A  story  from  one  of  the  world’s  most  inspiring  Accounting  firms      Aynsley   Damery,   Partner   at   Tayabali   Tomlin,  talks  about  his  experience  of  working  with    MyFirmsApp  and  the  impact  it  has  had  for  both  his  clients  and  firm.                                                                                        

When   I   reviewed   the  MyFirmsApp   solution   it  looked  good  but  to  be  perfectly  honest,  I  said  yes  simply  because  and  I  thought  it  might  be  a  nice   ‘gimmick’   or   ‘freebie’   for   clients   and   a  powerful,  differentiating  marketing  tool.      When  I  looked  at  our  App  on  my  iPhone  it  was  well  designed,  heavily  customised   to  our   firm  and  our   image,  had   fantastic   integration  with  our   blog   and   so  was   an   effective,   automated  communication   tool   but   beyond   that   it   was,  well,  ‘basic’.        That’s  not   to  say   I  was  disappointed;  after  all  there’s   a   limit   to   how   sexy   a   calculator   or   a  fact   sheet   can   be.     But   personally   I   didn’t  actually   think   or   believe   clients   would  download  it,  let  alone  use  it.  But  like  I  say  that  was  not  my  goal  for  the  App,  it  was  specifically  to  help  differentiate  us.      It  worked  I   was   right,   it   did   differentiate   us.     What   I  underestimated  was  by  how  much  and  in  how  many   different   ways.       We   have   had   PR  articles   in   important   local   publications   like  Cotswold  Life  and  Business  &  Professional  life,  and   we   have   had   people   sharing   feedback  with  us  on  the  App  stores.        It’s   strengthened   our   message   of   being  proactive,   forward   thinking   innovators   -­‐  focused   on   entrepreneurs   and   helped   us  become   even  more   visibly   different   than   our  competitors   and   all   for   such   a   small  investment  of  money.      

But  I  was  still  wrong    It  didn’t  stop  there  though.    Before  this  project  I  didn’t  expect  our  clients  to  really  engage  with  our   App;   that   was   until   we   started   getting  feedback   from   clients.     They   were   loving   it;   I  mean  not   just  downloading  it  or  using   it  once  or  twice.    They  were  engaging  with  it,  some  of  them  multiple  times  each  day.    And  each  time  they  did,  our  branding  and  name  was   in  front  of   them.     And,   well,   am   I   glad   it’s   not   a  competitors!        I  underestimated   the  desire   for  our  clients   to  interact,   communicate   and   get   content   via  their   smartphones.     And  best   of   all   it   doesn’t  require  any  of  my  time  to  manage  it.      A  talking  point  It’s   been   a   big   talking   point   for   clients   and  prospects.     A   very   nice,   professional   way   to  share   what   we   do   differently   without  ‘selling’.    We   just  give   them  a   link   to   the  App  store,   they   get   the   App   and   we   can   then  communicate  with  them.        And   what   I   said   at   the   start   about   it   being  basic;  we  were  one  of   the   first  5   firms   to  use  the  solution.    Since  then  its  come  on  leaps  and  bounds,   and   as   the   team   at   MyFirmsApp  continue   to   innovate,   they   are   innovating   for  my  clients  and  prospects.    We  have  upgraded  to   platinum   and   are   looking   forward   to   the  future.        Whatever  happens,  we  will  continue  to  try  and  prepare  our  clients  for  the  future,  today.    Aynsley  Damery  |  Partner  |  Tayabali  Tomlin    

14 ACCOUNTINGPRACTICE

We live in a ever-more-connectedworld, where people are living inthe cloud and search for the

next bus using a handy free app.Insight Marketing’s David Oliver is

someone who understands how this newconnected world affects accountants, andperhaps more importantly how they cangain a real competitive advantage by usingthis ‘mobility’ to transform their businessprocesses.

He is quick to say that it is vital smallpractitioners aren’t scared of this new world,but told Accounting Practice that the factsdon’t lie. Over 60% of the UK populationnow owns a smartphone, and nearly a fifthof the population own a tablet device. Tabletsales are set to increase by almost 70% to197 million units in 2013.

If small practitioners don’t want to be leftbehind they must do two things, he said,both of which are very low cost – we aretalking under £1,000 here. That will be goodnews to most practitioners.

