Situation

Most companies start with a vision which generally revolves around a value proposition. But while perhaps not as exciting, just as important is a vision of the organisational structure and supporting technology, says Shortland CA principal Glen Gernhoefer.

“From Day One we had growth on the agenda, and this is why we wanted to be cloud based - even though on day one there were only four of us,” he says. “We didn’t know how fast we would expand, but the idea was to establish secure IT systems and architecture which would facilitate easy progress.”

Gernhoefer agrees that many founders don’t give this sort of attention to their technology infrastructure at the outset, instead using makeshift or ‘bolt on’ point solutions. The problem is that while a ‘laissez faire’ approach might work well for two, or four, or even 10 people, they can quickly reach limitations and inhibit, rather than facilitate growth.

Solution

With a long association with Lancom Technology, Gernhoefer knew exactly where to look for the necessary technical and architectural support. 

Back in 2018, establishing a cloud first business wasn’t as obvious as it is today. “Conceptually, we were well ahead of the curve, and we wanted things like Teams calling, digital document management, and online practice management software. The idea was that we could work from anywhere, facilitating travel, and that we could provision new employees with everything they needed without any fuss,” Gernhoefer explains.

Lancom Technology, he says, proved instrumental in designing, specifying, and delivering the necessary systems. “That includes Microsoft 365 which has every accountant’s favourite application, Excel. It also extends to DocuSign, of course, which Lancom recommended, Xero, some other tools that give precedence in managing Companies Office and trust interactions, and CCH iFirm practice management software.”

The practice management solution, adds Gernhoefer, was initially entirely new to Shortland CA, and came as a further recommendation from Lancom. “They really did their homework on what was best for us as a cloud first company, and delivered a secure, flexible, integrated solution that lets us get on with our work without worrying about the technology.”

Results

While accountants are renowned for their propensity to measure everything, Gernhoefer says enabling technology generally doesn’t get the ruler. “We haven’t done specific Return on Investment calculations because it isn’t really necessary as these systems are essential to running our business,” he says. “But what I can tell you is that our setup enables efficiency, saves time, and delivers convenience. Every day.”

While cloud native may have been somewhat on the cutting edge back in 2018, it didn’t take long for Shortland CA’s principal to feel vindicated in making this choice. When government restrictions related to the COVID pandemic necessitated remote working, adaptation was relatively easy. “There was still a learning curve, but it was one we’d been on already from our first year,” notes Gernhoefer.

The online setup has further benefits, allowing for flexible working arrangements as and when necessary for the company’s 20 people, three of whom are offshore. And, with an office move coming up – in which he says Lancom Technology will be very much involved – the stress of shifting the technology systems is minimised. “It’s really our personal devices, and setting up three new Teams meeting rooms,” Gernhoefer comments.

A purpose-designed and architected IT infrastructure, he continues, takes considerable upfront effort. “Do the work at the start, and adding team members is easy. You scale seamlessly without technical roadblocks.”
Looking back, his advice to startups is to get the basics done well with a competent IT partner, while giving careful thought to process. “Spend time on templates and commonly used documents. It’s time-consuming, but once properly configured, doing those jobs is faster and easier every time. For example, we’ve largely digitised our onboarding process with DocuSign; establishing those processes took a lot of time, but now we onboard in 15 minutes.”

Going forward, Gernhoefer says Shortland CA will, after the move, work with Lancom on an IT health check, examining emerging technologies including artificial intelligence and PowerApps automations, as well as reevaluating existing software. “We want to be sure we’re using the best solutions available, and we want to take advantage of any opportunities where technology can eliminate routine or mundane tasks,” he explains.

Finally, he says working with a trusted IT partner really comes down to one simple benefit. “Peace of mind. Thanks to Lancom, we get to work in the morning, turn it on, and it works.”