Webinar – Portals are dead, the future of client communications
How did sharing documents with clients get so complicated?
Your clients want you to correspond with them via email, like every other business interaction they deal with. However, practices are clearly not allowed to use possibly insecure email to send sensitive data such as a tax file number.
Portals looked like a good option, but….
So, you’ve purchased a portal solution, but the majority of your clients are simply not using it (our straw polls suggest that portal usage within a practice client base is often less than 15%). When asked, clients are saying that it is another password to remember and “If you can’t use email, why can’t you use OneDrive like everyone else?”.
It does beg the question, if after all these years clients still aren’t overwhelmingly embracing portals – is there a better way?
Next Generation – Client’s Choice
Our light globe moment came from working backwards from what would be the best solution from the end client’s perspective. The majority of clients use either OneDrive by Microsoft, DropBox or Drive by Google as their cloud storage solution. Therefore, the ideal solution is to bypass a proprietary portal and to securely transfer the files to their end resting place, the clients chosen storage system.
FYI is about to release this the innovative new approach starting with Microsoft OneDrive. With just a few clicks in FYI your users will able to send documents to clients via OneDrive, removing any need for a portal. Over the coming months we will extend this functionality out to DropBox and Google Drive.
So, what does all this mean?
By sending documents via OneDrive, you gain the following benefits:
1) You are not breaching privacy regulations, as you are bypassing email
2) It’s convenient for the clients, as all of these solutions come ready made with mobile apps, for anywhere access
3) Security isn’t an issue, as these solutions are all highly secure
4) You can make the most of additional tools such as digital signing
5) You won’t need to be a support desk, as you are sharing documents via a tool that your client understands
Best of all, no more paying for systems that most of your clients are simply not going to use. Just streamlined online communication, for the modern Xero practice.
FYI – Collaboration Platform
Last week we announced that FYI, an automated document management designed specifically for accountants in practice was in general release (see announcement). We believe that FYI’s blend of Document Management and CRM delivers a step-change in practice automation and efficiency.
However, that is just the beginning. At its core FYI is a collaboration platform, that automates repetitive tasks and simplifies client communication. Streamlining the flow of information internally with your team and externally with your clients.
Showcase Webinar
Next Friday we are hosting a Showcase Webinar, detailing how an upcoming update to FYI will enable practices using FYI to send documents directly to OneDrive. This session is free to attend, and you don’t need to be an FYI customer to register. If you are interested in seeing the future of client communications, give us 45 minutes of your time next Friday:
