Most of us have seen the commercial for Best Buy with Amy Poehler of Saturday Night Live asking these seemingly silly questions. However, many people are still baffled by the rapid movement of computing to the Cloud.
So what is the Cloud? In laymens terms, programs run in The Cloud are actually running on a remote server at a hosted location that you are accessing via the internet. In some cases, users are only hosting their FILES in the Cloud which allows for reduced storage requirements for your local system and also provides continuous backup of all files.Some users run desktop applications, such as QuickBooks, on a hosted server so whenever they are working within the program, it is accessed through a web browser from their local computer.Other users actually run a web based version of a program, such as QuickBooks on line, through their web browser.
In talking with a large number of Accountants, Bookkeepers and their clients, we are continuously asked the question, How Do I Choose My Cloud Resource?Interestingly enough, with just a few simple questions it becomes very easy to identify the most appropriate Cloud based resource for a particular user scenario.
Question 1-Do you have a need for simultaneous remote access by multiple users?
If the answer is yes, that immediately qualifies a QuickBooks user as a candidate for either QuickBooks on line or a hosted solution.
Question 2-Would you like to avoid learning a different user interface and keep your software interaction as similar to the desktop experience as possible?
If the answer is yes, they are most likely wanting to move to a hosted solution. It is virtually impossible for a software developer to replicate the desktop experience with a Cloud based program.That is why you hear many people voice their frustration with Cloud based programs such as QuickBooks on line. The varied user experience and reduced set of functions is enough for some people to stay with a desktop product. (whether hosted or not)
Question 3-Are you concerned about protecting your files and making sure there are always secured copies that can be easily accessed and restored in the event of a local system failure?
If the answer is yes, a user does not necessarily need to move to Cloud based software or a hosted software solution but should consider one of the many Cloud based back up resources.
Question 4-How many users will need to access the file(s) and do you have an established budget for your Cloud solution?
Once a client has answered the first three questions and is reasonably sure they want to move to Cloud based software or a hosted solution, the final question is related to pricing.Although some people would argue that Cloud based solutions have inherent underlying cost saving benefits, the reality is a desktop user of QuickBooks will experience a certain level of sticker shock in realizing that they are moving away from software they have been paying $200-$400 every three years (average) to a cloud based resource with prices ranging from $30-$100 per month/per user. ($360-$1,200 per year/per user)
For those that answer yes to questions 2 and 3 but look faint when you begin to discuss question 4, there are some other alternatives that allow them to continue working on a local copy of the file and use the desktop version of QuickBooks. Those options include desktop sharing, traditional file sharing resources and Qbox.
The bottom line is we can all best meet the needs of our clients/prospects when we are willing to consider their situation first and then apply the most appropriate solution. This simple business philosophy will lead to an increase in new clients and a greater retention of the clients you already have.
Most of us have seen the commercial for Best Buy with Amy Poehler of Saturday Night Live asking these seemingly silly questions.
I would suggest not as we are in Britain not the states! As much as America sees us a little backwater we are not, and do know what the cloud is and how it works. Especially in certain parts of the country where it rains a lot!
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Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
Is there a part of the country where it doesn't rain a lot Jo? Damn miserable in Cannock today.
Actually, will anybody ever know who Amy Poehler is as once you have the first three letters in Google assumes that you want to look at Amy's Baking Company.
I ended up looking on Google maps at AB co. and looking at it in street view Scotsdale looks a great place to live. Well, except for them all driving on the wrong side of the road that is.
Quite nice that wandering around their streets that so many people hang flags outside their houses. Nice to see a good bit of patriotism in a world where at times it seems a bit of a dirty word.
But I digress.
I cannot ever imagine using the line "How Do I Choose My Cloud Resource?".... It's more likely to come out as "how did you get my contact details" or "please stop calling me" or my usual respose of seeing how many syllables they get out before they are talking to a dead line.
