Timworks VS Microsoft Teams - which is the best client support app for accountants?
Knowing how to support your clients better was without a doubt the main theme at XeroCon London this year. It is proven to improve client retention, leading to an increase in revenue, better reputation, referrals and living the ‘happily ever after’ accountancy life.
In this day and age, you would expect a lot of the communication with your clients to take place digitally, which requires you and your firm to turn to an appropriate client support tool that allows collaboration in real time, meanwhile creating more headspace and freeing up your time, rather than being another hurdle.
With so many options out there, it can be hard for accountants to weigh out the best app which can help them support their clients.
We get it, which is why we are going into the nitty gritty of client support software that is out there so today we are focusing on Microsoft Teams and how it compares to Timworks.
Get comfy and grab a cuppa because we are going on a ride! ☕️
Microsoft Teams VS Timworks at a glance
Microsoft Teams is a chat-based messaging and video-call application, similar to Slack. Rather than simply being a chat app, Teams also integrates with the Office365 software with the main idea of collaboration.
As the name suggests, its concept is structured around ‘teams’ since it brings everything from Microsoft into one place and each team can create multiple workspaces.
Timworks is a client support app for accountants and their clients. It also features live chat as well as native integrations with your favourite tech stack, company information and full control and security for the accountant. It is designed to replace emails as the main form of communication between accountants and their clients so it saves more time and boosts productivity while also being more reliant when it comes to legal compliance as opposed to popular chat apps like WhatsApp.
So how do they stack up?
Let’s talk features
Instant Messaging and Live Chat
Yes, we know this one is obvious, but has to be covered! Teams has an instant messaging platform with features such as live chat, emojis, GIFs, threaded conversations, and the ability to share files.
Instant messaging (IM) is growing in importance especially in this day and age where we are all better connected digitally and often don’t even share the same office space (or even country). You want to be able to get those queries answered fast so you can tick this off your list without any bottlenecks preventing you from moving forward and wasting away precious time you could use to move the needle forward in your business or enjoy yourself.
Undeniably, you’d also want to find the happy medium between a simple chat app and email threads. Timworks also offers instant messaging so you can solve queries in real time or support your client better. Having to wait days for an email reply and wondering whether the email address was right is quite unnecessary. There really is a better solution.
Yes, no need to panic - you also get the emojis, the GIFs and not only the ability to share files, but to send them directly to your favourite software (such as Dext, Hubdoc or Datamolino).
The cherry on top of the cake is that Timworks is specifically made for accountants and their clients and so everyone benefits from not having to get distracted by other conversations whilst having a dedicated space for accountancy. This way, communication is more streamlined, the process is straightforward, and you avoid distractions.
Desktop & App Versions
Both Timworks and Microsoft Teams are offering mobile and desktop versions of the app, so you can use it and access it on the go when needed without having to compromise your access to the app’s features.
While both Timworks and Microsoft Teams stack up quite well when it comes to their desktop version (apart from Timworks not offering video calls at the moment), Timworks allows accountants to be in full control in the process of setting up clients, managing permissions, organising conversations and using integrations to push data to and from other software like Xero, Dext/ReceiptBank, AutoEntry or Hubdoc.
Teams on the other hand helps with managing calendars and arranging meetings which is very helpful, but may mean that accountants would miss out on certain features. Which leads us to our next point.
Native Integrations
If you are reading this, you know how valuable and time-saving integrations are. No accountant wants and can afford to waste time manually uploading documents and dealing with mundane tasks that can rob them off their creativity and time. Integrations have transformed the digital accountancy world and it’s worth celebrating.
Microsoft Teams offers great integrations such as connecting your calendar and integrating with to-do lists (as well as being connected to the full Office 365 which means most of the other apps you could be using for document creation, presentations or note-taking). It also offers the ability to connect with 3rd party apps through tabs, connectors and bots.
What’s the difference? Timworks is designed specifically for accountants that desire more speed, ease and efficiency as well as better client support. Meaning it offers native integrations such as connecting your Xero account, AutoEntry, Hubdoc, Datamolino, Dext as well as many others coming up so you can make your tech stack really work for you.
In other words Timworks doesn’t replace your favourite accounting software, it lets you get more from them while you can support your clients in real time. The best part is, the platform is designed with all these automations built-in so you don’t need to overcomplicate things with challenging workflows to feel that everything is connected and organised.
CRM (Customer Relationship Management)
Did you know that the number one reason (68%) clients would cease working with a business is if they start thinking you don’t care about them?' Forging good relationships and keeping track of your clients is crucial for both acquisition and retention, which is a CRM’s prime function. Your clients need regular touchpoints with you and by allowing better software to do that, you are offering better support, regular communication and increase in their satisfaction. Meaning they win and you win!
Microsoft Teams may be offering a lot to businesses and their Teams when it comes to collaboration, but when it comes to good client support it may not be what your client wants or needs. It’s important to get to know your clients’ needs and preferences to meet them where they are at. And if you make something as simple as ‘downloading an app’ that is dedicated to your special client-accountant relationship it’s all smooth sailing from there.
Timworks also offers you the ability to organise your chats by either business or individual, depending on your needs, allowing more flexibility and assisting the interactions between your clients and your firm.
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File Upload & Pinning
Would any chat app really serve a greater purpose if it doesn’t allow you to upload and share your important documents?
