The Annual Summit was held recently and our members attended a day that was packed with insightful sessions and interesting speakers covering the current issues affecting the software industry and its customers.
Sessions included Making Tax Digital, with speakers from HMRC, together with debates around topical issues including Talent Sourcing & Retention, Cyber Security, Privacy and Data Protection, Financial Fraud and more.
The Summit also provided an opportunity for the Special Interest Groups (SIGs) to update members on key milestones during the last 12 months and what future topics are being championed by BASDA on your behalf.
Accountants in Practice SIG
This SIG has played an influential role with HMRC in delaying the implementation of Making Tax Digital. The focus is now on Making Tax Digital for VAT and BASDA is fully engaged with members to ensure their feedback is listened to and shapes the way forward before it becomes mandatory for businesses with a turnover above the VAT threshold (currently £85,000) in April 2019.
We continue to engage with the Financial Reporting Council to ensure the implementation of accounting standards and codes of practice is embedded and understood by all our members.
Payroll Pension and HR SIG
This active SIG has a number of initiatives currently running. It is closely engaged with HRMC in the development of PAYE APIs as part of the Digital Strategy.
It is also closely monitoring the Tax Free Childcare programme to ensure there is no detrimental effect on payroll systems. There are still many challenges for software developers to obtain detailed guidance on Gender Pay Gap reporting and we are engaging on behalf of our members to understand the impact.
A key challenge for our members is Auto Enrolment and our engagement with Department for Work and Pensions and The Pensions Regulator continues to influence with particular emphasis on phasing of contributions. Our involvement in shaping and influencing the regulations for new employers post October 2017 and the increases to minimum contribution levels in April 2018 and April 2019 continues.
Construction SIG
A number of key initiatives are the focus for this SIG group. BASDA submitted a formal consultation response in June 2017 to the Reverse Charge VAT for the construction industry, opposing the proposal but also suggesting how the adverse effects of implementing such a proposal could best be mitigated.
The Chairman of the Construction SIG acts as the BASDA representative on the CIS Operational Forum where the operation of the scheme and the impact of change is discussed. At these meetings the priority is to understand the scheme fully and to ensure that any software changes that may impact our members are highlighted and fully considered.
Interoperability & Standards SIG
This SIG is actively lobbying with the highest levels in Government, and other regulated and trade bodies, in the agreement of eBusiness protocols, interoperability and standards. The chart below illustrates the various initiatives that this SIG is championing for members and the levels of engagement with key parties as the voice of our members.
Marketing SIG
With a keen focus on the regulatory requirements, the Marketing SIG will be sharing best practice and innovative methodology enabling member companies develop their in-house marketing skills in this competitive industry.
Future initiatives and topics include:
- Webinar on GDPR and Data Privacy
- The advantages of Account Based Marketing (ABM)
- Effective content based Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) techniques
- A guide to automated and triggered B2B email campaigning
- The value and role of public relations
- How social media affects B2B firms’ intelligence gathering and marketing
- Effective techniques for telesales based lead generation
- Creating compelling software demonstration films o Using customer evidence to write effective award nominations
- Making B2B event marketing work for your business
- Key techniques for measuring and reporting marketing ROI
Software Selection Guide
Over 10 years ago BASDA launched a Software Selection Guide to support members with their customer procurement process when selecting software. This provided invaluable advice and guidance to our members. With the change in regulations and procurement models over time we will be updating and revising this Guide with the aim to provide advice on how to run an efficient procurement process so purchasers buy the system which meets their real business objectives. The benefits of this will be:
- Target audience will be software purchasers (your potential customers!)
- Useful piece of collateral to give to prospects
- Helps our members become trusted advisors
- Will help streamline the procurement process from the buyer and seller sides
Whilst this is written by BASDA our member input is imperative. Please contact info@basda.org to provide your experiences and advice to purchasers which can be included in the content, as appropriate.
There will be an opportunity for members to brand this document as their own collateral and further information on this will be emailed to you directly.
If you would like to be actively involved with any of the SIG groups please contact info@basda.org.