The Company
Richard E. Bateman has run Bateman Accounting & Financial Services in Bourbonnais, Illinois since 1983. The three-person firm offers a wide range of services, including tax preparation, financial consulting, insurance and annuity expertise, and retirement planning.
Chandria Morgan has served as Office Manager and Staff Member at Bateman Accounting since November 2021. She previously worked for a larger accounting firm in downtown Chicago but has known Mr. Bateman for years.
The Challenge
Although Morgan doesn’t have an IT background, her experiences with former employers enabled her to learn what kind of technology a firm needs to operate safely and efficiently.
“In working with IT staff in prior years, a lot of what I learned about computers and security was something I realized we needed here,” she says.
The firm’s “network” was on a single computer and required upgrading. Over time, the firm’s portal provider was incapable of maintaining the level of protection required for the size of Bateman’s client base. The portal provider was also not forthcoming with update notifications. The firm wasn’t saving money either because the software was expensive, according to Morgan.
Morgan sums up the situation succinctly: “To say the least, the portal provider had lost my trust, and we were in need of help.”
The Solution
After responding to an email, Morgan started working with Terri Blattenbauer, Account Executive for CPA Solutions at Rightworks. The Rightworks team turned the firm’s situation around completely. Bateman Accounting was already a heavy user of Drake tax software. Morgan explained Mr. Bateman’s vision for the firm: “His desire was to have a Drake umbrella, and everything fall under it.”
With Rightworks, Mr. Bateman saw his vision become reality. The firm moved its data out of its local network computer and into the Rightworks cloud, where Drake applications run. Bateman Accounting also ditched its unreliable portal vendor and switched to a Rightworks portal.
“We have all of our data in the cloud securely,” Morgan says. “All of it. Just logging into one place where everything is has been amazing.”
Bateman Accounting also began managing cybersecurity by adopting Rightworks Managed Security. The firm protects its work computers with the Secure Workstation managed offering and relies on the security expertise of Rightworks experts to keep its data safe.
“I love the fact that we know we are secure,” Morgan says. “It is so nice knowing that everything is there and secure.”
Why Rightworks?
From the beginning, Morgan says, Rightworks offered excellent support. She offers high praise for Blattenbauer, whom she credits with a painless transition to the cloud. Within a couple of months, Bateman Accounting was up and running in the cloud and enjoying managed security.
“It was seamless,” Morgan says. “When the Rightworks team would call during the migration, they’d ask us to check with our IT person. I’d immediately start laughing because it was me. But I’m not an IT person. That’s not my profession.”
Her limited IT expertise wasn’t an issue. The Rightworks team eased Bateman Accounting into the cloud.
“The communication level, everything about the transition was top notch from start to finish,” Morgan states. “The people at Rightworks walked me through what I needed to do. It was amazing. I learned so much from them. They were so kind and personable and friendly. I tie that into Terri. I feel like I’ve known her all my life.”
And Rightworks continues to be a resource for Morgan and Bateman Accounting. “I am responsible for as much as I need to be,” Morgan says, “but when it’s outside of my scope, I need help. I know I can reach out to Rightworks.”
The Impact
Bateman Accounting now has easy access to client data, strong cybersecurity and the ability to communicate electronically with clients through a reliable portal. All of that has led to a better work experience for the firm’s employees.
“I want our staff to have a healthy and happy work life. This is a tremendous help,” asserts Morgan.
Clients love the cloud as well.
“The portal is a huge asset. We have clients out of state. They can upload and download information and e-sign documents. We can upload clients’ tax returns. We do more electronic activity now than we have in years past, and clients find it extremely convenient. They have provided several compliments during this 2022 tax season. They appreciate the ease of it.”
But perhaps the greatest benefit has been peace of mind, particularly for Mr. Bateman, the firm’s founder and owner. Morgan has immense respect for Mr. Bateman and is thrilled to see him happy.
“He is no longer concerned about the required level of software security for the firm. With Rightworks, we were able to fulfill our needs for what Mr. Bateman had wanted to be done for years. The cloud has been literally a life changer for our office and is a way of life now.”