I hope you are all safe, well and coping personally (and professionally) in these strange times. With the COVID-19 pandemic still very much affecting our “normal way” we’ve been so pleased to see business owners coming up with ingenious ways to do business during a crisis. 

We’ve been humbled by the faith our clients have put in us to help them make necessary changes and even see quick wins. We’re all dealing with change in our businesses right now, whether we like it or not. Hats off to those who are embracing it!

 

How we’ve made changes to become more digital

 

Digital processes are needed in the current environment, and data protection and personal data retention has been at the forefront of our minds lately. 

As a company we have had to make many changes and try to work as effectively and efficiently as we can. Our Starfish team are all working Mums, so therefore our “new way” has become a whirlwind of working from home and homeschooling our children, whilst still giving our clients the best level of service they deserve. 

We looked at how we could make our business more efficient when we’re all working from home, and still guarantee security:

 

  • Most of our documents will now be digital and cloud based – We understand that some of our client’s documents have sensitive content and private data. 
  • We have set up secure client portals and processes which are all automatically backed up and easily accessible. 

 

By becoming a digital and a paperless company we hope this will mean we can work in a more efficient way, so locating client folders will be easier and quicker, saving time looking through paperwork and filing cabinets. 

Although we understand that total elimination of all paper isn’t feasible, we like to think we are doing our bit to help the environment and reduce our C02 emissions.  

 

Create more time for yourself, safe in the knowledge your data is secure too

 

Less paper is good. It’s taking a step in the right direction for the planet. 

But we know from past conversations with clients it can feel scary to go digital with your data, especially your finances. Your manual processes work, and you have the comfort blanket of holding physical paper and knowing how secure it is. 

What you may not realise is those manual processes are losing you and your team valuable time. 

Let’s use your finances as an example. We set every new client up with Xero – it means they can access their key numbers from a device anywhere in the world, at any time. They can reconcile the bank with a click of a button and get a clear picture of how much money they’re going to have in the coming months within minutes. 

All of those bookkeeping tasks that steal your sunday nights and cause you undue stress, can be done in a fraction of the time when you go digital. Your staff can spend less time faffing around with manual processes and spend more time generating income and doing what they do best. 

 

So what about the security when you can access your data anywhere? 

 

Xero takes security seriously:

 

  • You invite the users – so you have full control of who accesses your data
  • Two-step authentication is a standard for all users
  • All data is encrypted – meaning it’s protected when transferred and backed up
  • Multiple layers of security protect the network, including firewalls and intrusion protection systems.
  • A security team are regularly monitoring systems to identity and manage potential threats.

 

Can you guarantee this level of protection with your manual process? With paper, you’re at risk of misplacing files, finding them damaged, having them stolen. On a practical level, you’re personally restricted by having to be wherever they are!

 

Which areas of your business are crying out for change?

 

Your finances are just one part of the business you can improve with digital tech. But you’ll probably find there are other areas of the business you’d like to be more efficient. It could be your sales process, project management, customer data storage. 

Like us, you might just be desperate to get your files online so you can easily collaborate with a team at home. We’re big believers in making incremental changes, and getting quick wins wherever you can. 

Let us know if you’re feeling stuck in any area of your business – most of the time we can help you transform it ourselves. If we can’t, we’ll help you find someone who can.