The above is an advertisment masquerading as somewhat condescending advice (probably not aimed at the more cynical UK market) so once people have had their fun with tearing appart all things cloud related (except Drop box (and similar services) for off site backups and file sharing which is useful and completely eradicates the need for cloud based accounting solutions) I'll consider removing it.
Of course, by the time that the sites finished with it I suspect that it will be as far from an advertisment as it's actually possible to be.
Cry havoc and let slip the Vince.
Shaun.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
Hope thats just the weather, as opposed to how you are feeling! Put Amys baking down....Joanne's is much better.
Ive found a superb way of getting rid of the unwanted marketing calls - I just say 'You are ringing a business number' - Im hardly getting any now, although shush about that one because if everyone starts using it then they might cotton on! It will not stop the stalker though, who is probably still lurking in the bushes.
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Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
I would move further North Jo but acording to the maps that you can buy in Brum all that it says for further North than Stoke is "Ere be Dragons" and I'm not sure that the maps right as I've been to stoke and that looks to be twinned with the desolation of Smaug.
Come to think of it, if you buy a map in London it says the same thing but the "Ere be dragons" starts at Watford Gap services.
You just get a different sort of call when they know it's a business line.
You think that they've gone quiet but the reality is that they're just busy selling your number to a whole new set of pesky marketing bods.
You'll see... Soon will come the franking machines, business phone systems, software pushers, marketing companies, client block sales, tax services, tax book and magazine subscriptions, MLR check providers, Payroll service providers, receipt scanners, outsourcng companies, apprentice providers, have you got five mins for a quick survey (which will also be trying to sell you something)... Still get the PPI compensation brigade and have you had an accident in the past x years ambulance chasers but not so much... Probably because they can no longer get through to me with everyone else on the line.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
I saw the spammy post this morning and just ignored it - but reading it again now, I have one observation in particular:
They've named their product/service QBox - the Q (or even QB) because it's Quickbooks, and the Box presumably to put people in mind of Dropbox, because it's 'teh cloud' and all that.
A quick search of teh intertubez, though, shows a number of other things called QBox. If it was my product, my first instinct (before it even reached launched stage) would be to come up with a better name, unique would be ideal, but if not then as unique as possible. And since it's a cloudy offering, I would put it on its own domain, not as a subdomain on the website of the company selling it. (Yup, that's how they've done it).
Both of these should help put it at the top of the search results (if you search only for the name) rather than a little way down the page after a Facebook app, some kind of cloudy document search offering, some kind of A/V device, and a subscription service getting you boxes of cute things from Japan!
This sort of thing is useful when you are trying to disguise your spam as a helpful post on a forum, and so carefully fail to mention the company name or a URL in the hope people won't notice that it's spam.
Thus, as ever, a spammer proves the rules of spam to be true. In this case, rule 3: Spammers are stupid.
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Vince M Hudd - Soft Rock Software
(I only came here looking for fellow apiarists...)
I want to first of all apologize for offending you with the post regarding the quote by Amy Poehler from Saturday Night Live. You are correct that Saturday Night Live is an American program and we should have taken that into consideration before posting to a UK blog/forum.
With that being said, we have posted this same article in a number of forums across the viral community, including LinkedIn Groups, and before today, never had one individual reply that they were insulted because we had assumed "they were backwater". In actuality, we have had a large number of people respond with gratitude asking additional questions about when/why/how they should choose a viral solution.
Their reality, as a QuickBooks user, is they are being inundated by Saas based programs and hosted solutions that are doing anything and everything to attract users to their cloud resource. If you read through the article Lexie posted, our message is one of choice and explaining that a user does still have options and does not have to go through the process of moving to the cloud until they are ready and can afford it.
We have experienced the benefit of becoming one of the fastest growing QuickBooks collaboration tools around the world for a couple of reasons. One, we have an affordable and reliable solution that avoids the challenges other file sharing resources, such as DropBox, experience related to the creation of conflicting copies and file corruption.