The first thing you must do is ensure yourwebsite is ‘mobile enabled’. Oliver is worriedbecause his research reveals that some95% of accountants have websites that arenot. All those owners of smartphones andtablets use them to look for information, andif you aren’t mobile-friendly then they can’tinteract you. He explains: “If your websiteisn’t mobile enabled then 61% of people willleave without even engaging with the site.”

Why would you put yourself at thatdisadvantage, he wondered. These users

MOBILE,BLOGS,APPSTHE FUTURE OF THE PROFESSION

Insight Marketing’s David Oliver explains to Graham Hambly the two things you must do right now

simply find a website that is slow, withunreadable content, and perhaps moreimportantly with forms that can’t be filled instraight away. Why would they think thatthis is the accountant for me!

The other big thing you need to do is getyourself an app. This, explained Oliver, is agreat tool, working on lots of different levels.Many accountants don’t like the idea ofdirect marketing and an app can be a verygentle way of selling what you do. In effect,you can give something of value to clientsfor a very low cost. He explained that manyaccountants he talks to are shocked by justhow many of their clients use their apps ona regular, almost daily basis.

An Apple and Google-approved app canalso enhance your reputation and help youdifferentiate yourself. It also gives everyoneaccess 24/7, and this is increasingly how

people are living their lives. Oliver believes agood app would provide a photo receiptexpense tool, push notifications, trackmileage, be blog integrated and, of course,have all the tax tables and key dates youneed. Add a calculator and the ability to‘arrange to meet’ and you have the perfectway of connecting accountant to client.

What Oliver wants to stress is that appsand mobile enabled website aren’t thefuture, they ‘the past and now’!

In future, the cloud and mobile togetherwill help shape the world we work in. Clientswill be using them and the accountant mustbe ready to respond. So, he says, keep aneye on the cloud, because everyone elsewill be, too. And remember, being techsavvy and ‘cool’ with the technology notonly helps attract new clients, it also helpsretain and attract employed talent, heexplained.

Now there is a reason that Oliver is suchan expert. He, or perhaps more importantly,his firm has been helping accountancy firmsand financial institutions for over 20 years.He is also the driving force behindwww.myfirmsapp.co.uk andwww.salesforaccountants.com. And, Oliverwill be one of the stars the show atAccountex, where he will be adding to the100,000 plus delegates he has helped to‘enlighten’. He is really worth listening to.

Graham Hambly is the Editor of PQmagazineCCoommiinngg nneexxtt ttiimmee:: WWee wwiillll bbee rreevviieewwiinngg tthheemmyyffiirrmmssaapppp’’ss pprroodduuccttss iinn tthhee nneexxtt iissssuuee ooffAAccccoouunnttiinngg PPrraaccttiiccee –– aanndd wwaattcchh oouutt ffoorr aaggrreeaatt ssppeecciiaall ooffffeerr ffoorr mmeemmbbeerrss

World in numbers 378,000 iPhones are sold every day

371,000 babies born per day

369,094,500 smartphones weresold last year

19% of these were dropped down thetoilet

81 minutes is average time peoplespend using Apps a day

50% of email users reply on a browser,tablet or mobile client, instead of adesktop computer

