Accounting software industry giant Sage has reignited an ongoing battle with web-based startup KashFlow by actively targeting KashFlow customers in a new marketing campaign.
In an offer on their website, Sage are offering a discount to KashFlow customers if they “trade in” their license to use the web-based software. Other products are also listed such as Quickbooks, IRIS Exchequer and MYOB but KashFlow is the only product listed that is delivered using the disruptive “software-as a-service (“SaaS”) model.
Graeme Edwards, head of commercial marketing for Sage's small business division, said: "We're proud of our software and our services for small business and like any company, we're always keen to attract new customers."
Simon Johnson is the owner of Johnson Technical, a company that uses KashFlow and received the email from Sage offering him the discount. “To go from using KashFlow to using Sage 50 Accounts would be a big step backwards for my company. Sage software seems difficult to use for the non-accountant and doesn’t offer any of the benefits that a web-based like application like KashFlow does.”.
The battle between the two companies started earlier this year when Sage were forced to withdraw Sage Live, their web-based accounting system after KashFlow founder and CEO Duane Jackson blogged about security issues in the Sage Live product. Sage threatened to take legal action against KashFlow and reported the web-based start-up to Trading Standards over price comparisons made on the KashFlow website.
The dispute took a fiery turn when KashFlow ran a promotion offering free software in return for sending them a boxed copy of Sage which they said they’d use to build a huge bonfire. A teaser video on YouTube showing a Sage box going up in flames has been seen by 29,000 viewers and resulted in the Environment Agency threatening KashFlow with a £20k fine if they went ahead with the planned bonfire.
“I’m flattered by the attention we’re getting from Sage” said Jackson, “It’s nice to know they see us as a threat but I’d be very surprised if any of our customers took up their offer”
This Thursday sees the winners announced at the annual Software Satisfaction Awards. The awards are voted on by actual users of the software rather than a panel of judges. Last year KashFlow beat Sage by winning the main Small Business Accounting Software category.
KashFlow is an online tool specifically designed to help owner managers in small businesses manage their accounts. KashFlow's aim is to take the boredom out of managing a company's accounts and to make the day to day tasks easier to achieve so that less small businesses neglect this area.
KashFlow keeps accounts management simple: it requires no installation, software training or prior knowledge of accountancy.
All users benefit from a free, no obligation 60-day trial. The monthly subscription price is £15.99 a month - including free support and upgrades.
For further editorial information, contact:
Dominique Gillespie
PR Manager
dom@kashflow.co.uk; 020 7403 0101
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In June 2008, KashFlow became the first accounting software package to be certified by PayPal for integration with its payment platform. PayPal and KashFlow now work in partnership to provide a seamless, end-to-end, payment processing and accounting system.
In October 2008 KashFlow won a Business Software Satisfaction award, judged entirely by customer feedback, for the category of small business accounting - beating the likes of Sage 50, Quickbooks Pro and MYOB. Statistics revealed by the awards organisers show that KashFlow has a 70% share of the web-based accounting software market in the UK.
KashFlow has received two rounds of venture capital funding from their now chairman, Lord Young of Graffham. Lord Young is a former Secretary of State for Trade & Industry and ex Chairman of Cable and Wireless.
KashFlow is simple to operate, with users instinctively knowing where to click to perform almost any accountancy task.
Owner managers are able to effectively manage their accounts with no need for software training or prior knowledge of accountancy.
KashFlow has been featured in the likes of the Financial Times, Daily Mail, The Daily Telegraph, The Mail on Sunday, BBC Radio and all the leading accounting titles.
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