What are the benefits of a cloud based accounting system?

Cloud accounting is the practice of using an accounting system that is entirely online; this means you can access your records anywhere, anytime, and from any device that has an internet connection.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, cloud accounting has certainly come to the forefront as a quick and efficient way to manage your bookkeeping and accounts.

For our customers who were already cloud-based, when COVID-19 hit the UK; their online accounting systems ran smoothly. However, for our desktop-based customers several issues arose, such as remote access, which required urgent attention.

Before the pandemic, the team at Pierce have always had a valuable reputation and high-level skill set when it comes to online accounting services. They have helped a whole range of SME businesses reap the advantages of using a cloud-based solution.

There are many benefits and advantages to using a cloud-based accounting system compared to more traditional methods. However, these are the top three main benefits for our clients:

3 main benefits of cloud-based accounting:

1.Accessibility.

As long as you have internet access, your cloud-based accounting system can be accessed from anywhere in the world. 24/7, on any device or any time zone. When on the cloud, your employees, partners and clients can access and update information from any location in real-time. You can have your data at your fingertips no matter where you are either walking around the supermarket, on a beach, or in the office. You can give users different levels of access, depending on what they need to see and do.

2. Always up to date

As the system is cloud-based this means it is not physically installed onto your laptop, mobile, or desktop. This means it does not require any disruptive software upgrades, new installs, or processes that may delay your access. Cloud computing ensures you have the best features of the software without interrupting you or leaving you sitting waiting for lengthy installs.

3. No delays in data access

As well as our customers being able to access their data whenever you like, so can we if required. So there is no holding back-up, no delays in data information we can monitor your account information whenever required to do so.

What other services do the online accounting department provide?

As well as tailoring our product offering to suit the customer's needs, we also tailor the amount of support we offer the customer depending on what they require from us.

Firstly, we offer demonstrations to help clients select the software best suited to them, we help set the system up and offer training sessions.

Furthermore, some of our clients require regular support such as monthly, quarterly, or year-end reviews. Some clients require a full service from us, as they have no internal bookkeeping service in-house.

On the other hand, some customers just want to receive help with VAT returns. No matter how big or small the amount of support our clients require, the online services team at Pierce always aim to deliver the best service.

How do we help customers with any issues they may face?

We deal with any issues immediately , by email or over the telephone. We have access to client cloud-based systems so we can instantly log in and diagnose the issue to resolve it asap. We talk to the customer through online chat, video calls, or sharing our screen so they know what to do in the future. If the issue is quite a long process, we will call back the customer straight away as soon as the issue has been resolved.

What makes our online accounting services unique?

We pride ourselves on tailoring our online accounting services to meet each customer's individual needs. We would never say that one product suits all, our team likes to thoroughly understand your needs, goals, and requirements before recommending any system.

We offer every client a demonstration of the cloud-based system, so they can see exactly how it works, how to operate it and what to expect. This also helps us learn if the system is right for them before offering it to them.

Xero

Makes small businesses accounting easy and saves you time so you can focus on growing your business. From importing bank transactions to sending invoice reminders, Xeo automatically handles tasks so you can get your accounting tasks done faster.

Free Agent

Again designed for small businesses, this software offers the full package. It allows the admin to feel effortless and gives you access to the data you need to make smarter business decisions. You can connect Free Agent to the bank feed and integrate it with other programs.

Quickbooks

Focused towards small-medium-sized businesses, this cloud-based software features tools for invoicing, payroll, and tracking income and expenses. You can access everything you need, wherever you need it and your personal information is always kept safe.

Kashflow

Kashflow allows small businesses to keep their accounts under control. It’s easy-to-use functionality that does everything a small business may need. From quoting and invoicing to getting paid on time, Kashflow keeps it simple so you can concentrate on growing your business.

SageOne

SageOne is the final online accounting software we offer, it is designed to drive small businesses forward. Another easy-to-use program that automates billing and invoicing, as well as offering a real-time overview of your finances.

We take into account our customer's preferences and our preferences is a cloud-based accounting system which is Xero. However, we know exactly how Xero works and know that it is not the system for every business, so we offer transparency within these areas to all customers.

We listen, we demonstrate, we recommend, and we tailor our online accounting services to suit our customers perfectly.

How we adapted our training methods due to COVID-19

We adapted our method of training to suit COVID-19 Government restrictions and have some huge success stories from the way this has operated online.

Pre covid we used to host training sessions within our training room at Pierce, however, due to the restrictions of face to face meetings we adapted to offer our training online. This provided a form of support for all our online training methods and all the team were trained in using training platforms to continue to deliver the highest quality of service possible wherever the customer is situated.

What have some of our customers said about our service?

We recently helped Brian Dent Limited and B&G Sears Ltd find a cloud-based accounting system that worked for them. Carol Dinsdale, from Brian Dent Limited and Carly Sears from B&G Sears Ltd left the following testimonials

Find out more about our online accounting services and let’s find the perfect cloud-based system for your business.