Intuit Playing Cupid Between Small Businesses and ProAdvisors

by

Intuit is tossing out a Valentine for QuickBooks ProAdvisors in the form of a newly enhanced Find-a-ProAdvisor Marketplace. The enhancement offers a completely redesigned customer search experience that will ensure ProAdvisors receive more and better qualified leads from prospective small businesses.

It's almost like they are playing Cupid between ProAdvisors and potential QuickBooks customers.

Similar marketplaces also are available to small businesses worldwide via these ProAdvisor websites for Australia, Canada, India and the United Kingdom. While the marketplace launched exclusively within QuickBooks Online last December, the standalone sites (linked above) are live today.

The QuickBooks ProAdvisor Program is a membership program for accounting professionals that provides customer support, QuickBooks training, and access to Intuit products and services at discounted prices to them and their small business clients.

In a recent interview, Chris Hamilton, leader of Intuit’s Global ProAdvisor Program, told Insightful Accountant that the program recently had reached the 200,000 worldwide member landmark. 

ProAdvisors have the opportunity to become certified as QuickBooks experts, and then are listed in the Find-a-ProAdvisor marketplace – which is visited annually by more than 1 million small businesses worldwide.

Unlike other directories available in the accounting industry, Intuit’s Find-a-ProAdvisor Marketplace is the only one with certified QuickBooks experts trained to fuel small business success and focused on creating connections that build long-term business relationships. In addition to their contact information, the website prominently displays the current certifications held by each ProAdvisor.

ProAdvisor members customize their profiles with a description about themselves and their practice by selecting business-types served and the services they provide, along with languages they support.

Additional features of each ProAdvisor's listing include professional designations, social media links, and reviews from their clients:

Intuit launched the ProAdvisor Program in 1997 to provide access to Intuit products and services and create connections between accounting professionals and small businesses to help ensure their long-term success. One such key for success has been the Find-a-ProAdvisor Marketplace.

In a recent survey of ProAdvisors in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, an average of 57 percent said building a relationship is the most important factor when deciding to do business with a potential client.

Similarly, 89 percent of small businesses say they're more successful when working with an accounting professional.

From my own observations, if every small business started out with a ProAdvisor in its corner, it would be so much better off from Day 1. I’m always glad to see Intuit improve their efforts at playing Cupid to bring together QuickBooks users with QuickBooks ProAdvisors.

I also know that Intuit’s recent enhancements at streamlining the QuickBooks Online process for new users has created a focal point in facilitating that "link up."

During our interview, Chris Hamilton said, “As Intuit celebrates the ProAdvisor Program’s 20th anniversary, our commitment to match small businesses to trusted QuickBooks advisors hasn’t changed. Our recent efforts are already seeing a significant increase in the number of small business leads sent to ProAdvisors as a result of the new matching service. And we expect those connections to continue to multiply.”

Personally, I didn't join the ProAdvisor Program the day it started, but I know a handful of ProAdvisors who did. They all seem just as excited about the Program today as they did from Day 1.

I also can say that joining the ProAdvisor Program and getting certified in QuickBooks has so profoundly changed my life that I can't imagine going back to what I was doing before becoming a ProAdvisor.

A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to attend Intuit's first VIP Summit. One of the people I met was Lauretta Finis, who is principal and director of the Australia-based bookkeeping firm Quick Bizness Bookkeeping Solutions. Lauretta was one of the very first bookkeepers in Australia to pass the ProAdvisor certification exam. In fact, she is the first profile users find when searching for an 'Aussie expert' in QuickBooks Online. 

“The Find-a-ProAdvisor service provides at least a couple of new leads every week," Lauretta said. "And when a small business can get to know me before ever reaching out, our relationship is built on trust from the beginning and my firm grows.” 

In my way of thinking, Lauretta is one 'Awesome Expert' in QuickBooks, and QuickBooks users anywhere (worldwide) would be lucky to have her as their ProAdvisor.

Insightful Accountant would love to hear about how the QuickBooks ProAdvisor has changed your life so profoundly that you can't imagine going back to the way it was before you joined.

So, we want to hear from you. Just post your comments below and we'll share them with Intuit.

The love doesn't have to stop just because Valentine's Day is over.