CPA Practice Advisor

NOV 2011

Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Firm.

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Program Program(s) Website Sage Intuit Concur Avalara Bill.com Paychex ADP NetSuite Acclivity www.sageaccountantsnetwork.com www.qbproadvisor.com www.concur.com/en-us/concur-advisor www.avalara.com/Accounting-Partners www.bill.com/accountants www.paychex.com/partners www.adp.com/accountant.aspx www.netsuite.com/portal/partners/accountant-program/main.shtml acclivitysoftware.com/partners Connected Partner Program www.accountek.com/partners/become-a-connected-partner FreshBooks Xero MyPay Solutions www.freshbooks.com/jointhemovement www.xero.com/partners www.mypaysolutions.com Awensa http://www.awensa.com/#slide-4 Internal Technical Membership Use Fee Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes (2 users) Referral Limited (1) CPE Available Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes No Yes No No No Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Client Access N/A N/A No Yes Yes Yes No User Support Educational Discounts or Conference Software Available Program Commissions or Forum CPE Available Yes Yes ? Yes N/A CPE Available Yes 1st Year Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A No N/A (1) QuickBooks ProAdvisors receive unlimited support if they become certifi ed, otherwise, 90 days free support provide a service other accountants in your area may not be providing. Participating in these programs brings a level of credibility to a fi rm. It shows that the fi rm is knowledgeable with a particular product or service, and members of the community can rely on this fi rm to service their needs. It displays a dedication to learning about new tools and techniques, which in turn helps to enhance the fi rm's repu- tation in the community it serves. T ese benefi ts are soſt skills that can translate to enhanced service off erings for the fi rm at higher rates than the typical accounting, compliance and tax services provided by most accountants. Partner programs can be important tools for building specialties and client loyalty. How does this impact the fi rm's revenue? T ere are a couple of ways this impacts a fi rm's revenue. If the partner program off ers a commission, discount or rebate, this adds to your bottom line by the amount of the commission. However, this is not the only way it adds to the bot om line. T e most common impact is revenue from helping clients pur- chase, setup, use and manage the soſt ware or service purchased through the partner program. Many programs list member and fi rm profi les on a referral website, which off ers preferred placements to members based on criteria such as product certifi cations and client ratings. T ese programs help fi rms translate their investment in product training into new client consulting opportunities However, some programs are more exclusive, and you might be the only provider within a certain geographical area. In such cases, the fi rm rates will be higher because of the exclusivity of the program and the ability to charge higher rates. Closing Thoughts Partner programs can become very lucrative based on the program and how much eff ort the fi rm puts into it. FIRMS THAT DEDICATE THEMSELVES TO ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN A PARTNER PROGRAM WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN INCREASING FIRM REVENUES, FIRM REPUTATION, AND FIRM SERVICE OFFERINGS TO CLIENTS AND POTENTIAL CLIENTS. Careful evaluation and proper planning are important keys to ensure success. T e fi rm must commit to the program to make the investment pay off in increased revenue. Without commit- ment to the program, marketing the service off ering and building a service base, the revenue will be disappointing and the fi rm will probably abandon the eff ort aſt er a short period of time. Firms that dedicate themselves to active participation in a partner pro- gram will be successful in increasing fi rm revenues, fi rm reputation, and fi rm service off erings to clients and potential clients. By John D. Anderson, CPA.CITP John Anderson is the founder and CEO of Anderson Strategies, LLC. Anderson Strategies focuses on developing technology plans for fi rms who provide accounting services to the public. John has over 14 years of experience helping practitioners in public accounting manage their technology needs. He can be reached at JAnderson@ jdaranderson.com. November 2011 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com 17 Yes Yes Yes Yes Enterprise Ed. No No No No No No Yes No Yes No Yes No

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