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2017 In Review: Helping Our Clients Achieve More in the Cloud

2017 In Review: Helping Our Clients Achieve More in the Cloud

We’re celebrating a year of growth: offering clients more solutions, more capability and more expertise.

It’s been a fulfilling year for the Business Continuum team. We’ve broadened our service offering and attracted many new clients, whilst continuing to deepen numerous loyal and longstanding existing relationships. We’ve also diversified our offerings by adding several talented experts to our team. It’s important to take time to reflect and celebrate, so here’s a few highlights from 2017.

Merger with Realtime Business, appointment of Greg Harrison

In April, we merged with Realtime Business, and founder Greg Harrison became a Director of Business Continuum, alongside Matthew Peng and Chung Hui. Greg’s arrival signified a combining of forces between our two teams, giving our clients access to his many decades of experience in the IT, business management and project management industries. Greg’s approach is pragmatic, process driven and client focussed, making him a perfect fit for the growing Business Continuum team. The merge empowers us to more efficiently service more clients, and increase the breadth of the services we provide.

Appointment of Tim Dowling

In July, we further strengthened our team with the appointment of Tim Dowling as Client Director. Tim’s focus on understanding the client’s overall business objectives and his extensive, in-house knowledge of Xero Practice Manager and WorkflowMax make him a valuable asset to our team. Since his arrival, he’s delivered many successful projects, particularly those that require expert configuration of Xero Practice Manager to help modernise workflow processes for accounting firms.

A bigger team means more expertise for clients

In 2017 we welcomed several new staff to the Business Continuum team. This has allowed us to offer more services and increased capability to more clients. Our new team includes:

  • Sianne Hussey, Client Manager, bringing inventory management expertise with products such as Unleashed, Cin7 and DEAR
  • Ben Harrison, Client Manager and our resident Scoro guru (more on that below)
  • Connor Reich, Graduate Analyst and our data configuration go-to guy
  • Tejas Chandra, Client Manager and specialist in Scoro and Xero SMB sales expert
  • Shelley Foster, Client Manager, with expertise in Concur and business system implementations

We’re also thrilled to announce that we’ve hired our first Sydney-based team member. Rikki Phillips joins us in January with a strong background in XPM and other cloud-based applications.

Partnerships with leading software providers

During 2017 we continued to build partnerships with leading global providers of cloud-based software platforms Concur, Scoro and Unleashed.

Our Client Manager Ben Harrison recently spent time in Estonia, taking a deep dive into Scoro’s capabilities, and he came back impressed with the team and the technology.

We’ve also been delighted to announce our official partnership with Concur. The commitment Concur is delivering to the Australian market, with significant investments in local servers, events and tech development ensures its offering is competitive, diverse and reliable.

We’re also excited to be working with Unleashed. Expanding our suite of services to focus on inventory management is a logical step for us, and a move that has been welcomed by clients looking to get their cloud-based operational systems working as effectively as possible.

Working closely with these new providers as well as others enables us to develop a deep and intricate understanding of their software and capabilities, and which clients may benefit from it the most. As a cloud integrator, working alongside a variety of different software providers empowers us to be channel agnostic: we prescribe the right solution for our clients, not just the only solution we know.

We’ve also cemented our position with SuiteFiles—the content management solution for XPM environments—having been awarded “Partner of the Year” for the second successive year. We’re delighted to extend our relationship with the team at SuiteFiles and we’ve been impressed with the product enhancements they’ve released in 2017.

Events: APIntel, Xerocon and Xerocon Roadshow

Alongside industry peers, we hosted a pre-Xerocon event that offered insights on how to achieve growth, efficiency and productivity using Xero Practice Manager. Our Client Director Tim Dowling spoke alongside AccountKit’s Paul Murray and SuiteFiles’ Andrew Sims at Accounting Practice Intelligence (APIntel). His presentation encouraged firm Principals to focus on profitability by driving more engagement with current and new clients.

And of course, who can forget Xerocon, the granddaddy of industry events for cloud-based integrators like us. Our Director Matthew Peng presented at Uni Day, a range of in-depth sessions designed for accountants and bookkeepers, showing them how to upskill their Xero knowledge to improve profitability and efficiency.

