One of the barriers to more widespread adoption of SaaS accounting applications is the high degree to which accounting applications are “sticky”. In other words, the high level of workflow that gets built into application use over time, combined with the difficulty of migrating from one application to another, created a quasi lock in that is proving hard to overcome for the new breed of SMB SaaS vendors. The fact of the matter is that small business lack both the time and resource to undertake the not inconsequential task of a migration.
Enter DataGroup, an Australian based startup that aims to reduce the pain for SMBs looking to migrate. DataGroup specializes in moving businesses to Saasu from a host of desktop applications such as MYOB, Quickbooks and Sage. Interestingly they’re also offering clients a migration service from Xero and NetSuite to Saasu – I’ve written before about the lack of standards for accounting data and how that increases the stickiness even for connected SaaS apps – DataGroup aims to provide a roundabout means to reduce that stickiness.
Businesses however are concerned about the compliance issues involved with software changes and for this reason DataGroup has a multi-stage process:
- Data Cleansing. As the saying goes, rubbish in/rubbish out. It’s for this reason that DataGroup works with clients prior to any data output to ensure data is “clean” and up to date
- Saasu Setup. To ensure there are no compliance issues with the migration, DataGroup arranges for a certified BAS agent to set-up the accounting system
- Data Migration. Once the data is ready to migrate to Saasu, DataGroup takes care of the nuts and bolts moving of information
- Training and Support. Included in the deal, as an admission that SMBs need help changing processes, DataGroup performs an initial training program to ensure users are familiar with Saasu