66% of people use their favourite appat least once a day

 Are  you  ready  to  'go  app'?    Against  a  challenging  economic  landscape,  with  client  cutbacks  and  an  uncertain  future,  smartphone  apps  may  be  key  in  helping  accountancy  firms  seize  the  initiative  to  innovate  and  open  up  a  whole  new,  cost  effective  way  of  reaching  both  existing  and  potential  clients.  According  to  Cisco,  by  the  end  of  2013,  there  will  be  more  mobile  devices  on  Earth  than  people.  But  how  many  firms  realise  the  importance  of  mobile  technology  and  how  many  are  investing  the  right  money  in  the  right  products?    Year  of  the  app  ‘Apps  give  accountancy  firms  the  ability  to  reach  out  to  clients  and  prospects  in  a  technology  advanced  manner  at  incredibly  low  cost,’  says  Joel  Oliver,  founder,  MyFirmsApp.  ‘We  are  seeing  firms  of  all  sizes  embrace  this  powerful  mobile  technology  and  the  feedback  from  their  clients  and  prospects  has  been  five  star.  2013  will  be  the  year  of  the  app  for  the  accountancy  profession  as  a  whole.’  Apps  help  make  the  firm  look  modern  and  up-­‐to-­‐date  and  add  another  marketing  string  to  the  bow,  agrees  Salter,  and  adds:  ‘There  will  be  prospective  clients  that  are  swayed  by  the  use  of  technology  such  as  apps.’  With  more  and  more  people  getting  all  their  information,  from  current  affairs  to  the  weather  to  film  and  book  reviews,  why  should  their  finances  –  and  the  accountancy  firms  that  manage  them  –  be  any  different?  Apps  for  firms  have  myriad  features  all  aimed  at  helping  clients  get  the  answers  they  need  at  the  touch  of  a  button,  in  real  time,  from  anywhere  in  the  world.  Products  range  from  the  simple  –  ‘Calculators  are  popular,’  says  Salter  –  to  more  bespoke  offerings,  with  features  such  as:  ‘Company  car,  should  I  incorporate?  Payslip  calculator,  IHT,  CGT  and  so  on  –  but  also  some  have  the  ability  to  add  your  own  customisation  –  news  and  events  –  by  logging  into  a  web  page  and  writing  the  text.  Tax  tables  and  rates  can  replace  the  card  based  ones  that  many  firms  still  issue.’  And  with  app  development  arguably  Generation  Z’s  newest  entrepreneurial  answer  to  getting  rich  quick,  the  dynamic  and  real  innovations  within  the  app  marketplace  right  now  mean  that  all  businesses,  including  accountancy  firms,  will  not  be  as  competitive  without  one.    Stand  out  from  the  crowd  ‘For  early  adopters,  an  app  will  also  help  them  to  stand  out  and  differentiate  themselves  from  the  norm,’  says  Oliver.  ‘To  present  themselves  as  a  technologically  advanced  firm  prepared  to  embrace  new  technology  and  that’s  a  powerful  message.  Firms  that  choose  the  right  app  will  save  hours  operationally  providing  clients  the  basic  information  they  need,  at  their  fingertips  available  in  real  time,  any  where.  Administratively,  apps  can  also  save  accountancy  firms  time  by  using  the  app  as  a  way  to  communicate  in  real  time  to  prospects  and  clients  at  the  touch  of  a  button.  And  financially,  apps  save  firms  money  by  replacing  the  need  for  expensive,  old-­‐fashioned  newsletters.’  There  is  a  difference  between  a  mobile  website  and  an  app.  The  latter  range  from  the  type  of  tools  mentioned  above,  while  a  mobile  site  gives  your  mobile  users  detail  about  your  services  in  a  critical,  mobile  friendly  version.  MyFirmsApp,  for  example,  offers  tax  tips,  tables,  calculators,  important  dates  but  it  also  integrates  with  a  practice  blog,  meaning  users  can  communicate  through  it.  The  adoption  of  such  technology  could  significantly  change  the  way  that  accountancy  firms  market  themselves.  'By  2014  mobile  browsing  is  predicted  to  overtake  desktop  viewing  of  websites,’  says  Oliver.  As  Salter  says,  it  is,  simply  yet  effectively,  ‘another  means  of  getting  information  to  clients  and  prospects.’    Beth  Holmes,  journalist  

 

 

Alexander  and  Co  are  a  proactive  firm  of  Accountants  in  Cornwall.    Below  is  an  extract  from  one  PR  article  that  the  

firm  secured  along  with  a  comment  from  the  senior  partner,  Richard  Alexander.  

 

“We  are  delighted  with  our  App,  which  was  designed  by  the  team  at  MyFirmsApp.  The  

process  was  simple  and  the  cost  extremely  competitive.  It  gives  us  great  content  in  two  

sections  -­‐  first  the  tax  tables  and  really  helpful  calculators,  and  second  the  content  we  

can  update  ourselves,  helping  us  keep  clients  and  potential  clients  updated  with  news  

and  events  at  Alexander  &  Co  and  different  ways  we  have  helped  clients.  It's  a  fantastic  

marketing  tool  with  links  to  our  blog,  website  and  social  media.”  

