Why you don’t need to ACT! or Peachtree labels anymore. Sage Group plc, a leader worldwide but long struggling in the U.S., has embarked on a huge re-branding effort that will eliminate well-known names like ACT! and Peachtree. The strategy has met with decidedly mixed reviews. “Rebranding as proposed adds no value,” according to Stephen Blythe, CEO of Blytheco LLC, a Sage Partner of the Year, “and adds significant rebranding costs and significant risk in future sales.” At CPA Practice Advisor’s Thought Leader Symposium, Sage execs had the chance to explain the strategy. Dennis Frahmann, Executive Vice President, Corporate Marketing:
Connie Certusi, Executive Vice President/General Manager, Small Business Accounting Solutions:
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The secret strategies of high-performing 11-50-person firms. by Rick Telberg While increasing revenue and profitability are important to CPA firms sized at 11-50 persons, the paramount concern for the best, highest-achieving “ensemble” firms is gaining new and replacing lost clients. And their weapons of choice are more likely than low-achievers to be digital: Social media, Online webinars, Search engine optimization, and Internet advertising. The breakthrough research findings are revealed in a new 179-page study, “Marketing and Business Development Strategies at Accounting Firms – 2012 Survey Report, with Commentary and Analysis,” which is available for purchase from CPA Trendlines parent Bay Street Group LLC. The study shows trends within the profession, distinguishing between high-performing firms and low-performing firms, based on time-tested proprietary CPA Trendlines [...]
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Google Exec Backs Cloud Accounting Start-Up, while Xero Raises $16 Million. Xero online accounting software for small businesses has secured $16.6 million in new funding from existing investors to accelerate growth in the United States. The company recently appointed former Sage vice president and general manager Jamie Sutherland, as president of U.S. operations and doubled its U.S. team. Meanwhile, Reach Process Outsourcing Ltd. of Chennai, India, has raised a fresh round of angel funding for its portal Reachaccountant.com from investors including Google-India managing director Rajan Anandan, who takes a seat on the board.
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And it won’t rescue the accounting buisness. by Edi Osborne Mentor Plus “Is it a bird? A plane? No, it’s an Accountant!” We can all relate to the desire to be a superhero, to swoop down from the clouds in Superman/woman-like fashion to rescue the damsel in distress. However, if the accounting profession is banking on mobile or cloud technology to make them a superhero in their client’s eyes, clients should not hold out much hope of being rescued.
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And what it means for accountants and the client of the future. by David Bergstein Wolters Kluwer The digital future is coming faster than you think. Blockbuster, a store featuring rental videos and DVDs, once had over 4,000 locations in the United States. They filed for bankruptcy in 2010 and were eventually sold to The Dish Network, which kept about 500 stores open.
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Four in five expect the same or better than last year’s busy season. by Rick Telberg As Busy Season 2012 gets into full gear, tax and accounting professionals are holding steadfast to their confidence that this year’s results could show a marked improvement over last year’s, according to current readings of the profession by CPA Trendlines. With January 2012 just beginning, 55% of accountants expect 2012 to be overall “somewhat” or “much” better than 2011, which is relatively unchanged from readings in November and December. To be sure, 26% expect no change from last year, and 19% are bracing for “worse.” In other findings from the CPA Trendlines busy season barometer and related reports: Accountants Expecting a Better Busy Season [...]
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Toshiba rolls out 14-inch mobile PC monitor. You’re accustomed to dual monitors in the office, why not on the road? With the Toshiba USB Mobile LCD Monitor attached to your laptop, you’ll have all the room you need to multi-task and spread out those big spreadsheets. Under three pounds and less than one inch thick, this ultra-portable monitor is designed to fit in most standard laptop bags. It’s easy to take and set up at a café, hotel, dorm room, library, meeting room, or virtually anywhere your computer goes. Thanks to DisplayLink, one simple USB cable connection provides both video and power. Street price: under $199. More info at Amazon.
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And 29% chance you’re on a tablet. The Oklahoma CPA society has released findings from its latest member survey on technology. Highlights: Personal use of tablets comes in at 29 percent. That’s twice the rate of the business environment, at 13 percent.
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Plus: Top 10 reasons why. An alarming number of audit professionals are failing to leverage modern data analytics techniques to uncover financial fraud, according to preliminary results from a new survey by AuditNet, a clearinghouse of resources for auditors. Which tools are auditors using to uncover fraud today? Join the survey; get the results.
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Learn a lesson from how the payroll market evolved. by Patrick Bonnaure www.proledge.com Twenty years ago, the vast majority of accounting firms provided payroll to their small business clients. Then came payroll specialists like Paychex and ADP, and the rules of the game changed. Nowadays, if your firm provides payroll, you’re the exception. Bookkeeping is following the same trend, with a lag of a couple of decades. If your accounting firm is providing bookkeeping, it is time to look at it strategically and understand how it fits in the bigger picture.
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