Learn how Wendelyn's firm QuickStart:

• Shifted from Quickbooks consulting to outsourced accounting for nonprofits
• Deterred fraud by moving client communications out of email
• Uses Client Hub to better manage workflow with her team and clients

‍

‍

Clutter and Risk of Fraud Becomes Too Big a Problem

Not only was my inbox getting cluttered and hard to manage, but with the amount of fraud initiated through emails, it seemed like a good reason to try and get all of our client communications out of email and into a safe channel.

Like many accountants, Wendelyn’s inbox became more chaotic as her outsourced accounting firm grew. This created two issues too big to ignore:

‍

1. Tasks falling through the cracks due to a cluttered inbox

Wendelyn says, “The most important emails I get somehow just disappear in Outlook.” You can probably relate.

In a growing practice, email tends to become overwhelming. There’s simply too much volume to be able to prioritize in a timely manner.

2. The risk of fraud initiated through email

But it’s not just inbox clutter that’s a problem. Email fraud is on the rise.

Wendelyn educates her clients to check the sender's address before opening any links or attachments, but training can only do so much to protect against email compromise threats.

Wendelyn needed something more to protect her clients, so she set out to look for an alternative.

‍

From Email Clutter to Confidence in Communication

At the Scaling New Heights conference, Wendelyn discovered Client Hub.

Initially, Wendelyn just used Client Hub for secure communication via the Conversation feature, which allows her team and clients to message each other simply. The experience is very much like sending a text message.

Wendelyn loves that Client Hub organizes communication by client workspace. She says, “The biggest change is I don't worry about losing emails from clients. And I can go back into Client Hub and scroll through the list of conversations and see everything in one place.”

Wendelyn’s team loves using Client Hub. “It’s just a nicer space to be in,” Wendelyn says. “Everyone’s excited to be in Client Hub and have one place to see all of our client information.”

The most surprising thing? Even clients are excited about switching to Client Hub from email. Wendelyn remarks, “The client we’ve just brought on said, ‘Oh, just put a to-do list in Client Hub. It’s nice. I can cross it off. I love crossing things off!”

‍

Beyond Communication to Practice Management

Everybody’s very excited about… one place to see all our client information, but also this workflow software. It's just easier to manage and gives us everything we need.

After getting client communication moved from email into Client Hub, Wendelyn started exploring the workflow tools in the app to see if she could replace her existing practice management software.

Her firm had been using their current software for five years, but as Wendelyn says, “I rarely went into it. I just never felt comfortable working in that environment.”

After three months of using the workflow tools in Client Hub, Wendelyn says, “I’m in there shooting tasks off to my staff where I would never have done that before. And now they’re trying to play catch up with me!”

A few of the many benefits Client Hub delivers for QuickStart include:

• Clients enjoy using Client Hub: Many firms dread moving clients onto new tools. But with Client Hub, clients enjoy the ease with which they can now communicate with the firm and see all their open items in one place.
• Communication paired with workflow: Most practice management solutions focus on either client communication or internal task management. Client Hub combines simple messaging, files, and tasks in one solution, meaning everything your team needs to get work done is in the same place and not spread around multiple apps.
• Secure and encrypted files and communication: With everything in Client Hub, Wendelyn can rest easy knowing that her firm isn’t exposing clients to a greater risk of fraud. Clients know to expect files to be delivered in Client Hub, so they’re less likely to click a hacker’s link or download a malicious Excel file from a spoofed email.

‍

Focusing on Continued Growth

We'll keep growing the business, keep bringing on clients looking to make their not-for-profit comfortable, sustainable, and secure in their financial footings.

Now that Wendelyn, her team, and clients are all in the same virtual workspace, Wendelyn can focus on growth without worrying about missing emails, deadlines, or her clients falling victim to fraud.

Wendelyn says she enjoys helping nonprofits because “they’re organizations that value the importance of our work and the clarity we provide. And we strive to make that simple for them. We work as a team with our clients and their auditors to make sure we’re doing the right things to steward their money.”

Helping more nonprofits be better stewards of funds means they’ll be able to do more good, and that’s growth any firm can feel good about.

To learn more, connect with Wendelyn Duquette and QuickStart on Linkedin.

‍

Ready to Have a Client Hub of Your Own?

Are you struggling to stay on top of essential client emails and requests in an overloaded email inbox? Are you concerned about your clients getting taken in by evermore sophisticated email fraud schemes?

Find out if Client Hub fits your firm by taking a product tour, getting a demo, or even signing up for a free trial. You’ll find all three options available right here.

‍