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A major bank has teamed up with a debt management fintech to help its accounting clients cut their average debtor days by more than half.
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Major bank targets accountants with payment solution partnership
23 September 2019
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9 minute read
Westpac announced that it has become the first major Australian bank to offer a fully integrated payment solution designed for the accounting profession, joining with FeeSynergy, a provider of automated debtor management and fee finance solutions, to help Westpac’s customers in the accounting sector reduce debtor days by facilitating payments via an online solution.
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Paul Goessler, Westpac’s national head of professional services, said that while all accounting firms have a practice management system, many do not have a dedicated debtor collection solution, and this offering will help customers solve a major pain point around debtor management.
“Our joint offering with FeeSynergy aims to help our professional services clients get paid on time. Taking steps such as implementing online payment systems can transform a firm’s cash position, enabling investment into new technology, new divisions and tuck-in acquisitions,” Mr Goessler said.
“It also frees up capacity to fulfil increasingly tech-savvy customer expectations, who are seeking swift, seamless, personalised services.”
Mr Goessler said the FeeSynergy debtor management offering can be integrated into accounting firms’ existing systems to help automate cash collection, establish recurring direct debits and facilitate online payments 24/7. Money flows from the client directly to the accountant’s bank account without a third-party handling the funds.
Malcolm Ebb, co-founder and managing director of FeeSynergy, said many accounting firms struggle to ensure they get paid for their services in a timely fashion, with average debtor days across the industry between 65 and 90 days.
“The implementation of our automated debtor management platform has enabled client firms to dramatically reduce their average debtor days to below 30 days. For a firm with annual revenue of $5 million, this equates to a free cash improvement of upwards of $800,000, freeing up capital instead of it being tied up in debtors,” Mr Ebb said.
“Our combined offering with Westpac provides an easy-to-use, fully integrated and secure online payment gateway, which is a key feature of the platform.
“A large percentage of transactions made on this gateway occurs after hours, demonstrating the preference of small business owners to pay invoices at a time that’s most convenient to them. Providing this sort of service not only reduces debtor days, but takes the task of chasing debtors away from partners.”
The announcement coincides with Westpac’s latest Smart Industry Report: Professional Services, which found that professional services firms need to adapt their advisory services and pricing models to suit customer demands, while capitalising on emerging technologies to deliver services with greater speed and efficiency if they are going to stay relevant in 2030.
“We regularly work with practice management software providers to enhance functionality for mutual clients,” Mr Goessler said. “Through arrangements with organisations such as FeeSynergy, we’re helping our customers look beyond overdraft limits for the management of cash flow, by delivering working capital solutions that provide flexibility for new strategies and change management.”
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