Partner Pages 2019: From what now, to what’s next
The age of digital disruption offers accountants and bookkeepers the opportunity to have a greater impact on their clients than ever before. Here, Kent Gripske from Carrick Aland reflects on the impact technology has had on the industry over the years, and how he keeps an eye on what’s next.
After three decades in the industry, I’ve seen the extraordinary effect that technology has had on accounting and bookkeeping. It’s quite hard for the younger generation to comprehend how different life was for accountants and bookkeepers before the internet. In a matter of years, businesses have gone from using handwritten cash books to computerised systems, and now cloud-based technology over multiple devices, and I was there for all of it. In my teens, I started out as a bookkeeper, then graduated as an accountant. From there, I learned how to be an auditor and then became a tax agent. Now I’m a partner at Carrick Aland, a Queensland-based accountancy and business advisory firm that has been operating since the 1950s – a pretty
impressive feat in itself. Being in an established accountancy business with a long track record and working with regional communities doesn’t mean I’m stuck in the past using old processes. Far from it. I’m given free rein to stay across all the latest software and technology developments so I can rethink business processes that (in my opinion) desperately need some disrupting.
Stepping to a new beat
Most business owners aren’t out there proactively looking for better ways to operate their business. They’re usually busy looking for new ways to sell their products and services or increase production. Very few business owners are actually looking at their internal processes and thinking, “Oh, there’s a better way of doing this.”
People don’t know what they don’t know until somebody comes along and disturbs their equilibrium by asking, “Why are you doing this?” and “Did you realise that you can do it like this?” That’s where I come in.
It’s my job to keep on top of the latest systems and technology so that I can advise them on how to ensure their business is administered in the best way possible.
Many people in the industry tend to follow the same steps, and continue to follow those steps even after the music has changed. These days, the world is moving more quickly, so we’ve all got to learn new dance steps – to change and adapt – in order to give our clients the most up-to-date, relevant advice.
With this in mind, I’ve got quite an appetite for disruption. I love setting my clients on a new trajectory by introducing new ways of thinking about and managing their business.
Since our offices are in Toowoomba and the farming communities of Chinchilla and Dalby, it’s unsurprising that most of our clients are farmers. So how do I get farmers to implement the latest technology to help them run their business more efficiently? There’s a bit of a perception out there that Australian farmers aren’t the most tech-savvy people, but this isn’t the case. Many people don’t realise that farmers are usually pretty technically advanced, even more so than people operating other businesses.
For years, farmers have been using technology to enhance their businesses, improve production, save time, and gather information that helps them make better decisions. Long before GPS was standard in cars, farmers were using pilot machinery across paddocks. Why was phone banking, then online banking, and now mobile banking taken up by rural clients early? Simply because of necessity. Who wants to go on a 100 km round trip to post cheques or do the banking when you can do it from anywhere?
Of course, sometimes we see still old systems in use (even in businesses you’d think would be way more advanced) and a part of my role is to get these businesses to implement systems that streamline processes, reduce duplication, increase efficiencies, remove human error, and ultimately help the farm to stay in business.
Some people are reluctant to let go of their old systems, but by focusing on the benefits to the business, they soon see that getting something done in two steps instead of five is a real timesaver. When the features and benefits of a system like Xero are explained, clients are less resistant to it, especially when I show them the add-on apps which can really save them time – that’s the stuff they get really excited about.
Question time
As a curious person, I’m always asking questions. Could this be done better? Why are we doing this that way? Is this process working? It may drive some of my colleagues crazy but it’s in my DNA to question things and ultimately, it makes me much better at what I do as I’m able to see the true nature of a problem, and can then work towards a solution.
Regardless of whether it’s a farm, an accountancy business, a legal firm or a retail store, I believe every business owner would benefit from questioning their daily routine and business processes. Is there a better way to get that information? Am I using that information
correctly? Why am I following this process? So many people continually repeat the same thing day in, day out, because that’s what they’ve always done. Until you step aside and assess what it is that you want, only then can you make the changes necessary to go after it. Industries, businesses, and technology are changing around us; if you don’t lift your head up and have a bit a look around every so often, you’ll get left behind.
Kent’s story is taken from the new issue of Partner Pages – a magazine of beautifully curated content, written by partners, for partners. Get your free copy at the Roadshow Australia 2019.
The post Partner Pages 2019: From what now, to what’s next appeared first on Xero Blog.
Source: Xero Blog
