Hilary Haydon, How IT helped me grow my Practice. ICAI IT Seminar
15
How IT helped us How IT helped us grow our practice grow our practice Presented by: Gordon Wilson ACA Director of Corporate Finance and Information Technology Hilary Haydon & Company Chartered Accountants Dublin Cork
description
At each event, speakers from successful practices will give a case study on how they used IT to assist in the expansion of their practices and how they see IT assisting with the challenges of succession planning.
Transcript of Hilary Haydon, How IT helped me grow my Practice. ICAI IT Seminar
How IT helped us grow How IT helped us grow our practiceour practice
Presented by:
Gordon Wilson ACADirector of Corporate Finance
and Information Technology
Hilary Haydon & Company
Chartered Accountants
Dublin Cork Balbriggan
Practice Overview Established in 1990
Offices in Dublin, Cork and Balbriggan
Specialist sectors include - retail pharmacy, nursing homes, hotels and leisure, franchising, legal services, property development, IT industry, renewable energy, farm accounts.
4 partners, 75 staff
The Beginning
Founded in 1990 by Hilary Haydon – sole practitioner
Day 1 – Strong emphasis on technology due to Hilary’s background as Financial Director of a scientific and medical instrumentation company.
IT Infrastructure:
• Sharp “transportable” computer
Cost – IR£3,500
• Sharp phone / fax machine
Cost – IR£2,700
Early Development of the Firm
1991 – First staff members
Desk computers for every staff member
1993 - Car phone (mobiles were not available)
Where we are today
3 offices, 4 partners and 75 staff
Hardware: • Desktop computer for all staff members• Laptops for partners / directors / key staff• Mobile phones for partners / directors / key staff• Integrated print / photocopy / fax / scanner machines
Software:• File server – Windows Server 2008 with Hyper V• Email – Microsoft Exchange Server / Outlook• Practice Management – Relate Software - Drive• Document Management – Laserfiche and eCopy
Total Current Investment - €250,000
IT – Benefits
File Server: Windows Server 2008 with Hyper V Enables:
• remote access to files via Virtual Private Network (VPN)• creation of new ‘virtual’ servers on the same physical machine as
required
Email: Microsoft Exchange Server 2007Enables:
• full secure access over the internet • synchronisation with mobile phones / email devices / laptops
IT – Benefits
Practice Management: Relate Software – ‘Drive’
Enables: • Better time recording leading to higher recovery rates• Timesheet monitoring facility – improved time recording• Integration of time recording with Outlook / Word / Excel• Improved management information and client reporting• Centralised client and contact database• Organised client communications
IT – Benefits
Relate Software – ‘Drive’
Other benefits: • Data mining for marketing / client invitations / newsletter• Use of standard templates for letters, forms etc.• Integrated invoicing and practice accounting• WIP management• Optional multi-office integration
IT – Benefits
Document Management: Laserfiche and eCopy
Enables: • electronic distribution of incoming post • archiving of old audit and client files which can then be
destroyed – reduced file storage costs / demands• easy document and information retrieval through search
facility• paperless office - goal
IT – New Developments
Payroll: Micropay ‘PeopleLink’
• Clients are able to upload timesheets via secure area of our website
• Information is then imported directly into Micropay system
• Client has access to holiday and attendance records online thereby reducing the number of queries to payroll staff
IT – New Developments
Bookkeeping: Outsourcing of processing to India
• We host secure separate server for outsourced client information
• We scan client source documents to this server• India access our secure server at night• Reports are ready for our staff to access by morning• Time difference – India is 5 hours ahead of us
Modern Technology – Other Benefits
Mobile connectivity – real-time access to email, voicemail, internet
Ability to connect offices easily and cost effectively – video conferencing, VOIP telephone systems etc.
Ability to work from alternate locations Client premises Home Abroad Hotels / cafes Airports / trains
Facilitates greater mobility & travel for business purposes (and indeed pleasure!) Hilary was on holiday in Australia recently. He was 11 hours ahead of office and tormented us with email contact.
Training – remote training courses over video link / internet
The Future
Truly Paperless Offices
Computer auditing
Total mobility through WiFi, VOIP, internet – remote working
Voice command over IT systems
Social networking websites for business referrals, company notice boards, discussion forums etc. - LinkedIn
Virtual business meetings via “Second Life” – IBM, Michelin and Cisco are using it now
The Future
The key to development of business –
Communication
Technology facilitates Communication
Thank You
Gordon Wilson ACADirector of Corporate Financeand Information Technology
Hilary Haydon & Company,
Chartered Accountants.
Email: [email protected]
14th January 2009
