From XU Magazine, 
Issue 39

Why 2024 is the year to elevate your practice with software advisory services

Using a strong Xero integration to delight your clients

Exploring how consultants can transform client operations and develop new revenue streams by adopting job management software integrated with Xero.
This article originated from the Xero blog. The XU Hub is an independent news and media platform - for Xero users, by Xero users. Any content, imagery and associated links below are directly from Xero and not produced by the XU Hub.
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2024 is the year to elevate your practice with revolutionary software advice.

Your consulting clients' most tedious tasks are a ripe opportunity for mutual growth. Consulting clients are time-poor and need help keeping their business organized, their projects on track, and their profit margins healthy.

A job management platform that automates tedious tasks and seamlessly syncs with Xero is the key to solving your client's problems and expanding your own practice. By helping your clients implement software that will revolutionize their business operations, you'll become an indispensable, trusted business advisor.

Keep reading to discover why 2024 is the year to elevate your accounting practice and deliver even more value to your consulting clients with a job management platform.

The key to your consulting client's heart

Your consultancy clients offer their expertise to the world and work on our most challenging projects; because of this, their time is precious. Anything you can provide to save time will make your services an asset to their operations. Consulting and professional services clients, such as engineering services, architecture firms, and management consultants, didn’t become experts in their craft to spend time juggling spreadsheets. They want to get on with their work and deliver exceptional projects.

This struggle is where you can step in as an advisor to get them using an automated platform that saves them time and keeps their business thriving.

Expanding your advisory practice

Tracking billable hours on a spreadsheet or resourcing with MS Projects wastes a considerable amount of your client's time on maintenance and data entry. Not to mention how risky it is for their business. Minor errors in logging hours can make the difference between a profitable or costly project.

You and your clients need a better system. You can help them find one by implementing leading job management software. Job management software can transform your clients' operations by streamlining project management, reducing errors, and providing real-time insights into their business performance. This allows them to allocate resources more effectively, track progress accurately, and make informed decisions that drive profitability.

What should you be looking for in a Xero integration?

All integrations aren't created equally. Some software platforms claim to integrate with Xero but only integrate with one part of their software—for example, you might find you can export your invoices, but there isn't a function to connect expenses. This inefficiency puts you and your client back where they started, copying data between two systems.

Plus, with a comprehensive Xero integration, you'll have full transparency of your clients' invoices, reimbursable and planned expenses, and purchase orders, making managing their books seamless and easy.

Your client's success is your success

When your clients succeed, so do you. Connecting Xero to your clients' job management tools will foster trust and drive mutual growth.

Once you start implementing software and providing advice to your clients, you'll also benefit from offering additional services that generate:

  • Advisory services fees
  • Implementation fees
  • Ongoing support fees
  • Referral bonuses

Then, as your clients find success using a better job management platform, you'll experience growth in the following ways:

Enhanced reputation and credibility

When your clients thrive using job management software and Xero, it reflects positively on you as a trusted advisor.

Increased demand for advisory services

Successful clients are more likely to seek ongoing advice and services. As their business grows, so does the complexity of their financial and operational needs. This creates more opportunities for you to offer higher-value services, from advanced financial planning to strategic growth consulting.

Stronger client relationships

You build trust and loyalty by helping your clients achieve their goals. Clients who view you as critical to their success will likely retain your services and recommend you to others.

2024 is the year to add software advisory services to your practice

In 2024, almost all of your clients will be using some software to manage their books and run their business.

To continue supporting your clients in the coming years, becoming aware and skilled at using the best tools available will be an advantage for your practice. By mastering the best software on the market, you can provide value to your clients beyond traditional accounting support.

Simple to start, easy to master

Projectworks job management software allows your clients to manage their billable time, expenses, quotes, resources, future financials, invoicing, and leave. On top of this, there is a full suite of built-in reports to help you and your client dive deeper into the business to make and track changes.

Despite its powerful predictive tools, getting Projectworks up and running is simple. Projectworks is designed to be intuitive, minimize the learning curve, and integrate smoothly with Xero.

You'll earn referral commission and develop a software advisory offering for your clients. This is the best way to upskill, as we provide comprehensive training to ensure you can effectively utilize the platform for free. It's a win-win!

Contact the team

If you're looking for a Xero integration that has the "wow factor" for your consulting clients? Get in touch!

You can contact us by visiting projectworks.io/partners, or if you are attending Xerocon London or Nashville, visit our booth. We have lots of goodies to hand out to new partners, and we would love to chat!

If you're not 100% sure this is for you, email our partnerships team at angela@projectworks.io. We'd love to help you assess if a Projectworks partnership is right for your business.

Why leave it there?

To learn more about expanding your practice

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