Second, we have not done a great deal of outward marketing and relied on the accounting community and the larger consulting organizations to share their preference for Qbox. I apologize that you had a difficult time finding our website Vince and maybe you are correct that we could change our domain name so folks like yourself could more easily find us. Thankfully, thousands of users have found Qbox having heard first hand from industry peers how well Qbox has worked for their firm.
So thank you for your feedback and advice. I will talk with our "stupid" college intern and explain that she needs to be more considerate of certain people's feelings. We will also reconsider our URL and decide if we want to "rebrand" Qbox because a blogger in the UK says we are going in the wrong direction.
All very helpful insights.
-- Edited by Qbox-Coral Tree on Saturday 4th of April 2015 10:22:37 PM
If you have the support of the big consultancies why do you need to blog at all? Surely such if handled incorrectly can only undo the work that the consultancies are doing on your behalf?
Does not "posted on a number of forums" simply confirm that the original message was just spam?
I cannot imagine that you will get many questions about "when/why/how they should choose a viral solution" from this side of the pond as we are generally quite a cynical bunch.
I also assume that this is a predominantly american product as on occassion I work with the consultancy arms of the big four and this isn't software that I've personally encountered.
Then again, I cannot see any substantial business using third party cloud based solutions for line traffic and those are the only one's that I have worked with via consultancies (I do appreciate that they also work with smaller firms which I would assume is your target market).
You may spot that there is humour embedded within the above posts and thats very much the family atmosphere type of site this is. The thiny veiled sarcasm of your last response is not lost upon us but I feel best that we choose to ignore it than rise to the challenge.
Right, does someone want to educate me as to what a "viral community" is? Does it involve a large number of people with runny noses?.... Does a "viral solution" stop it?... Jo... I think that there may be a couple more entries to add to your dictionary or consultant speak.
Actually, talking of social media marketing, had this one come up as a gatekeeper ad to a YouTube video the other day :
Marketing people don't you just love em. (actually, by Abode taking the proverbial out of marketing people they actually get the watcher on side).
Genuinely, I wish you the best with your product Chris but I would avoid UK based sites like this one and accountingweb with this type of marketing.
Kind regards,
Shaun.
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
I want to first of all apologize (know your target market! eg Its apologise with an 's' here) for offending you with the post regarding the quote by Amy Poehler from Saturday Night Live. You are correct (I know!) that Saturday Night Live is an American program and we should have taken that into consideration before posting to a UK blog/forum. Perhaps also you should have taken into account forum rules ie you should have asked the moderator before dumping spam!
With that being said, we have posted this same article in a number of forums across the viral community, including LinkedIn Groups (yes i noticed it had been dumped there too. Viral??!!), and before today, never had one individual reply that they were insulted because we had assumed "they were backwater". In actuality, we have had a large number of people respond with gratitude asking additional questions about when/why/how they should choose a viral solution.
Their reality, as a QuickBooks user, is they are being inundated by Saas based programs and hosted solutions (really? said sarcastically! Well Ive never been inundated!!) that are doing anything and everything to attract users to their cloud resource. If you read through the article (how condescending to assume I havent read the article, which frankly rambles such a lot that i cant even recall the call to action, of yes...because its spam!!) Lexie posted, our message is one of choice and explaining that a user does still have options and does not have to go through the process of moving to the cloud until they are ready and can afford it.
We have experienced the benefit of becoming one of the fastest growing QuickBooks collaboration tools around the world for a couple of reasons. One, we have an affordable and reliable solution that avoids the challenges other file sharing resources, such as DropBox, experience related to the creation of conflicting copies and file corruption.
Second, we have not done a great deal of outward marketing and relied on the accounting community and the larger consulting organizations to share their preference for Qbox. I apologize that you had a difficult time finding our website Vince and maybe you are correct that we could change our domain name so folks like yourself could more easily find us. Thankfully, thousands of users have found Qbox having heard first hand from industry peers how well Qbox has worked for their firm.
