that a substantial amount of bookkeeping will continue to be done locally, even if some does go overseas, for the reasons others have suggested and a few more. One of my clients when I worked a few years ago (a firm of legal associates) was very concerned about confidentiality and so I worked on their premises as they didn't want documents leaving the office, I would guess that others would have similar concerns.
@Steve - I believe the winning strategy is to go with the flow or stay just ahead of it, rather than fighting it.
We are looking at models where we charge circa £30 a month for a full bookkeeping service and the client gets to use an online bookkeeping system which allows them to do invoicing and credit control. We can do "real-time" bookkeeping and our franchisees are reviewing and managing work rather than doing it.
There is very little difference having an employee in the next room or working from home in the UK or off-shore.
@Lorraine - there is a lot Ruth could offer from her Website as packaged information.
Maybe the best way to explian this is to tell you about a Website I will be launching later this year on the theme of "marketing without money". The Website will not sell a service and it is not designed just for accountants an bookkeepers. It will offer information to people marketing their business without a lot of money.
One of the topics will be what you can do with your Website for free what will increase sales. Content is one thing that drives Website sales - if I offered I free report about this on the Website why could this distract people away from the Website?
We get a regular flow of enquries from the video on the Crunchers Website called "How to Build a Brilliant Bookkeeping Business". This will soon be replaced by "How to win quality clients for your bookkeeping business".
Again, why would this distract people from the Webiste?
@Kris - it's not just about being cheaper but being able to do more for less. That's what people expect now.
I will keep posting in an open way but I am thinking this could be a key value driver for Crunchers - bookkeepers in the network will be able to tap into an fully accredited and managed resource.
By the way, are also looking at adding value by having a final accounts and tax service delivered under the Crunchers brand which the bookkeeper can front up. This this will enable our bookkeepers to differentiate themselves further from their competition and complete with accountants.
@Rob - bang on!
@Ruth - not sure about bookkeepers but I can tell you that accountants are three times as productive today as there were 15 years ago.
I was doing it pre-computers and I concur with Bob, it's certainly quicker - this has a two fold effect, it enables more work to be taken on and because it takes less time the "per hour" rate is increased.