Richard  Alexander  |  Senior  Partner  |  Alexander  &  Co  Accountants    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A  great  new  App  free  from  Alexander  &  Co  here  in  

North  Cornwall  

 

Managing  Director  Richard  Alexander  says  “The  App  

has  been  carefully  designed  in  response  to  the  

growing  use  of  smart  phones  and  mobile  devices  used  

by  our  clients  across  Cornwall.  We  wanted  to  develop  

a  way  to  keep  them  up  to  date  with  the  very  latest  

news,  views  and  tips,  as  well  as  providing  them  with  

key  accounting  data,  in  real  time,  at  their  fingertips.”  

 

What  will  the  Alexander  &  Co  App  do  for  you?    

The  good  news  is  that  the  Alexander  &  Co  App  is  not  

exclusive  to  their  clients  and  you  too  will  be  able  to  

use  the  APP.    For  example  you  will  be  able  to  calculate  

the  tax  on  certain  company  cars,  keep  a  record  of  

company  mileage  or  check  the  amount  of  tax  you  

might  be  paying.  It  will  give  you  the  power  to  check  

Stamp  Duty  costs  or  see  how  you  might  increase  your  

profits  as  a  business.    You  can  also  browse  the  library  

of  tax  tables,  giving  you  the  very  latest  tax  rates  24/7  

whenever  you  need  them.  From  National  Insurance  

and  Inheritance  Tax  to  Income  Tax  and  Tax  Credits  –  

it’s  there  for  you.  

 

Client  Manger  Paul  Reynold’s,  who  is  a  keen  APP  user,  

says  “Developing  an  App  is,  we  believe,  a  proactive  

way  to  help  individuals  across  Cornwall  to  become  

more  successful  and  more  profitable  and  ultimately  

helping  businesses  to  be  more  enjoyable  to  run.  The  

Alexander  &  Co  App  gives  everyone  fantastic  content  

plus  it  makes  it  really  easy  to  keep  in  touch.  It  has  a  

simple  ‘arrange  to  meet'  page  along  with  all  our  

contact  information  as  well  as  links  to  our  social  

media  pages.”  

 

Alexander  &  Co  is  one  of  the  very  first  accountancy  

firms  in  Cornwall  to  launch  a  free  mobile  App.  The  

great  news  is  this  App  is  now  available  and  can  be  

downloaded  onto  your  iPhone,  iPad  or  Android  

phones.  It’s  packed  full  of  some  really  useful  Tax  

Tables,  Calculators  and  important  dates.  All  of  which  

you  will  be  able  to  access  for  free,  anywhere  you  have  

internet  connection  on  your  device.    It  is  certainly  

refreshing  to  hear  from  a  proactive  firm  who  are  

technologically  advanced.    

 

What  is  an  App?  

An  ‘App’  is  simply  an  application,  a  piece  of  software  

that  does  something.  In  recent  years,  the  term  ‘App’  is  

used  to  refer  to  applications  that  run  on  the  web  or  

more  commonly  a  mobile  device  –  such  as  a  

smartphone  or  iPad.    The  considerable  growth  in  

smartphones  over  recent  years  has  meant  there  are  

now  thousands  of  Apps  available.  From  weather  Apps  

and  games  to  business  Apps  like  this  brand  new  App  

launched  by  Alexander  &  Co.    In  recognition  of  this  

growth  in  App  use,  the  Office  of  National  Statistics  

now  includes  smart  phones  and  apps  in  its  typical  

basket  of  650  goods  used  to  calculate  inflation.  

 

Why  did  Alexander  &  Co  develop  its  own  App?  

“We  like  to  think  that  we  are  a  proactive,  forward  

thinking  and  refreshingly  different  firm  of  

accountants.”  says  Client  Manager  Stephanie  Stock,  

“For  example,  we  already  embrace  an  electronic  filing  

system  so  that  everyone  at  Alexander  &  Co  can  always  

lay  their  hands  on  your  records  and  correspondence;  

even  those  persons  who  are  not  working  on  your  

affairs.    We  also  take  our  green  credentials  seriously  

by  using  solar  power  and  by  being  committed  to  

recycling.  Both  of  which  make  sound  business  sense  

too.”