Focus IT is a prominent IT services provider based in the UK, known for its comprehensive range of solutions including managed IT services, cyber security, and remote working setups. With over 20 years in the industry, Focus IT has established itself as a leader in customer service and IT support.
As their business expanded, Focus IT recognized the need to modernize their billing processes to keep pace with growth. After 15 years with another PSA, they transitioned to HaloPSA about a year ago, seeking a more integrated and efficient approach. The shift highlighted the importance of finding a billing solution that could support their increasing revenue while maintaining operational simplicity and reducing manual tasks.
Datagate provided an optimized solution that boosted their billing efficiency and scalability.
The Billing Dilemma: Focus IT’s Path to Improved Efficiency
As Focus IT expanded, they recognized the need to enhance their billing process. Their existing approach, which involved manual steps, took up to two to three days per billing cycle, even with lower revenue volumes.
“Before any kind of billing platform, it was chaos, really. It’s all that manual process and manual work every month,” says Harry Edwards, CEO of Focus IT. The new PSA platform, HaloPSA, highlighted the opportunity for a more streamlined approach. “Prior to using Datagate, the system was very manual. We’d create the bills, then we’d export them to a CSV,” Edwards explains.
To better align with their growth and improve efficiency, Focus IT sought a solution that would integrate billing with HaloPSA, reduce manual work, and scale with their operations.
A Game-Changer for Focus IT: The New Billing Solution
Focus IT aimed to enhance their billing efficiency and found a solution in Datagate’s telecom billing software.
Harry Edwards noted the immediate benefits: “Time’s the most significant thing. And ease as well. Just the ease of using it compared to whatever it was we were using before that, I now can’t remember because it feels like a bad dream, to be fair.”
Datagate’s integration with HaloPSA and Xero streamlined Focus IT’s billing operations by automating data flow and reducing manual entry. Edwards remarked, “There were so many more steps to the process than there are now. It’s certainly easier these days with Datagate than when I first started doing it out of spreadsheets and trying to do it myself with CSV.”
The implementation was smooth, with Datagate effectively syncing with Focus IT’s HaloPSA system, which resolved the issues of manual data handling and double-entry. Edwards highlighted, “It just makes everything easier because you’re not having to do double-entry on things. You can change your primary email and then it syncs from each system. It just makes the admin a lot easier.”
The support provided by Datagate was also notable: “The support’s great, you know, it’s quick. You can always get somebody if you need. It’s always dealt with in a timely fashion,” Edwards added.
Key Results Achieved
After implementing Datagate, Focus IT saw notable improvements in billing efficiency. Billing time was cut from two to three days to just half a day to a day, even with increased revenue.
“I’d say it was probably two to three days, but bear in mind that at that time we were doing a lot less revenue as well,” Edwards explains. “So now, I’d say it’s probably half a day to a day and we’re probably doing three or four times the amount of revenue than we were at that point on VoIP. I’d say it cut the timing into a third of what it was prior to that. It was messy, to say the least, pre-Datagate.”
The solution also supported long-term scalability. “In terms of scalability, the more revenue doesn’t necessarily mean the more hassle with Datagate,” says Edwards. “It’s not going to add any significant time on if we decided to double down on what we’re doing if we got to that point. And I can’t see it making a significant impact on the operation because of the way the software is and the way it works.”
Additionally, Focus IT saw a rapid return on investment. The reduction in billing time and enhanced efficiency led to significant cost savings, with ROI achieved “easily within the first couple of months of implementation,” according to Edwards.
Focus IT’s Key Takeaways
The implementation of Datagate’s telecom billing solution has transformed Focus IT’s billing operations. By streamlining processes and reducing manual efforts, Focus IT has achieved remarkable improvements in efficiency and scalability.
Edwards praises Datagate’s solution for its balanced approach, stating, “I find that Datagate is a really good balance of that self-service versus bureau. It’s cost-effective, it’s reliable, it’s good support.”
The reduction in billing time and seamless integration with HaloPSA and Xero have been pivotal in managing Focus IT’s growing client base effectively. These enhancements not only addressed their initial challenges but also positioned them for sustained growth and operational excellence.
Ready to elevate your billing operations and drive efficiency like Focus IT? Discover how Datagate can transform your business by scheduling a personalized demo today. Visit www.datagate-i.com to learn more about our solutions and see how we can help you achieve similar results.
