The cloud is top of mind for many accounting professionals, and the need to move quickly into it. While cloud applications offer immense value in terms of ease of use, cost, and convenience, firm owner Casey Lynch, CPA, is still cautious in his approach.
“I like to research technology before jumping in,” Lynch stated. “And I always think of my clients first. Not all of them are ready to move to the cloud, and I would never force them to. I take the time to educate clients and make sure I’m selecting the best applications for them.”
SmartVault is a prime example of such an application. Ease of use rates high with Lynch. “SmartVault is easy for clients to learn, and that’s what you want.”
Lynch admitted: “I’m not a big tech guy or as tech-savvy as I’d like to be, but I’m learning,” which was another reason to move slowly toward the cloud. Working with SmartVault allayed his fears, having received excellent support during the migration period.
“Support was amazing,” Lynch recalled. “I had a dedicated team member from SmartVault that worked with me through the process. That’s the type of personalized service I needed.”
The big sell…
Lynch took the time to research SmartVault thoroughly. Understanding the trend toward the cloud and the value of working online, he selected SmartVault as his document management solution in 2013—replacing Lacerte’s desktop DMS.
“There were three main items that sold me on SmartVault,” Lynch explained. “SmartVault offers portals and a logical file structure, it’s cloud-based, and it offered extended convenience to my clients.”
To elaborate on each point:
- Client portals and file structure: According to Lynch the process for making documents accessible to clients was a major factor in his decision to go with SmartVault. When clients request a document, it’s as easy as locating the file within a highly organized and logical file structure and clicking a button to make it available within the client’s portal.
- The cloud: Lynch’s vision has long been to build a cloud-based technology infrastructure in order to operate his firm at peak efficiency. Because SmartVault is a true cloud application, it was a frontrunner from the start.
- Client convenience: Lynch runs a client-focused firm, and as such, makes decisions that better the client experience. SmartVault improved the process for clients and offered a highly intuitive platform for accessing documents.
Final words…
With the implementation of SmartVault, Lynch has noticed an increase in efficiency.
“Back in the ‘old days’ a client would call in and request a document for a bank loan or mortgage and we would have to locate the paper file and send it. When we moved to DMS, this process got easier, but with the move to SmartVault it’s now exceptionally efficient,” Lynch said.
Even more important than internal processes, however, Lynch is all about his clients and their needs. “I’m 100% about client satisfaction, whether that means a paperless process, portals, or still delivering a paper copy. I want my clients to be happy. SmartVault allows me to support all my clients, no matter where they are in the paperless transition.”
