Averroes Design Ltd is an all in one service marketing agency in the UK. They offer a diverse range of services such as design, print and new media. They deal with clients of all sizes from small enterprises to large multiples with a global presence. Adil Khan launched the business in 2009 and has since expanded his business so much so that they have grown out of their current premises. During the infancy of his business, Mr Khan made one of his first purchases that would play a great significance to the structure of Averroes Design Ltd. He purchased at the time, the latest version of Billings and has since upgraded accumulatively to the current and latest version of Billings Pro.
We recently interviewed Adil to learn a little more about his business and how Billings Pro has played a role in the success of his marketing agency.
How has your team grown since you first started?
Adil: I launched Averroes Design Ltd in 2009 with savings I had accumulated through my working life. Due to growing demand for our services, within the first year we had become a team of two. This progression has continued today and Averroes Design Ltd has blossomed into a small workforce of 5 permanent members of staff and 8 additional contractors. We are the perfect example of “small people doing big things”.
What are your favorite kind of projects to work on?
Adil: We don’t really have a favorite project, as we love what we do. We have a great passion for design and gain great satisfaction in our field of expertise. Of course we all have personal preferences in which jobs give us that extra kick however the main thing we love is the diversity in the type of work we do. There is no typical day at Averroes Design Ltd as one day we may be working on branding for a new enterprise and the next day we may be working on 3D visuals for a diner in need of refurbishment.
What would you say is the key to good design?
Adil: The key to good design is understanding the client requirements. We have all been guilty of producing wonderful works of art yet miles off from what the client really wanted, resulting in the designs becoming redundant. Having said that, it does not necessarily mean the client is always right either. This is where Averroes Design Ltd has differed in that we offer our clients guidance in situations where they have incorrect, stubborn views. Although we provide consultancy, offering a fair share of knowledge as best as we can, it is ultimately the client who makes the final decision. Understanding this decision and providing a solution to it is what results in a good design as your work is only as good as how well the client perceives it. It is all a great big recipe. You could go to whichever restaurant you want however what makes some chefs dishes nicer than other is how well they put the ingredients together.
Why did you try Billings?
Adil: I was in need of an invoicing system for my new business however this wasn’t a straight forward task. There were many systems available at the time however not many were good enough or compatible on Mac Operating Systems. I was also very particular in how our invoices looked once produced. Following some research we found Billings available in the App Store. It was an instant hit as not only did Billings show off great features but also possess a fairly sophisticated yet easy to use template customizer. For this purpose Billings and especially Billings Pro have been perfect for our business as our accounting needs are fairly simple and this system offers so much more yet fool proof to use.
What difference has Billings Pro made in your business?
Adil: I upgraded to Billings Pro over a year ago. I am often travelling abroad and need access to my invoicing system with real time updates through a Cloud system. Following a brief conversation with the amazing team from Marketcircle, upgrading to Billings Pro was a no-brainer. I now have access to Billings Pro all the time on many devices such as my iPhone 6, MacBook Pro and Mac Pro. If I am on a different machine, all I have to do is simply download the app and log in. No need for backups and transfer of entries.
How does Billings Pro help you on the go?
Adil: I use Billings Pro on the go to send invoices, reminders and often retrieve previously sent invoices/estimates. Life can be very random yet spontaneous especially for businessmen like myself, thus I need to have provisions in place for situations like these. I often have clients or employees contacting me whilst on the go and need to refer back to a diverse range of information to cross-reference. With Billings Pro and its Cloud backend, I can do this without any problems.
What are some of your favourite features in Billings Pro?
Adil: My favorite feature of Billings Pro is the report section as it is remarkably sophisticated for the information it collects. I also like the whole idea of how customizable the layouts and previews are.
How has Billings Pro overall helped your business?
Adil: Billings Pro has helped my business a great deal without breaking the bank balance. It is an amazing tool that has made my life easier. It is extremely easy to use and there is no complex jargon involved. I also have great satisfaction in using the system, as it is quite diverse in customizing and most importantly, Billings Pro has helped us manage our cash flow and general finances more efficiently since its inception.
How has your experience been with Marketcircle support?
Adil: The support provided by Marketcircle has been unmatched to date. During my trial of Billings Pro, I had some teething problems which Marketcircle solved by going beyond the call of duty. Nothing can surpass one-on-one support.
