Overview
A family-run plumbing company in Australia, with over 15 years in business, was growing steadily but struggling to manage its internal finances. With a lean team focused mostly on fieldwork and client service, financial recordkeeping, invoicing, and reconciliation became frequent bottlenecks. The owner had relied on a part-time bookkeeper and used desktop-based accounting tools, which limited visibility, created delays, and sometimes led to costly mistakes in payroll and tax filings.
Within six months of outsourcing its bookkeeping operations to an offshore provider, the business achieved over 20% cost savings, enhanced the accuracy of its financial data, and gained better cash flow insights, all without hiring more internal staff.
The Challenge
As with many service-based SMEs, the plumbing company’s team was highly skilled in delivering hands-on services but lacked the time or structure for disciplined financial management. The business operated with a single part-time bookkeeper who managed everything from customer invoicing to payroll summaries to monthly BAS (Business Activity Statement) filings. This created a bottleneck, especially during peak service seasons.
One of the major pain points was invoice follow-up. Technicians would complete a job and record it on paper or mobile notes, but invoices were often sent days later, and payment collection was inconsistent. Bank reconciliations were delayed until month-end, and the business had little visibility into unpaid jobs or pending supplier bills. Additionally, the accounting software being used (a legacy desktop version) made remote access impossible, and the owner frequently had to be in the office just to review the latest figures.
Payroll was another area of concern. With up to 10 subcontractors and casual staff rotating weekly, the business struggled to process wages and superannuation accurately on time, which occasionally led to compliance issues.
The company knew that hiring a full-time finance team would be expensive and still not scalable. They needed a leaner, tech-enabled solution.
The Solution
The plumbing firm decided to outsource its bookkeeping and basic financial operations to a remote, cloud-based team. The transition began with data migration to cloud accounting tools—Xero and Dext (formerly Receipt Bank), which allowed invoices, bills, receipts, and payroll records to be scanned, uploaded, and categorized automatically.
The outsourced team, trained in local compliance and taxation standards, took over day-to-day transaction entry, reconciliation, and reporting. They implemented a weekly workflow with set cutoffs for invoicing, payment reminders, and expense approvals. Payroll and superannuation were prepared and reviewed within 48 hours of receiving timesheets, ensuring compliance and timely wage processing.
Within the first few months, financial operations stabilized. The owner could now access real-time cash flow dashboards from any device, and all pending receivables and payables were visible in a clean weekly summary. Vendor payments were streamlined, and overdue client invoices were automatically followed up by the outsourced team.
Results After 6 Months
|
Metric |
Before Outsourcing |
After Outsourcing |
Improvement |
|
Annual Bookkeeping Cost |
AUD 48,000 |
AUD 38,000 |
🔻 ~21% cost savings |
|
Invoice Turnaround Time |
3–5 days after the job is done |
Within 24 hours |
⏱️ Faster billing cycle |
|
Payroll Accuracy |
~88% |
100% |
✅ Error-free compliance |
|
Bank Reconciliation Lag |
End of the month |
Every 48–72 hours |
🔄 Improved cash visibility |
|
Time Spent on Admin by Owner |
10–12 hrs/week |
< 3 hrs/week |
⏳ 75% time savings |
How TOP Outsourcing Partners Delivers Similar Value
At TOP Outsourcing Partners, we understand the unique pain points faced by trades and service-based businesses. Whether you're a plumbing, HVAC, construction, or electrical contractor, your priority is field performance, not spreadsheets. That’s why we offer dedicated bookkeeping, accounts payable and receivable, and payroll support tailored for SMEs in these sectors.
TOP helps you:
● Automate invoicing and reduce admin delays
● Maintain accurate payroll and tax submissions
● Monitor receivables and vendor bills in real time
● Reduce bookkeeping costs by 20–30%
● Access weekly reconciliations and monthly reports without in-house hires
Our remote finance team ensures that your books are always up to date, your cash flow is under control, and your compliance is airtight—so you can focus on scaling your business, not chasing receipts.
Final Thought
This case shows how a simple shift from part-time, manual bookkeeping to a cloud-based outsourced solution brought both financial clarity and cost savings to a growing service business. By partnering with a reliable provider, the company eliminated inefficiencies and built a finance operation that matched its operational excellence in the field. If you're in a similar stage, TOP Outsourcing Partners can help you get ahead without growing overhead.
