Tell us the basics: Who are you, what’s your company’s name and how long have you been at this company?
My name is Andrea Lilly, and I’m a Richmond native. I work for a bookkeeping and bill-paying company called NET 30 Inc., handling new business development. I’ve enjoyed working for NET 30 for the past six years.
How did you get into the business?
A good friend, Tim McCabe of McCabe Studio, introduced me to NET 30.
What sort of clients do you serve? What do you do for them?
We serve many types of clients. NET 30 started in 1987 serving individual, senior clients and families that found themselves with no time to pay bills. Remember, this was before online bill paying. Believe it or not, we still have clients today who are too busy to pay bills and just find that online bill-paying is not for them.
Today, we also focus on small businesses and non-profits by helping them outsource their bookkeeping needs. We handle bill-paying and invoicing, as well as making sure the chart of accounts makes sense for their business. We also act as payroll coordinators and provide financial reporting: profit/loss statements, balance sheets and reconciled bank statements. Our service lets the business owner concentrate on applying his skills to grow the business while NET 30 takes care of bookkeeping.
What’s a lesson you’ve learned during the recession?
People still need help with their finances, whether they are individuals or businesses. We are able to help small businesses save money by outsourcing their bookkeeping. Especially if they find themselves in a downsizing mode or their bookkeeper is leaving, we are able to save them that position’s salary. The bottom line in today’s economy is look for ways to save money, and that’s what we are able to do.
We have 23 years of experience. Our customer base grew in 2010, and the trend continues in 2011.
How do you separate yourself from the competition? What’s the thing that makes people pick NET 30?
We are a small business, with a staff of eight bookkeepers with years of bookkeeping experience, supervised by a CPA. We write checks for our customers. This gives us the ability to manage client’s cash flow — an important aspect of anyone’s business. We listen to our clients’ needs and address those issues.
Our work schedule is 8 to 5, Monday to Friday, and we answer the phone. NO VOICEMAIL! We care, and I think people see that in our business operation.
Is there a secret to your personal success? Perhaps a piece of advice you’ve always remembered?
Always be yourself, know who you are and the big one: treat others as you want to be treated.
What’s coming up in the next year for you and your company? What about in the next five years?
We see smaller organizations outsourcing more functions. We believe that the business, practitioner and non-profit should concentrate on managing and achieving their objectives. It’s probably not very productive to spend precious time on bookkeeping that can be outsourced economically to NET 30.
What at your business is the most effective way to connect with customers?
We have a great circle of influence: CPAs, financial planners, bankers, small business attorneys, organizers and in-home caregivers. Face to face is the best way to connect with potential clients. We also use social media. NET 30 publishes a monthly e-newsletter where we highlight one client each month; we also provide a helpful blog and tips for the month.
What’s the part of your job you dread the most?
Cold-calling is not one of my favorite things to do, but I love networking, meeting people and sharing the NET 30 story.
What’s the part of your job that excites you the most, the thing that makes you want to hurry to work?
Helping people and finding the right solution for their particular bookkeeping needs.