At Xerocon itself we learned of many new announcements, including the relaunch of expenses, the lifelong learning platform, and Xero Projects. (By the way, if you’re weighing up Xero Projects or WorkflowMax for your business, here’s our take on both.)

Business Growth

Our team has more than doubled in size to a total of 11 staff this year. What all of this growth means is more scale in the business to remove bottlenecks of access to people, more specialisation, and more options we can bring to the table for clients. We’re in a far better position than we have ever been to help clients scope out and execute change at a business process level. Our goal is to be a more capable and comprehensive business partner every year, so there’ll be no slowing down in terms of growth.

We’re also pleased to report that we’ve diversified the size and types of our client base. While continuing to work with smaller businesses, our increasing expertise has attracted larger clients as well.

No matter what part you may have played in our achievements this year, we thank you, and look forward to seeing you in 2018.

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Concur Roadshow: Unlocking the Value of Spend Management

Concur Roadshow: Unlocking the Value of Spend Management

As we approach the halfway line for the financial year, now is a good time to look at your company’s spend management program. Expense management software experts Concur are putting on a free roadshow to help you do exactly that.

Unlock the value of managing spending with Concur

During November, Concur is offering businesses across Australia and New Zealand the chance to gain access to the latest expert advice on spend management.

This is a great opportunity to learn about integrated spend management solutions that make the process easier and more efficient, allowing you to better manage your cash flow. Learn from global experts about future industry disruptions and be prepared to take advantage of the advice on offer.

Why spend management matters

Our Director Greg Harrison says there’s a variety of new cloud-based software solutions to help with spend management, but we’d place Concur well ahead of the pack..

“How do you know if you’re tracking well and what’s the best way to compare budget versus actual costs? Does your current staff expense system and processes mean you are entering costs from months ago? How can you make your expense process easier for staff? This seminar is a great way to learn about better ways of getting these questions answered.

“There are ways to get more visibility and control over your spending. And that matters, because it empowers you to make better financial decisions about your business. In addition, making cumbersome processes easier for staff will bring you happier, more productive employees.”

Whether your business is starting from scratch or you want to engage us to undertake a health check of your current Concur implementation, we’d recommend that you take advantage of this event series.

Event details

Unlocking the Value of Managing Spend
November 2017

Australia: Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney

New Zealand: Wellington & Auckland

Time: 8:15 to 10:00/10:30

Venue: Each roadshow event is held at a top city-based hotel or conference venue

See the event schedule for details for your city.

Leading speakers

Michael McQueen, an award-winning speaker, author, researcher and futurist will speak at the Melbourne and Sydney events. He has helped some of the world’s most successful brands navigate change and stay ahead of the curve.

Andrew Patterson is a broadcaster and business correspondent and the host of NPR’s weekend podcast Sunday Business. As a business journalist, he has travelled to more than 55 countries and interviewed more than 1,000 CEOs and business leaders. Andrew will be presenting at the Auckland events.

Digital disruption from Deloitte

Guests at Wellington, Auckland, Perth, Canberra and Melbourne will hear from Deloitte’s team of expert analysts. They’ll explain why it’s important to keep up with the latest developments or risk your future to more digital-savvy competitors. By embracing these tools and committing to continually learning the latest industry approaches, you can maintain your competitiveness in a cut-throat industry.

Check out the Concur event page to register your interest—see you there!

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We’re Partnering with Global Industry Leader, Concur

We’re Partnering with Global Industry Leader, Concur

The Business Continuum team is thrilled to announce its partnership with Concur, one of the biggest names in expense management software.

Director Greg Harrison says the company was drawn to Concur’s growth, truly global presence and their world-class partner program, which will all contribute to Business Continuum’s ongoing move into the mid-market enterprise space.

So, what exactly is Concur all about?

Concur specialises in expense management and accounts payable automation, and its software can be linked to almost any back-end finance system, including Xero. It is also a global leader in streamlining travel expenses.

The Business Continuum partnership will initially focus on expense management and accounts payable solutions, with the longer-term intention of becoming a full-service provider for Concur.

What this means for Business Continuum’s growth

Greg says Business Continuum has always set out to solve “cold hard business problems”. Expense management and accounts-paid automation are two critical functions that many companies struggle to streamline.

“We’ve done our research, we believe that Concur is an awesome solution and we’re delighted to stand alongside them,” he says.

