Crunch Online Accounting

[JonNorris@Crunch]

Crunch are probably ok if you never need to ask anything out of the ordinary, as far as I can see whilst they do have some accountants, the number is pretty small for the huge number of clients that they claim to have.

Team here is 150+ and growing, vast majority being client-facing Account Managers and Accountants. And trust me we get some weird queries.

if you were to want to move accountants later it'd be far more painful as you wouldn't realistically be able to port the bookkeeping data with you.

We have full data import / export like most other software packages - data belongs to our clients after all, they can do what they like with it!

[d000hg]

Team here is 150+ and growing, vast majority being client-facing Account Managers and Accountants. And trust me we get some weird queries.

If you have actual people as well as online portal functionality what is the difference from a traditional contractor accountant like InTouch, NW, SJD, etc who also have both of those things?

My understanding was Crunch was more a DIY service with lower costs as a result, have I got that all wrong and you're actually "just" another contractor accountant?

[JonNorris@Crunch]

If you have actual people as well as online portal functionality what is the difference from a traditional contractor accountant like InTouch, NW, SJD, etc who also have both of those things?

My understanding was Crunch was more a DIY service with lower costs as a result, have I got that all wrong and you're actually "just" another contractor accountant?

You do indeed have it all wrong - we're a full service (online software + accountants + filings).

Primary different between us and other similar firms is we develop our software in-house so we can build stuff our clients want, and have tighter integration between the people and the software.

[d000hg]

Who doesn't develop their own software? Or is that a dig at FreeAgent?

Anyway, you guys are in the same bracket as NW, InTouch, SJD et al, competing on service and cost rather than working in a fundamentally different way?

[JonNorris@Crunch]

Who doesn't develop their own software? Or is that a dig at FreeAgent?

I mean in the sense that most accountancy firms use third-party software (FreeAgent / Xero etc.) or slap a pretty interface on a file upload form and call it software (that may or may not be a dig at someone).

you guys are in the same bracket as NW, InTouch, SJD et al, competing on service and cost rather than working in a fundamentally different way?

There are some differences in terms of back-office operation and availability of data / usability, but from a client's point of view, yes.

[Maslins]

Who doesn't develop their own software? Or is that a dig at FreeAgent?

Anyway, you guys are in the same bracket as NW, InTouch, SJD et al, competing on service and cost rather than working in a fundamentally different way?

Many accountants will work with independent third party software, be that FreeAgent, Sage, whatever. Can argue till the cows come home which is better...but the most honest answer from the small accountants (like us) is that we simply don't have the budget or expertise to build our own...and why would we when we can easily team up with someone else who does.

Some of the big boys decided instead to develop their own in house solutions. This includes Crunch. I think at the time Crunch first came about it was very novel...but to the end user it probably doesn't make too much difference...they get online software with accountant on hand to answer queries.

One argument for the former being better for the client, is that if you like either the software or the accountant but not both, you can fairly easily change one whilst keeping the other.

[NickyBoy]

One argument for the former being better for the client, is that if you like either the software or the accountant but not both, you can fairly easily change one whilst keeping the other.

In contrast as Crunch have direct internal technical control, if you like Crunch as accountants but find gaps in their software over time as your needs change, you have a shot at getting the software added to rather than having to pickup a totally new software package.

3rd Party software is far, far less likely to adapt to your needs than software produced by a company that's billing you directly!

[JRCT]

Primary different between us and other similar firms is we develop our software in-house so we can build stuff our clients want, and have tighter integration between the people and the software.

I'm with Crunch and, as previously stated I'm very happy. However, I've been using, and paying for, Snap to cpature my expenses. It doesn't work properly and whenever I query this I'm told that it's the Snap people, not Crunch and they're not responding to my query.

So, I presume Crunch don't develop all of their own software.

NB: To be fair to Crunch, I should say that my account manager is voluntarily filling the gap on this for me, whilst waiting for the issue to be fixed, so it's not impacting me too much.

[Waldorf]

Team here is 150+ and growing, vast majority being client-facing Account Managers and Accountants.

How many of the 150 hold an accountancy qualification, i.e. who hold a recognised qualification, not just sat a few exams and given up?

[JonNorris@Crunch]

So, I presume Crunch don't develop all of their own software.

Ahh fair point - Snap is a white-labelled version of Receipt Bank. The web app is all our own work though! If you want to DM me your company name I'll see if I can get a better answer for you on that.

How many of the 150 hold an accountancy qualification

No idea what their exact qualifications are (we're AAT & ACCA approved if that helps), but we have 19 accountants at the moment, running the gamut from apprentice to fully qualified.