Global Bookkeeping Week | Ontrack for a bright future

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In celebration of Global Bookkeeping Week, we invited bookkeepers from across our global network to share their view on the future of the industry. We asked Di Crawford-Errington managing director of New Zealand bookkeeping firm Ontrack Bookkeeping to share her enterprising journey and her view of what the future is going to look like for the bookkeeping industry.

Where did it all begin for you?

My business journey began in 2003. I was a solo mum of two beautiful daughters aged 8 and 5, one of who had significant health challenges.

At the time, I was working 20 hours per week and had a second job doing the books for a plumbing firm. I was having to take a lot of time off work as well as rely on my parents to help with sick kids. This was the start of the development of an idea.

My kitchen table top bookkeeping business grew organically over this time. Although I was super busy, I started getting a bit bored doing the day to day data entry work day in and day out. At this point, I made a conscious decision to make a REAL business out of what I was doing and become an entrepreneur. I didn’t realise I had already been an entrepreneur (albeit one in training) for the past two years…

That change in mindshift was the start of an incredible journey for Ontrack Bookkeeping, and for myself as a business owner. I was employing staff (that was a real trial and error), and I also had to teach myself what it was I needed to know about running a company.

What do you think makes your practice stand out from the rest?

Ontrack treats our clients as individuals, every one of them is different and they don’t fit in a ‘box’. We celebrate their individuality and we have the ability to be agile and work in a way that works for them. We are strong on staying true to our values and showing up and being available for our clients. Human interaction and empathy are also really important. People want to be heard and supported in their businesses.

How do you think the bookkeeping industry has evolved since you started Ontrack?

We were using out of the box desktop software when I first started my bookkeeping business and every task was a very manual process. There was still a very paper based approach to working with desktop software on computers and we had screeds of files everywhere. We did manual backups of data files onto disks nightly and then took them home in case the office burnt down or the computer died.

Fast forward 14 years and we are all working in the cloud on internet browsers. We don’t even think about having to backup data as it seamlessly syncs between device and the net. We are in a paperless era with not a file in sight. The speed with which this is all happening is phenomenal and keeping up with the technology changes is a huge challenge for any business owner. The bookkeeper of today is a trusted business advisor who works at the grassroots level, understanding the business they are working in, discussing challenges and implementing solutions for the client.

How do you think the bookkeeping industry is changing?

There is a huge push for automation, automating anything and everything. The internet has made this possible and is instrumental in the ever evolving development of systems, programs and apps to make life simpler and to collaborate effectively. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are also ploughing forward at dizzying speeds. However, the one thing that cannot be automated and that clients thrive on is human interaction, communication and a sense of care. Bookkeepers are at the very heart of this space and although the industry is changing we still have an important role to play.

What qualities do you think are essential in a bookkeeper?

Empathy and understanding are critical, so that you can really understand the challenges a small business owner deals with on a day to day basis. Communication and listening skills are imperative.

What are some important tips in maintaining healthy relationships with your clients?

Again communication skills are really important. And honesty is huge. Keeping it real for our clients is what we are all about. Our core values are; being honest, having integrity, being real, approachable, respectful, patient, trustworthy and reliable. Keeping these values top of mind in all communications with everyone we deal with is an absolute must. It is something we strive for every day. I encourage all of our team to own up to their mistakes. Let’s face it, we all make them! Own it, fix it and put a plan in place to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

What are challenges you’ve faced in your business and how have you overcome them?

Juggling family and work commitments is always a challenge. It took me getting very ill three or four years ago to realise that I needed to look after myself before I could look after anyone else. This included my staff and clients. Implementing time out was essential. So, standard practice these days is heading away every couple of weekends in our caravan to a wonderful beach somewhere in Northland.

We’ve seen that you have an all female bookkeeping practice, has that been a deliberate choice on your behalf?

No not at all, just seems to have worked out that way. Funny isn’t it, it is not something I have even thought about, it just evolved that way. My philosophy is family first (given why the business started in the first place). Therefore Ontrack Bookkeeping is very much a supportive environment for females, given they are principally the main caregiver within the family unit.

How did you celebrate winning NZ Bookkeeping Partner of the Year at Xerocon?

We are planning a big staff celebration at the end of this month to celebrate the award win and to show my appreciation for all that our team does. They are the backbone of the business. It was such an honour to accept the award on their behalf. It also felt really rewarding to be recognised at a national level for the work we do, the time spent getting and staying certified, keeping up with the ever changing landscape of technology and implementing best practice for our clients.

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