“We’ll be able to add strength and value to the Concur offering, so it’s good for us, good for them, and even more importantly, good for clients.”

How will existing clients immediately benefit?

Business Continuum’s current small to mid-sized clients will have the option of integrating their expense and accounts systems using Concur’s software. The fact that both tie in with Xero makes Concur a natural fit for these companies.

Meet your Concur expert, Shelley!

Business Continuum is pleased to welcome Shelley Foster to the team, to ensure clients achieve the optimal outcome from implementing Concur. She comes armed with strong credentials in IT implementation, having worked as an IT manager, trainer, project manager and business analyst. So her role as project manager and trainer for Concur solutions is a perfect fit for her.
Greg says Shelley’s experience working with diverse business applications ­– from time and attendance, to accounts, payroll, asset management, HR and CRM – will be extremely valuable to the work Business Continuum carries out with Concur.

More about Concur’s offerings

Manage Expenses With Ease with Concur Expense

Automate your expense management from receipt capture to employee reimbursement. Submit and approve from any mobile device. This streamlined process gives business leaders insight and control over compliance and costs. Lose the paper and get back time with Concur Expense.

Process Invoices Faster with Concur Invoice

Simplify your business by automating accounts payable. Get full visibility into spend, before it happens and as it happens. Easily track invoices, manage exceptions and speed up vendor payments. Approve from anywhere on a mobile device. Catch duplicate invoices before you overpay. Concur Invoice saves you money and time.

Simplify Business Travel with Concur Travel

Let travellers easily book flights, hotels and cars in the way they want while capturing all travel data in one place. Concur TripLink helps you get full visibility into travel spend while encouraging compliance. And with more information about supplier spend available, companies can negotiate better rates.

Contact our experts to find out how Concur’s expense management and accounts payable features can integrate with your cloud software. No matter where you are in your business journey – starting out fresh, rapidly expanding, or well-established ­and steady – Business Continuum can help you select the best cloud software solutions for your needs.

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Cloud Technology for Regional Business: Barriers, Benefits and Success Stories

Cloud Technology for Regional Business: Barriers, Benefits and Success Stories

Cloud technology does so much more than make it easier to manage your finances, workflow, timesheets or compliance. For regional and rural businesses it can open up a whole new world of efficiency and opportunity. The efficiency comes from streamlining processes to work smarter, not harder—a benefit for any business, regardless of location. But as someone who is regionally based myself, I witness first-hand the benefits that cloud technology brings to local businesses, and the broader effects it has for communities. When regional businesses embrace cloud solutions to increase competitiveness and attract a wider client base, they thrive. The benefits are considerable for any business, especially service based businesses such as accountants, designers, marketers, surveyors, consultants or lawyers. And thriving local businesses means jobs, investment and economic stability for rural and regional communities.

Benefits of cloud technology for rural and regional businesses

With cloud-based technology becoming more accessible, rural businesses can attract non-local clients, creating new revenue streams for their business. In the past, a regional business could only be strong as its local economy. Serving clients outside this community was a rare occurrence without incurring significant travel time and costs, but this is no longer the case. Business Continuum itself is a great example of this. Whilst we are not regionally based ourselves, we have clients across Australia, in locations such as Port Hedland, Bunbury, Launceston, Port Augusta, Mildura, Wagga Wagga, Mullumbimby, Dubbo, Newcastle and many others. We have seen these regional businesses use cloud solutions to save time, reduce manual labour, increase flexibility for their workforces, improve reporting and compliance, drive down costs and enjoy many other benefits.

Another benefit of cloud technology for rural and regional small businesses is being able to access interstate or international workers. This gives regional businesses access to a wider pool of talent, if they are willing to forgo the traditional nine to five ‘everyone at the office’ mode of operation. These benefits bring greater resources to regional and rural businesses, making them more competitive.

Broader community benefits

Of course, having a hub of thriving locally-based businesses is great for regional economies. Businesses with solid profits invest back into local resources such as real estate, hospitality, design and professional services. Cloud technology also gives regional business a better chance of competing with inner-city based service providers who may have higher overheads. And if your regional businesses has lower operating costs, you might choose to pass on savings to your customers.