You are covered with both Microsoft Teams and Timworks when it comes to this, because both apps have made it easy to share documents and ‘pin’ important messages to assist anyone with quicker access. You also have dedicated channels on both apps, to keep everything tidy and organised.
Client Information
Keeping its promise to save time, Timworks ensures you have all of your client or company details readily available. As an accountant, how often do clients ask you for things like their company numbers? Or have to spend hours digging through old paperwork and email threads? Thinking the whole time that next time you’d write them somewhere you won’t forget?
Timworks has got your back. Unlike Teams, it offers dedicated space for your client’s HMRC payment details, Companies House information, VAT numbers, and so on - and they are all safely and securely kept. The best part is that your client will also always have them at hand through their Timworks app (*sighs with relief*).
Permissions & User Access
One of the biggest fears for accountants is to lose control over data or important documents. Not just for audit trails but also for the purpose of keeping things professional. It comes as no surprise in this case that an accountant would carefully choose a client support app that gives them full control over user permissions.
On Microsoft Teams, members of a Team cannot access or change Team settings or add members (whew). They can edit the site and make lists and libraries, but they don’t have admin access to the Group SharePoint site associated with the Team. Members can also add channels in Teams (but can’t delete them) which is already a bit of a concern - nobody needs a selection of random channels when it should be simple and streamlined.
Both on Teams and Timworks you can add a ‘guest’ to the conversation to prevent bottlenecks and they can’t add or remove channels or change anything in your well organised channels tab.
Timworks offers you full control over creating and managing conversations and files, so everyone needs to follow your rules. What is more - every channel stays private to you and the client, so they can’t see how many channels you’ve got and with who.
Users on Timworks also have minimal control over the conversations, such as renaming them or creating them, which helps you monitor and easily keep track of everything.
Also, within the accountancy firm, permission levels can be set so that employees are given access to only as much information as they need, allowing flexibility and giving you that extra peace of mind.
Audit Trails
There are many regulations that require the retainment of accounting and other records for six or more years.
This means that firms need to take record retention seriously or they risk falling afoul of the law. In a time where data is spread across email, facebook messenger, slack and the telephone, this is often easier said than done. The idea of employees leaving phones in pubs with sensitive client information, is enough to keep any accountancy firm up at night.
Microsoft Teams supports live transcription meaning you can record your meetings and they’re only available to people in your tenant. You can also retrieve audit logs for Teams activities from their website. However, messages can be edited and deleted over time unless you have permission settings set otherwise.
Timworks ticks the audit trail box off, as it’s built for accountants which automatically makes this a priority. It keeps all client conversations organised and cloud-based. In other words, while conversations can be archived to keep your dashboard clean when needed, they will never be deleted so you can always trace information back.
GDPR Compliance
Many requirements can be placed on a collaboration tool. When it comes to secure communication, it is advisable to use a GDPR-compliant business messenger. GDPR and Data Protection laws require that personal information storage is minimised. However, where it is a necessity, record keepers are “required to know exactly where and how all such personal information is stored in order to be able to retain, remove and transfer it in a compliant manner”.
Teams enforce encryption of data in transit and at rest. Files are stored in SharePoint and are backed by SharePoint encryption. However, access to the data stored in the data centre cannot be completely prevented, because Microsoft Teams is a USA based company. This causes GDPR concerns. Grab our GDPR White paper made specifically for accountants (and also made easy!)
Currently, Microsoft Teams’ private channels support limited security and compliance features. Support for the full set of security and compliance features in private channels is something on their roadmap.
Timworks, on the other hand, is fully GDPR compliant providing accountants with one less thing to worry about when supporting and communicating with their clients. This is a good time to say that if you are using WhatsApp or other chat apps you might want to keep them as your main source of communication strictly with friends and family.
Microsoft Teams VS Timworks - what specific problems does Timworks solve?
The main difference between Teams and Timworks is in the fact that Teams is a more general communication platform designed to meet the needs of firms and schools, whereas Timworks is specifically aimed at improving the level of client support and allowing flexibility and very targeted tools and features for accountants, finance managers and bookkeepers.
*In the Basic audit, audit records are retained and searchable for the last 90 days. To retrieve an audit log for more than 90 days, you need to adopt Advanced auditing, which requires E5/A5/G5 subscriptions
** Users are allowed to create and name channels which is not an option on Timworks unless given permission to do. Channels are also visible to everyone whereas channels on Timworks stay private to you and your client.
Microsoft Teams & Timworks’ roadmap
Microsoft Teams is constantly evolving and improvements such as support for the full set of security and compliance features in private channels is something on their roadmap.
Timworks is also looking forward to adding more integrations to their list, and constantly improving to provide exactly what accountants need to support their clients effortlessly and effectively.
Timworks’ app developers are currently working on a new “broadcast” feature that will let the accountant send group alerts, such as end of tax year instructions, or create bulk messages for particular clients.
In time, the integrations will also extend to other apps such as QuickBooks Online and Sage.
Become part of our early adopters group and get yourself involved in the shaping of these (contact us hello@timworks.com)
The bottom line
While both Microsoft Teams and Timworks have been designed for collaboration, live communication and client support, Timworks is the obvious choice for accountants, since it integrates with your favourite tech tools with ease, gives you full control over permissions and user access and provides you with extra peace of mind that your data can be trailed and protected.
We are not denying that Teams is a great tool but if you want to support your clients better, you would need something specifically tailored to your niche and practice and Timworks does just that.
But don’t just take our word for it. Here is what Dave Sellick has to say
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