Get Shift Done: Management
Want to Find Your Perfect Accounting Software? Write A Personal Ad!
Dear current accounting software solution,
Though we’ve been together for a long time, it’s time to break up. I’ve grown while you’ve stayed the same sweet little program you always were. That’s right: it’s not you, it’s me.
It’s hard to break up, but as your business evolves so will the demands you place on your accounting software. The bad news? Deciding it was time to look for a new accounting solution is the easy part.
Now comes the difficult task of finding an accounting solution that matches the way you do business, now and in the future, best.
Searching for a match among the sea of accounting software vendors can be a long and heart-breaking journey. That’s why you should take some time to write a personal ad before you begin.
Yes, you read that right — a personal ad. You see, looking for an accounting solution is a lot like looking for your soulmate on Match.com. If you start out knowing what you’re looking for, the search will be shorter and the culmination much sweeter.
To create your personal ad, you need to first answer these questions about your business and its accounting needs:
- How are the current processes working….or not?
- What are the drivers for seeking a new accounting software?
- What does my current and future business model look like?
- What are my primary products or services?
- Are you meeting your customer’s needs?
- What do you seek to gain by replacing your current accounting software?
Now it’s time to craft your personal ad. Here’s an example from one broken-hearted company looking for a new accounting solution match:
I’ve been seeing the same accounting software for five years, but it’s time for a change. You see, I want to stretch our capabilities and grow and my current solution can’t scale, no matter how hard we try. Right now we’re a local business, but recent inquiries have led to increased business both online and with other countries. They want to buy our blue jeans and want to meet their demand. Right now, we can’t. These new customers want ecommerce and automated billing. They want to track their shipments online and they want to make returns without having to get a hold of a human being. We’re looking for an accounting system that can either do all this or can easily integrate with other systems to get it all done. Are you our match? Let’s meet and find out.
Answering these questions (writing the personal ad is fun, but optional) will help focus your search as you evaluate accounting solutions.
By knowing your specific business needs, and more importantly the “whys” that drive them, you’ll be positioned to discover solutions that are better suited not only for your specific business model, including your processes, but also for your industry, culture and sustainable growth.
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