The following SMART 100 profile and the information it contains is a duplication of content submitted by the applicant during the entry process. As a function of entry, applicants were required to declare that all details are factually correct, do not infringe on another’s intellectual property and are not unlawful, threatening, defamatory, invasive of privacy, obscene, or otherwise objectionable. Some profiles have been edited for reasons of space and clarity. More about the SMART 100.
This innovation initially came to life when…
Invoiceplace was born from the frustration of staying up late to create and send invoices. It was too much of a hassle and was something that ended up being put off, which is potentially disastrous for the cashflow of any business. This grew into a mission to provide a robust and professional online quoting and invoicing service, without being complex and intimidating. Invoiceplace is now used worldwide to help small businesses do what they do best and grow their business.
WHAT & HOW
The purpose of this innovation is to…
Provide an easy to use, always available multi-currency invoicing and quoting service to help small business worldwide to take control of their billing.
It does this by…
Being a web-based service that doesn’t need any software downloaded or install, has minimal configuration and doesn’t chain people to a single computer. Invoiceplace allows users to quickly manage their billing at home, the office, or out on the road.
PURPOSE & BENEFITS
This innovation improves on what came before because…
This innovation takes advantage of the near ubiquitous internet access available in many countries, shifting many services to an always available ‘on-tap’ offering. This allows small businesses to direct more time and resources to their core expertise and not struggle with getting computers and networks set up. Invoiceplace also provides strong multi-currency support to provide a simple solution for cross-country transactions.
Its various benefits to the customer/end-user include…
The benefits are that customers can take control of their invoicing and quoting from any computer connected to the internet, using a service streamlined for efficiency.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
In the past, this problem was solved by…
This was solved by desktop accounting and invoicing software, which keeps the state of the company’s finances locked in one computer. Other customers have used documents or spreadsheets to send invoices, which leaves a lot of manual work required and is very difficult to get a picture of the cashflow and which customers are overdue for payment.
Its predecessors/competitors include…
Microsoft Office predominately for those using manual templates, and a myriad of desktop invoicing and accounting software packages.
TARGET MARKET
It is made for…
Small businesses, consultants and contractors who don’t have the luxury of an accounts department and must face up to staying on top of a seemingly insurmountable mountain of invoices and keep track of payments received. Companies can use Invoiceplace to bill in multiple currencies (particularly in Europe). The multi-currency support empowers freelancer to build their business worldwide. Businesses that have multiple offices take advantage of Invoiceplace to provide a ready-to-go billing solution.
DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY
It is available for sale through…
Online with affordable monthly and yearly subscriptions facilitated by the Australian made payments provider Paymate and also by Paypal.
Our marketing strategy is to…
The marketing strategy is predominately online. The key strategy is to provide an outstanding product and outstanding customer service that is responsive to customer feedback.
SUPPORTING IMAGES AND/OR VIDEO
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS INNOVATION
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To check out the Anthill SMART 100 Readers’ Choice winner for 2010, click here.
