It’s a story as old as time. You don’t feel heard, your loyalty is tested. You feel devalued as a customer. You give more than you’re getting. The price skyrockets, while functionality plummets. If any of this hits a little too close to home, it’s time for a change.
If you’re unhappy with your current provider but feel it’ll be too expensive or too much effort to switch software, this is your sign from the universe to do future you a favour. Let’s get you out of that messy situation, and find an alternative invoice processing software.
Green flags to look out for:
1. Transparent and Fair Pricing
This is an easy way to find out if you’re getting taken advantage of. It’s necessary for businesses to put their prices up from time to time. However, a provider planning on doubling their prices and not keeping their trusted partners in the loop is a massive red flag. It’s also not a good look to have to explain to your clients that the software you raved about isn’t all it was cracked up to be.
Instead, look for companies who are upfront with their pricing packages, offer competitive partner discounts, and will keep their clients in the loop in advance of them amending their prices.
2. Compatibility and Innovation
It’s easy to think that if you’re signed with the biggest software name in the industry, you can trust that you’ll get good service, but that isn’t necessarily the case. You don’t have to follow the crowd.
Good reviews are a must, but all businesses have unique needs and just because a provider is widely used doesn’t mean it’s the best for your company or the most innovative. Is there a specific feature, like OCR that reads by line-item, that you’d love to have in your repertoire but assume is too niche or is too advanced? Chances are there’s a provider who can handle it! If you don’t search and see what’s out there, you’ll never know what’s possible.
We recommend searching for those hidden gems, like software providers that cater to your industry. If you’re a bookkeeper looking for a new solution, grab a cup of tea and check out Zahara X. It’s a version of Zahara that is specifically designed with bookkeepers in mind.
3. First-Class Support Team
For most invoice processing tools, part of what you’re paying for is to have a Support Team on hand for when things go wrong. However, we’re seeing that alongside price hikes, certain providers are trading Support Teams for AI chatbots. So, as well as your provider cutting back costs and upping your charges, you’re now losing that direct human touch. In times of need, what we all want is to speak to a real person who can empathise, understand us, and meet us in the middle. If you’re a UK company, a massive green flag is having direct access to a real UK based Support Team.
4. Future-Proof
You want to be with a provider who both helps you grow, and grows alongside you.
The best way to do this is by picking software that caters to businesses of all sizes, and allows you to add more functionality when required. There’s nothing more frustrating than growing your business (amazing!) and then having to switch software because they no longer fit your business model (less amazing). By choosing a flexible solution like Zahara you can start with a smaller package, and easily add extra functionality when you’re ready, without having to uproot your process. We want to see you flourish, and will help you get there.
The Bottom-Line:
It’s important to keep an open mind, and we want you to know that if you aren’t happy with your bookkeeping solution you don’t have to stick with it out of necessity. There are ways to have a smooth transition, and find a software that actually meets your needs, with fair and transparent pricing.
If you’re not ready to let go, that’s understandable. Making a big change can be daunting. However, if you’re a bookkeeper, it’s important to keep your market knowledge fresh to guarantee you’re getting the best deal possible. You don’t necessarily need a clean break from your current software partner but we strongly recommend taking a look at Zahara X so you can see how it would be useful for you or for some or all of your clients. Zahara was born from the wants and needs of real finance teams, and we’d love to help you level up your bookkeeping.
Remember, if it’s not working out with your current provider, there are plenty more fish in the sea.
