A few years ago, local businesses grappled with voluminous, disconnected, and inaccessible accounting files. Some of the recordings were still done manually, and reporting to government agencies took double the work. This scenario gave impetus to start Xirrus, Inc., an all-Filipino company that provides accounting software and business consultancy services to various industries.
John Edward T. Castillo, Managing Director, looks back on when Xirrus, Inc. started in 2016. "Most of the concerns then were based on the time it took clients to record transactions and generate the reports. Imagine businesses recording on manual books or in a glorified spreadsheet. Collaboration between employees within the accounting department was difficult when they kept separate, unconnected files. Report generation ranged from days to weeks due to the tediousness of consolidating different data sources."
"Another concern was that they had to record the transactions twice. First in their manual spreadsheets and second in the BIR system. One of their biggest wishlists was to have a system where they can export the data, and the same data can be fed to the BIR system to minimize double recording."
According to Castillo, most of the businesses in the Philippines then and now are in the MSME bracket. These businesses want a simple accounting system that works and is affordable, easy to set up, and easy to use. Xirrus' purpose is to help them transition from manual bookkeeping to computerized accounting. The end goal is to have the business owners be better equipped with the correct data for their business-making decisions.
Xirrus tackles client issues in two ways: one is by providing consultancy services, and another is by introducing products specific to a client's problem.
Castillo explains, "Our product lineup is from internationally recognized brands like QuickBooks, both Desktop and Online, which Intuit develops. QuickBooks is being enjoyed by more than 4 million users globally. We consider QuickBooks as our flagship product. Intuit and QuickBooks have a steady development roadmap, ensuring that all product subscribers will see new additions to their QuickBooks experience every year. Another brand is Sage 50, formerly known as Peachtree, developed by Sage. For services, Xirrus offers installation, configuration, training, implementation, customization, and helpdesk support. The company follows a standard methodology in delivering these services regardless of the client's industry type.
So what is the difference between client concerns then and now? It is the digitalization of transactions.
The pandemic significantly changed the mindset of businesses, especially when the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE Law) were introduced. Now, businesses are more open to generating digital invoices and sending them to customers' emails.
Along with this, the pandemic has also forced businesses to adopt and embrace the remote setup, which means that they see cloud-based systems as a viable solution to the work-from-home environment. Cloud-based systems now offer collaboration even when teams are not in the same office space, unlike in 2016, when the concerns on collaboration were based on localized, on-premise central data storage.
Xirrus has been lucky to have had the chance to work with a diverse set of clients. They have provided products and services to trading and retail, manufacturing, distribution, construction, non-profit, general services, schools, food and restaurants, resorts and hospitality business, and other accounting firms.
Almost all of these clients are looking for one thing - to have an updated accounting solution that has steady local support. Xirrus shows clients what system or systems best work for their needs. Xirrus is proud to say that they have a high retention rate for clients. Success stories abound. One long-time client who stayed with Xirrus from the start has enjoyed a year-by-year revenue increase of 42 percent. The management has gained insight into which markets they will penetrate and has determined which products provide maximum profitability.
Xirrus adheres to the mantra of having the three components of business success: people, process, and technology. "We want each client to be aware that success lies in choosing the right people, optimizing business process, eliminating redundant tasks, and using the right technology," Castillo ends.
Ask Xirrus how to digitally transform your business processes. Visit www.xirrus.ph .