Welcome back to our Firm of the Future profile series about thriving firms who are benefitting from the cloud and QuickBooks® Online Accountant (QBOA) to better serve clients and find new revenue opportunities. In this new article, we spotlight Jan Haugo of Jan Haugo & Associates.
Mindy King: Tell us about your accounting practice.
Jan Haugo: Jan Haugo & Associates specializes in personalized bookkeeping and accounting services. We’ve been helping small businesses in and around Phoenix, Ariz., to grow and succeed since 2000. Our team has been involved in supporting bookkeeping professionals and small businesses through initiatives such as ICBUSA, Bookkeepers Revolution and their own Facebook community, USA Bookkeepers.
MK: How long have you been using QBOA?
JH: I have been using QBOA since it was introduced. I love the idea of accountants having their "own" version of our daily software. So, when it was introduced, I couldn’t wait to use it. #geekmoment
MK: What convinced you to make the move to QBOA?
JH: The ability to have tools that would speed up my daily routine. Seriously, when I am able to get a team member access to their clients with two clicks and assign the work to the workflow, it’s amazing! It provides great insight into due dates.
MK: You also use Intuit® ProConnect™ Tax Online in your practice, right? How has the integration with QBOA made you more efficient?
JH: The integration is seamless, and the ability to bring live information into a working tax return is priceless. This requires only a one-time setup to map the accounts, followed by going into QBOA to see the results.
When you have that transparency between tax software and accounting software, you take out all the friction in your returns. Less friction means more money. I can prepare returns faster, have more directive conversations with clients and guide my staff in a more nimble environment.
Why wouldn’t I use this type of efficiency? The ability to serve my clients with real-time information on books and taxes give me the ultimate advantage over competitors that rely on past information to guide their conversations. The combination of ProConnect Tax Online and QBOA is a must do, even if you don’t prepare taxes. It sets you up to be a professional with tax preparers and the clients, two of the most important people in your working ecosystem.
MK: What are your goals for your practice this year?
JH: We are already on the way! Working to double our sales and gain some key team members that will position us for more growth as we head into the fourth quarter. The ability to find key members anywhere is so motivating to create a diverse company to support our incredible clients!
MK: What’s your favorite away-from-the-office place to get work done?
JH: I really like our library! I know it sounds funny, but the Scottsdale Civic Center Library is a great place to relax, get a quiet space and meet people. The library is such a community hub and inspirational work environment! Plus, who doesn’t love a good book?
MK: Where’s the craziest place you’ve done work for a client?
JH: Really not craziest but most interesting – a couple of times on vacation, I’ve had to help clients. The two most interesting places were a mountain lake in Montana out in the middle of nowhere and on a golf course in Hawaii.
MK: What’s your number one timesavings tip?
JH: I love the apps tab in QBOA. The ability to add apps and get an oversight into which clients are on what product is very helpful. Being able to search quickly and add an app to my file, or to a client file, in less than five minutes is invaluable.
MK: When you’re not working, what’s your favorite way to spend your time?
JH: Spending time with my family, going to see the Diamondbacks Baseball team and golfing with my husband!
MK: What advice do you have for peers that are still on the desktop?
JH: I know change is scary, but to service yourself and your clients better, we need to adopt technology and learn. The clients will search out software on their own, so it is better for you to be the leader and not the follower. Start with your most accepting client and work as a team to learn the power of QuickBooks Online. You won’t be sorry, and your clients will love you even more!
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