So thank you for your feedback and advice. I will talk with our "stupid" college intern (how disgusting that you blame this posting on a college intern, when the same post on Linkedin is by Chris W, Director of something or other!) and explain that she needs to be more considerate of certain people's feelings. We will also reconsider our URL and decide if we want to "rebrand" Qbox because a blogger (a forum user with a valid point. I find that comment sarcastic in the extreme, hence my use of it too) in the UK says we are going in the wrong direction.
Its just like a repeat of BNI!!
Those pesky clouds were black ones today to match Peasie's socks!
All very helpful insights.
-- Edited by Qbox-Coral Tree on Saturday 4th of April 2015 10:22:37 PM
__________________
Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
Then again, I cannot see any substantial business using third party cloud based solutions for line traffic and those are the only one's that I have worked with via consultancies (I do appreciate that they also work with smaller firms which I would assume is your target market). We do have our very Piers who runs a slightly successful cloud firm, so if I was going with anyone it would be UK based, well known as opposed to unheard of American!
You may spot that there is humour embedded within the above posts and thats very much the family atmosphere type of site this is. I thought the use of the word 'rain' might give that away The thiny veiled sarcasm of your last response is not lost upon us but I feel best that we choose to ignore it than rise to the challenge. Oops Shaun - I rose to that one. I didnt know was a blogger! Thought he ran a successful business and was a forum user! The poor college intern has probably got the sack!
Right, does someone want to educate me as to what a "viral community" is? Does it involve a large number of people with runny noses?.... Does a "viral solution" stop it? I have a box of tissues if that helps... Jo... I think that there may be a couple more entries to add to your dictionary or consultant speak.I should get it published and sell it to the Americans - could make a killing!
Actually, talking of social media marketing, had this one come up as a gatekeeper ad to a YouTube video the other day :
Marketing people don't you just love em. (actually, by Abode taking the proverbial out of marketing people they actually get the watcher on side).
Genuinely, I wish you the best with your product Chris but I would avoid UK based sites like this one and accountingweb with this type of marketing. Ooo nooo - post on accounting web, I want to see the carnage!
Kind regards, (you are too kind!) Come on Vince!!!!!!!
Shaun.
__________________
Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
I apologize that you had a difficult time finding our website Vince
I didn't say I had a difficult time finding it. What I said was that there were other things before it in the search results with the same name. I even pointed out that was on a search only for the the name (because clarifying the search changes the results).
Here's a very simple demonstration of my point using Google ('cos it's a fairly well known search engine):
You will notice that RiscPiC isn't a totally unique name, due to the alternative suggestion at the top - but that's because RiscPiC is a tribute to RiscPC (i.e. it's deliberate).
I've done no real marketing of RiscPiC, other than a couple of posts on my [business] blog, mentioning it on Twitter whenever I do any work on the design, and taking it along to relevant trade shows. There's a domain name, but that just points to my main website - on which there isn't even a product page for it atm (that site design was only ever meant to be temporary, but it's been up for years - I have a half finished replacement as a WIP at the mo).
And yet the first three organic results are mine, and the middle two images - and the fourth result relates to it. i.e. most of what can be seen on just that first screen-full of results.
For just the product name.
In your case, yours is the seventh result for just the product name (disappearing off the bottom of the page in that image).
And yours is a bigger business than mine - probably by a long way - with, I imagine, a much bigger marketing budget (mine's almost non existent).
So why are my search results so much better than yours?
I will talk with our "stupid" college intern and explain that she needs to be more considerate of certain people's feelings.
You need to talk with your '"stupid" college intern' (or possibly your marketing department - or person [noting what Joanne said about the apparent poster elsewhere!] to ensure that she considers where she is posting - including the predominant nationality of the audience; whether it's appropriate - which doesn't just mean whether or not it is a relevant subject, but also whether or not a promotional post on a discussion forum is within the forum's rules and guidelines; and therefore whether or not the result will be considered spam.
We will also reconsider our URL and decide if we want to "rebrand" Qbox because a blogger in the UK says we are going in the wrong direction.
