How the Xero Roadshow kick started an awesome journey for us

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Guest post written by Jesse Lofstrom. Jesse, from Fulcrum Group, is one of our Xero Partners out in the Grand Prairie region. Her background includes business consulting, tax planning, accounting, financial planning and she acts as the digital media and marketing partner for the group. Jesse also serves as a mentor for CPA Alberta and is active in the Grande Prairie Chapter of CPAs, a group designed for students that actively gives back to the community by creating scholarships at the Grande Prairie Regional College and sponsors various local businesses and charities.

After attending the Xero Roadshow in 2020, we saw the potential that Xero had to improve our own efficiencies at our firm while simultaneously reducing the stress and difficulty for clients to maintain adequate, up-to-date books. Despite the virtual setting, Xero did a wonderful job in creating a sense of excitement and community. A big part of this is due to the Xero team being so personable, unlike many other big companies out there. It was also clear that there was passion for the Canadian accounting industry and a commitment to create meaningful and lasting relationships with us.

So we started a pilot – now what?

Right from the beginning, our Account Manager Katherine and her team have been truly fantastic. They were knowledgeable and patient with us as we asked questions and tried to determine if Xero was a good choice for our firm. They were always available if we had questions and responded to those questions quickly. Whether we didn’t understand something or needed additional help, they were always willing to jump on a video call to walk us through things.

It was more than just having a representative to guide us, they felt like an extension of our team. We never felt that we partnered with Xero and were left with a “now what?” sentiment. They were there to help us every step along the way.

One highlight of our relationship with Xero was getting to co-host an event with Katherine and her team. She had approached me in late Jan 2021 to be a guest speaker in her event ‘Xero Workflow for your Sole-Proprietor Farmers’ on February 4th. I had been reluctant at first, as public speaking can be intimidating at the best of times and being fairly new to Xero at that time, I wasn’t sure I could offer much. However, as has been our experience all along with Katherine and her team, she was there to guide me every step of the way. By the time the event came up, I felt confident that I could contribute and share some valuable insights that we had gained at our firm since starting with Xero and the potential we saw for our clients. It also allowed me to connect with others in the industry and grow my network.

Why did the Xero Roadshow specifically push us to jump in?

The Roadshow offered a way for us to dip our toes in and learn more about Xero, how it worked, and how it could help our firm and clients. It was a way to see the platform in action before having to jump in ourselves. During the breakout discussions, we were able to participate in a guided session with Xero Account Managers and Partner Consultants. It was very clear that the team is knowledgeable in how firms and practices work – they weren’t merely salespeople trying to solve problems they knew nothing about.

Our practice has shifted somewhat since attending the Roadshow. Not only have we incorporated using Xero with many of our new and existing clients, but we have expanded our business to include new service offerings we hadn’t been using before. Hubdoc and other great apps that integrate with Xero are now part of our ever-expanding service offering for our clients.

Come along

If you are interested in Xero and what it has to offer, I definitely recommend attending a Roadshow. While we had heard about Xero and what it could do for our firm, the Roadshow was a great way to gain a deeper understanding and see all the possibilities that Xero offers. It also gave us an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about how it could help our firm specifically.

Find more information and register for the Xero Roadshow Canada 2021 here.

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