What made us Choose Surf Accounts?
As a Surf Accounts Partner, we were asked to complete a survey as to what made us Partner with Surf over another company – and we thought we’d share our answers with you!
Surf: What made you Choose Surf Accounts?
Us: The main reason we chose Surf Accounts for our practice is that it is 100% geared towards the Irish Market. We did a lot of research into other cloud accounting packages, each one having their own unique features but found that Surf Accounts seemed to have it all. Surf Accounts being fully compliant with the Irish VAT system and its ability to handle multi-currency and VIES returns is invaluable to us and our clients, many of which are located along the border with Northern Ireland.
Surf Accounts has a user friendly interface, easy to navigate around and tailor to the needs of various different types of companies. From numerous communications with Surf Accounts, we always got the impression that Surf Accounts are all the time willing to continually develop their products to the needs of their clients, and in turn our clients.
Surf: What problems were you facing?
Us: With traditional desktop software, if a query arose finding a solution was never straight forward – you would either have to get long report sent over to you or you would often have to arrange to go to the client’s premises which sometimes can be inconvenient for both parties. The benefits of Surf Accounts on the Cloud means that more often than not a client’s query can be answered efficiently over the phone in a quick conversation. Clients are more confident in the work that they do and are more eager to learn if they know they have a backup support should they need it.
When it came to doing the year end accounts, an extraordinary amount of time was wasted in rectifying and amending client’s desktop software. For those that weren’t using an accounting package, often as a result of the price and complexity of them, there was hours of manually inputting the data into an excel sheet to come up with the necessary figures.
With Surf Accounts, we have access to review and amend if necessary in real time, ensuring that the data is correct at all times. This in itself has great cost savings effects for clients.
With traditional forms of accounting data was regularly out of date before it got looked at, which is not favourable for any SME trying to grow and become profitable. By using a cloud system like Surf Accounts, you’ve always got a complete up-to-date view of your current financial situation allowing you to make more informed decisions about the financial future of your business.
Surf: How do you find the local support?
Us: We find the support excellent. What we love about Surf Accounts is the network of people behind it. When you ring up with a query, you get to talk to the same people each time, allowing you to build up a friendly working relationship. The online help system is very efficient and queries are answered in a timely fashion.
Surf: In your opinion, is Surf Accounts value for money?
Us: All the packages are excellent value for money. We have clients on each of the three plans and all of them believe they are getting value for their money. You get a lot for what you pay for with the inbuilt contacts and CRM system. It’s a one stop shop as such, all is there in one place for easy use.
Surf: What do you like most about Surf
Accounts?
Us: We love its ability to work well with Excel. As an accountant, this probably was our most important requirement when choosing a Cloud Accounting Package. Being able to pull together data and import directly into Surf Accounts greatly reduces the number of hours manually inputting data. In addition, being able to export reports and manipulate them as required in Excel for monthly management accounts or year-end accounts is very important.
Surf accounts have adapted their software well for all mobile devices. Nowadays, it’s critical to be able to see and do your accounts on the go.
Having your accounts online with Surf Accounts makes sharing information between us as the accountant and client much easier and faster. As a practice we strive to obtain a deeper, more valuable client/accountant experience and the ability to talk to our clients about their finances in real time conversations allows us to achieve this. We go from someone who just looks after the year-end accounts to becoming a more integral part of the client’s team.
If you want to hear more about what our practice and Surf Accounts can do for your business, drop us an email.