A blogger here in Blighty has said that as well? Go figure. He must be a highly intelligent individual if he's drawn the same conclusion as me.
(Hint: Posting on a forum does not a blogger make. I do have a personal blog as well as the business one mentioned above, but I post to it so infrequently I don't think even that could qualify me as a blogger in the sense most people would take it.)
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Vince M Hudd - Soft Rock Software
(I only came here looking for fellow apiarists...)
I want to first of all apologize (know your target market! eg Its apologise with an 's' here)
Ah, you've hit on one of my pet hates, and that's americanisation of english words (when written from someone who is english rather than american). I very nearly made a posting about it a few weeks ago when a poster said advise instead of advice. I shouldn't really take offence (or should that be offense lol) but it irritates the hell out of me.
But to your comment above. Is it really fair to expect an american to change their spellings to ours (and presumably vice versa) I don't think I would even consider changing the words grey colour etc etc if I was writing to an american.
Not intended as a dig Jo, just throwing something in for debate.
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John
Any advice given is for general guidance and professional advice should be sought applicable to your circumstances.
Ah, you've hit on one of my pet hates, and that's americanisation of english words (when written from someone who is english rather than american). I very nearly made a posting about it a few weeks ago when a poster said advise instead of advice. Im the same, although my spelling and typos are getting worse by the day so Ive probably offended a few on here with what looks like a poor grasp of the English language. Its because I never have my glasses where I need them!! Advise or advice, their there, where wear were.....lots of them I shouldn't really take offence (or should that be offense lol) but it irritates the hell out of me.
But to your comment above. Is it really fair to expect an american to change their spellings to ours yes it is fair because we shouldnt dumb down - thats what too many schools are doing (and presumably vice versa - oh NO WAY - we invented this language, they should get a grip.) I don't think I would even consider changing the words grey colour (NO I wouldnt because they just spell it incorrectly in the first place, we have to keep standards up!! ) etc etc if I was writing to an american.
Not intended as a dig Jo, just throwing something in for debate.
Did you not pick up my joshing from the start of this thread, John. Its just my sense of humour (humor for the American audience)....Im not insulted nor aggravated by any of it, was just trying to lighten the day, what with all these black clouds and rain. It worked too - from a dodgy dull start, its positively gorgeous out there - not a cloud in sight! (No ...not 'site'!)
Happy Easter all!
__________________
Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
Ah, you've hit on one of my pet hates, and that's americanisation of english words
Ditto.
But to your comment above. Is it really fair to expect an american to change their spellings to ours (and presumably vice versa)
IMO it's tolerable when an Overpuddlian uses an Overpuddlian spelling but even then I have limits.
One example, when the 2008 version of "Journey to the Centre of the Earth" came out in cinemas over here, I refused to go and see it on the basis that the title was spelt "Center". It was an Overpuddlian production, yes, but this was the UK release. and there is absolutely no way I am paying them to propagate their misspellings on this side of the puddle. I said I'd only watch it when I don't have to pay any extra to see it.
The problem is that it's a family film - I think it came out as a PG over here - so kids will be seeing that spelling, and some will go on to repeat and use it, thinking it's correct (as, sadly, will some adults).
And that really annoys me.
I don't think I would even consider changing the words grey colour etc etc if I was writing to an american.
I wouldn't if I was writing to an Overpuddlian, or posting conversationally on an Overpuddlian-centric forum - i.e. informally. Or even formally in mist cases.There is one instance, however, when I probably would consider using appropriate spelling - and that is if I was specifically targeting marketing material at Overpuddlians. That's about understanding and catering to your target market.
-- Edited by VinceH on Sunday 5th of April 2015 12:45:56 PM
-- Edited by VinceH on Sunday 5th of April 2015 12:47:49 PM
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Vince M Hudd - Soft Rock Software
(I only came here looking for fellow apiarists...)
I'm happy when by some miracle I get my words in the right order letter alone getting the letters in the right sequence within a word.
