Item: Xero
Rating: 10
Author: Johnny George

Overall Satisfaction with Xero

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

I've been using XERO for several years and am quite pleased with it's foundation and usage with my Voiceover company. Support is readily available and are sympathetic to any issues. You'll love this. Plus its cost is right on!

Pros and Cons

Pros

Invoices for current clients
Easy to add new clients to it's database
Reconciliation with your bank is a great feature

Cons

I'd like to see more adaptive variations to make your invoices stand out with color schemes.
Still need s a tab for QUOTES, which you have to look for in order to utilize it.

Return on Investment

As I complete a project, I immediately write the invoice for that client. I include a link for the client to pick up their audio as I finish. This way you never forget to send out an invoice.

Usability

Great software. A few areas of improvement would make it perfect.

Cloud Costs

Yes. I appreciate XERO being online. I can use it wherever I am.

Ease of Integration

Don't use it with other products

Alternatives Considered

I formerly have used, Quicken, Quickbooks, My Advanced Invoices and another one whos name is not coming to mind. I found Xero to do everything in an organozed way and I've stayed with it.

Key Insights

Do you think Xero delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Xero's feature set?

Yes

Did Xero live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Xero go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Xero again?

Yes

Other Software Used

OpenText Hightail, Dropbox

Likelihood to Recommend

Answered previously

Xero Feature Ratings

Using Xero

Users and Roles

1 - I strictly use Xero for sending invoices to my clients. I'm a one-man show. I wear all the hats to operate as an efficint professional in the voiceover industry.

Support Headcount Required

1 - Just me.

Business Processes Supported

Invoicing
Contact listing
Use also as a CRM

Innovative Uses

I use it only for invoicing primarily.

Future Planned Uses

same

Likelihood to Renew

Because I have found Xero to meet my needs needss and I stick with what works.

Evaluating Xero and Competitors

Products Replaced

Yes - My Advanced Invoices. Xero was streamlined and I liked it's foundation better.

Key Differentiators

Cloud Solutions
Ease of Use

I've opretty much answered that previously. It's a wonderful product and i appreciate that you are taking these surveys to build a better Xero for the future.

My most important improivement would be to add some style factors to the invoice appearance. A swirl of color wrapped around the invoice. And or colored headings. Anything to give it a fresh look.

Evaluation Lessons Learned

The industry was building these invoiceing programs as my business was ramping up over the years. It was the typical innovation of these apps that continued to improve it'self over the years. I was simply going through the stages of finding what worked best for me. When I found Xero, I was set.

Xero Implementation

Implementation Rating

Easy to use. Explainations satifaction, Once back in my usage, all was great.

Implementation Details / Implementation Partner

Implemented in-house

Implementation Phases

Change Management Lessons

Change management was a major issue with the implementation - Previously explained regarding girlfriend doing the invoicing originally.

Implementation Issues

My loss of usage due as explained previously

Xero Training

Training Types Used

No Training

In-Person Training

Online Training

Ease of Xero Training

Yes. Self-explanatory.

Configuring Xero

Product Configurability

Seems just right for my purpose. Can't think of anything else I would add at this point.

Configuration Lessons

Not at this time.

UI Customization

Yes - we have customized the interface extensively - Very simple using the templates to build what i needed.

Extensibility and Customization

No - we have not done any custom code

Additional Customization Considerations

None at this time.

Xero Support

Support Rating

My girlfriend originally put HER nake into the system as it's coordinator. She left and then I couldn't get into my own program for my own business. To spite me, she originally refused to give up control and support sided with her asince she opened the account.
After time, she relinquished and I was back in. Appreciated Xeros adherance to your policies, but I was really upset with them when I cxouldn't get into MY software for MY business. It was not a happy time.

Xero Customer Support Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Knowledgeable team Immediate help available Support cares about my success Quick Initial Response	Poor followup Escalation required Need to explain problems multiple times

Premium Support

I believe I did in the beginning. However, I've never understood why a product would charge anything for their support if they stand behind their product. That's the cost of doing business, I've always felt.

Exceptional Examples of Xero Support

Yes, when they finnaly got my girlfreind to give in sincee she had nothing to gain by holding out on "ownership". Once she gave it up, support was there for me.

Using Xero

Usability Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Technical support not required Well integrated Consistent Quick to learn Convenient Feel confident using	None