Investigating and deciding upon a new accounting or project management software can be a long process. Once you’ve weighed your options and signed on the dotted line, you expect that everything will be smooth sailing, right? Depending on your post-purchase support, it can mean a world of new problems.
Working with a local software support group is the best way to ensure success with your new accounting software. A local technology provider makes an effort to get to know your company and help you as soon as a problem arises, whereas a large, faraway corporate entity isn’t always as connected to your business.
Here’s why we prefer a technology consulting company with a local software support group over a faraway provider.
1. You’re Getting Someone Who Knows You
There’s nothing worse than experiencing a debilitating technical issue and then sitting on hold for an hour waiting for a random representative from a call center to answer. With a local software support group, you’ll get your regular support consultant whom you already trust. You’ll not only get candid advice from them, but you’ll get an opportunity to catch up since the last time you’ve chatted (which probably wasn’t too long ago).
More than likely, this person was involved in your implementation and already has an understanding of your business. If your accounting software is a custom setup, you have a better chance of getting a quick and accurate solution to any issues by working with the same consultant who set it up.
2. You Have Access to Onsite Help
As a growing company, you’re constantly hiring and training new employees. What happens when you cycle out the original employees who knew your software the best? That’s where your local software support group can help. It’s easy to schedule time with your consultant to visit your location and offer a complete onsite training for your new employees.
Even your existing employees can learn something new. You can teach already trained employees to utilize new features or complex functions of your accounting software to make their daily processes even more efficient. Local software companies enjoy visiting their clients to check in and teach them something new. If you’re working with a large corporate software support group, it can be expensive to have a knowledgeable representative to fly out from their headquarters to help.
3. Local Experts Understand What Regulations Need to be Met
We have implemented software primarily for contractors performing work on jobs located in Maryland, Washington DC, Northern Virginia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Delaware. The regulations required for businesses in each of these states vary drastically. For example, sometimes reciprocal agreements allow residents of one state to work in a neighboring state while only paying income taxes to their state of residency, but this isn’t always the case. All the states we listed do not reciprocate with each other. Maryland reciprocates with DC, but DC does not reciprocate back with Maryland.
Luckily, we’ve been implementing software in this region for decades so we know how to do it right. A faraway provider would have access to state-by-state regulations. However, it’s possible that they could overlook something or take extra time, which can get costly if you’re billed by the hour.
What You Should Expect From Your Support Team
When you invest your time with a local software support group, you should expect quick and friendly service. We make sure our clients can count on that from our help desk. It’s likely you’ll work with the consultant you’ve had since day one. You should trust that your consultant will offer candid advice that will benefit your business. When it comes to getting the technical assistance you need, choosing a local software support group that understands your business is always the best way to go.
Need Help?
We think our local software consultants are the bee’s knees. Call Chris Haiss, CPA, MCTS, at 410.685.5512 to find out what you should expect from your accounting software support group. Or, contact us here.