Sometimes I look back at my own messages and wonder if my PC was somehow autocorrecting to completely random words as I went along.
I've worked in America (Texas) and never found the differences in spelling to be a problem (probably helped by just being able to switch the spell checker to US English) and even where we have completely different words I never had issue (Fall/Autumn, Sidewalk/Pavement, etc.)... Well, maybe their word for bottom can in some cirlcles be construed as offensive and I wouldn't use it.
Vince,
never come accross the word Overpudlian before. Where does that come from??? Even Google (which I appreciate is American) had difficulty finding much reference to it (and no definition).
I caught that film on TV and it was a truly dire bastardisation of Jules Vernes work that you did well to avoid.
Right people, lets stop picking on the colonials just because of their spelling and get back to picking on marketing people because they exist.
Happy Easter from me too.
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
Fair point Vince, an american film with an english release should have said centre.
Funnily years ago I used to work for a plumbing company called OBC, and in 1986 they changed their name to Plumb Center, rather than Plumb Centre. I always thought that was weird, especially as (on just checking) the parent company are Australian.
__________________
John
Any advice given is for general guidance and professional advice should be sought applicable to your circumstances.
But are they not part of the Wolseley group which whilst Jersey registered has a USA focus?
Turnover :
£1,853m UK (profit £96m)
£7,045m USA (profit £542m)
Employee's :
5978 UK
20,307 USA
So thats £16059 profit per UK employee and £26690 profit per US employee.
Think that with those figures I would have stuck with the US spelling for something that is a cross border brand.
Whilst they have had Australian interests and were huge in Australia I believe that they have always been a British company.
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
never come accross the word Overpudlian before. Where does that come from??? Even Google (which I appreciate is American) had difficulty finding much reference to it (and no definition).
I made up the term on a usenet forum back in the 1990s as a jokey way to refer to Americans. The Atlantic ocean is often referred to as the pond, and those on the other side as being on the other side of the pond, but I wanted something that kind of rolled off the tongue better, and allowed be to treat it linguistically as a country is treated - e.g. England/English, America/American, Italy/Italian, etc.
So I decided on referring to the Atlantic as the Puddle, and the land on the other side of it as Overpuddle (aka the Untidied States of Overpuddle), because it can become Overpuddlian for the residents or their lingo.
I've now been using it so long (and so frequently) that it's pretty much muscle memory when it comes to referring to America - so much so that if I need to use the real word (such as in explanations like this, or if I'm writing something more formal) I have to stop myself from using mine!
Another one is Dahnundaland for Australia, and Dahnundalandians for its inhabitants - although I use that massively less often, so spellings may vary!
Ever since I came up with Overpuddlians, I think I've only ever seen one other person use it after I used it a few times elsewhere in a forum we both use. Searching now, though, I can see another person has used it (it looks like the first person spread it to that one; he also uses that forum and has also used it there. And here's another - that guy's name rings a bell, but I'm not sure. Most uses I can find are my own, but it's catching on! WOO! :)
I caught that film on TV and it was a truly dire bastardisation of Jules Vernes work that you did well to avoid.
I didn't avoid seeing it - only paying extra to see it. I saw it eventually when it was broadcast on a channel I have as part of my TV package. And, yes, if memory serves I wasn't particularly impressed - so I'm glad I decided not to pay to see it!
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Vince M Hudd - Soft Rock Software
(I only came here looking for fellow apiarists...)
To be honest Shaun I didn't know much of their history until I looked it up today. You're right, the Company is British, but intially had it's roots in Australia (misread it earlier)
When I worked there, between 1983 and 1988, the parent company was known as Wolesley - Hughes, and at the time the head office was in Ripon. (My home town but I was living in Watford at the time)
As far as I'm aware, it only trades as plumb center in this country.
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John
Any advice given is for general guidance and professional advice should be sought applicable to your circumstances.
Put Amys baking down....Joanne's is much better.
