Our head number cruncher Andi was recently interviewed by Commazero after piloting their new software.
Talking all things technology, Zero, Covid and client relationships, it was a great chance to get to know him better.
Here’s the lowdown on what he said.
What technology do you currently use and why?
“When I started ASBK, I signed up to Xero as it seemed to be the best software for myself and my clients. Initially, I found my clients through their partnership page and built the business up from there.
Ten years ago, Xero was a lot different to what it is now. It has developed massively over the years which I knew it would. It was an exciting time. Small business owners generally hate the numbers side of the business and Xero gave them the opportunity to interact with them better. It gave them more of a passion for finance and they could see what was going on in their business because they wanted to, not just because they had to.
When it comes to technology and new software, I am an absolute sceptic. I love Xero, I’ve been using it throughout my business journey so when I get emails daily telling me that someone else has tried to re-invent the wheel, I generally discard it.
When I received an email from Commazero, something stood out. It looked like a great piece of software and more than that, it was something that would complement the services we already offer and make it a really interactive experience for our clients when it comes to payment runs and such like.
We have now piloted the technology and I have to say, I’m really impressed. It makes life easy for both us and our clients and we will certainly be continuing with it.”
How have you supported your clients over the last twelve months?
“It’s been a tough twelve months for everyone. When Covid first hit the news, we were obviously concerned about our own business but more than that, we were deeply concerned about some of our small business clients.
It hasn’t been easy for many of them and to say they all survived wouldn’t be the truth but thankfully, the vast majority are coming out the other end and can hopefully enjoy a far more successful year moving forward.
We have been very fortunate and will be eternally grateful for what we have been able to achieve during this difficult time, but it’s been hard to watch our clients fight through the storm. We get to know them really well. They aren’t just a number in the system to us, so it was really important that they knew we were there for them.
It’s also been great to be able to support them in adapting to a new way of working. Some of our clients have been able to take their business online which has worked really well, and it’s been fantastic to be part of that journey.
One of the things we were able to do for our clients throughout the pandemic is to offer much of our support with no charge. For example, we’ve been doing furlough claims since the beginning and this is something we don’t charge for, it’s just good to be able to support them as much as possible.
As a Bookkeeper, we do play a small part in the running of our client’s business and to some extent, whether or not they are successful. That’s not to say we are the reason they are successful but by helping them get their books in order from the start, it does support them to achieve growth.
Some of our clients have been with us from the beginning. I think that’s because we are always there for them when they need us. We really are an extension of their business.”
What are you most looking forward as we come out of lockdown?
“I’m looking forward to seeing how the world of business looks once we all wake up from this hibernation. I’m intrigued to see whether or not things will go back to the way they were or if businesses will take their adapted ways and run with it.
One of the biggest changes has obviously been remote working. Something that many of us would never have considered in the past but a lot of our clients have adapted really well to it.
We were already working remotely in the main before the pandemic. It just fits with the
way we work so it wasn’t too much of an adjustment for us.
It will be great to see the small business community grow from this by taking the new
opportunities they have created and continue to build them.”
Watch the full interview at https://www.linkedin.com/posts/commazero_andi-smithpilot-
client-interview-activity-6793128712561807360-aeHX