Businesses that reduce costs via cloud technology can also invest the savings in employing the local workforce. With a thriving local economy, younger workers are far less likely to have to move to the city to get professional jobs. For example, a skilled graphic designer living in Lorne could be working for an agency in Toowoomba, using cloud-based project management to get the job done without ever setting foot in the office. Time saved on the commute can be spent surfing at the beach instead.

Barriers to entry

It’s reasonable to question the wisdom of migrating your entire business online when your local broadband service is sketchy. Fortunately, regional internet access is considerably improving with the rollout of the National Broadband Network.

The bigger barrier to cloud migration for businesses in regional areas is their own fear and reluctance. Embracing change is never easy, and this was demonstrated to me recently when I met a local plumber and his son. Nev, aged 55, established the business and is in the process of handing the reins to his son, Jack, 28. Nev wants to cruise through the next ten years to retirement. He doesn’t have the energy to try new solutions. He tells me ‘it all works fine the way it is’. His son Jack disagrees. Jack knows that the future is in the cloud, and he wants to get the business ahead of the competition as quickly as possible. I see many people like Nev, and they aren’t necessarily aged in their 50s—and this isn’t a problem exclusive to regional areas. Change is difficult, but worthwhile when the rewards are so considerable.

Case Study – Wangaratta Surveying Firm

At Business Continuum we worked with a Wangaratta-based surveying firm who have 35 staff working across three offices. We helped the firm migrate to WorkflowMax to manage applications at a far lower cost of deployment and management than its old client server architecture. By using cloud-based software and tweaking it to the company’s needs, they’re now able to do business with clients all over Victoria and interstate, offering a range of land surveying and development services. Staff are now able to log timesheets from mobile phones, giving the staff flexibility but allowing management to retaining operational visibility and control.

Case Study – Shepparton Accounting Firm

An accounting practice in Shepparton with 40 staff approached us to help them transition to the cloud, and subsequently we migrated them to Xero and Xero Practice Manager. Xero now has more than 600 add-on applications (software that integrates to provide additional services and support), so a core part of our service was utilising the right combination of add-ons for this business. This approach enabled the firm to streamline its processes and save hours of manual processing. An added bonus is that the firm has engaged remote workers, who bring additional skills to the business without being based locally. By using mobile based invoicing systems, they are now getting paid faster too!

It’s rewarding to help many regional and remote businesses embrace the benefits of cloud-based software solutions—it can really open up a new world of opportunity for them. By basing the technology around the process (and not basing their processes on the technology) they are well equipped to continue serving their clients for the next five, ten and twenty years. Good cloud-based businesses of the future will have the capability to understand data and apply it to deliver client value. Some will get left behind—don’t let that be your business!

Whether you’re an established business or just starting out, we can help you select the best cloud software for your needs. Contact us today to talk about what cloud solutions can do for your business.

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A New Era for Business Continuum

A New Era for Business Continuum

We are pleased to announce that Business Continuum has today merged with Realtime Business, marking an exciting milestone for both organisations.

The two businesses will operate under the Business Continuum brand, offering clients a wider range of cloud integration solutions using Xero and WorkflowMax.

An experienced team

The team at Realtime Business, headed by Greg Harrison, brings impressive skills and expertise to Business Continuum.

“This merger brings together two like-minded companies that share a commitment to quality, innovation and customer service,” says Chung Hui, Director, Business Continuum. “It enables us to quickly achieve significant growth and improvement in expertise, quality and capabilities.

“Greg joins us as a director, bringing with him 35 years of IT and business experience. His comprehensive knowledge of Xero and WorkflowMax is a major asset. He’s strong on process, pragmatic in his approach and passionate about achieving the right outcomes for clients.”

More services, more expertise and more insights for clients

The merger of the two businesses creates a significant growth in capacity and scope – effectively doubling the operational size of the business.

“Our broader scope of services will enable us to offer comprehensive consulting services for inventory management, strategic solutions, Xero tax training, document management and many other services,” says Greg Harrison. “I’m looking forward to working with the Business Continuum team. Their depth of experience is considerable and their holistic approach to their clients is first-rate. Due to the market presence and strength of the Business Continuum brand, it was an easy decision to continue operating under the Business Continuum name.”

For Business Continuum clients, operations will continue as normal. Realtime Business clients will be seamlessly transitioned to become clients of Business Continuum. Abacus, another brand established by Realtime Business, will also cease operation.

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