Xerocon 2016

Xerocon 2016

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Just seen some adverts for Xerocon 2016.

I have seen posts from others who seem to indicate that its a good event and worth going to.

But is it really on for 3 days? or if you attend one of  the days is that sufficient

as cannot what you would go through that would take 3 days unless I am missing something.

I am looking to push my numbers of Xero users up next year now that I am happier with the offering

I have put together.

Is this worth going to as I have not been before.

Replies (40)

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By Cloudcounter
02nd Nov 2015 13:39

2 days

The main event is for two days, although there is a drinks reception on the evening before Day 1.  I think that there might be a few optional events such a certification training on that day as well but they aren't part of the conference.

The Xerocon website is big on selling tickets but short on detail of what's in the programme, but based on last year it will be a mix of Xero speakers and external speakers, some of whom were interesting and some weren't.

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By exceljockey
02nd Nov 2015 15:11

I went last year

And recommend going if you are interested in building a Xero based practice. It was interesting and gave me ideas for my business. 

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By stratty
02nd Nov 2015 15:15

Pricey

Cost is comparable with a ticket to Glastonbury.

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Replying to the_drookit_dug:
Glenn Martin
By Glenn Martin
02nd Nov 2015 15:26

Yes it will be expensive for me

stratty wrote:

Cost is comparable with a ticket to Glastonbury.

by the time I have tagged a few nights hotel stay, train tickets plus some flash money

for Stringfellows.

So when it says 8th - 10th the 8th is simply a drinks reception and the business

happens on 9th and 10th.

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By Cloudcounter
02nd Nov 2015 16:41

This year they've bumped up the price and included the Awards Dinner which you apparently have to pay for if you are going or not.

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Glenn Martin
By Glenn Martin
02nd Nov 2015 17:04

The Advert for it

is quite poor with limited information on it.

I am not that fussed about an award side of it.

Just had a look at hotels, no wonder I dont visit "that London" very often.

I bet Lenny Henry couldn't get a cheap room if he was going.

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AshTag86
By Ash_D86
26th Nov 2015 10:46

Xerocon Agenda

Hey all

Just to let you know that the Xerocon agenda has been added to the website over the past couple of days if you did want some more information about what's happening.

To clarify the main conference is two days 9th & 10th.

Please take a look here

Thanks

Ashley Driver
Education Specialist, Xero
@Ashtag_86 @Xero

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By Cloudcounter
26th Nov 2015 12:04

Dinner

I take it that it's still not possible to buy a ticket without having to pay for the dinner on the Tuesday night?

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AshTag86
By Ash_D86
26th Nov 2015 12:11

Awards Dinner

@Cloudcounter - that's correct - the awards dinner is all built into the total ticket cost. There isn't the option to remove this from the ticket price.

Ashley Driver
Education Specialist, Xero
@Ashtag_86 @Xero 

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By Cloudcounter
26th Nov 2015 13:39

That's why

I'm not going.

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By Mouse house
26th Nov 2015 14:15

Undecided

It does seem expensive, especially if you only want to go for one day (as I do), so I am undecided whether to book or not. I already pay Xero several thousand £££ a year for our clients' Xero subscriptions, maybe it should be free for Xero partners....

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Jessica Pillow
By Jessica Pillow
27th Nov 2015 23:45

Best conference of the year by far!

Xerocon is a fabulous way to meet lots of add-ons partners and forward looking accountants, happy to share ideas, all in one place.  It`s must attend event in my opinion if you want to keep up with the latest trends and technology in the accounting world.  Plus it`s great fun too!  Hotels don`t have to cost the earth - travelodge isn`t too bad, or wasn't if you booked your room quick enough!

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By marks
28th Nov 2015 05:02

as said about

We use Xero at the moment as our cloud solution and recommend Xero to all existing or new clients looking for a cloud option. (most of them dont even know this is what they are looking for but we can show them that it is).

We are currently a silver partner well on the way to being a gold partner and pay Xero thousands £s per year for clients who have come to us looking for an accounts software recommendation rather than clients asking do we use Xero as that is what they would like to use.  Most clients take our advice as to what is best for them as we are the experts.

I was always told by an old boss it is easier and cheaper to sell more services to an existing client than to a new one.

Xero should look after their current account partners and make sure they are happy as these are the people they need on board to grow their business and reach their target as being the largest accounts package used in the UK.

By all means charge for those who arent partners and want to learn about Xero to attend but those who have already bought into Xero and looking to move more of their existing and new clients onto Xero plus potentially their add on partners systems should be able to attend the event free of charge.

Perhaps it is time to start looking at other providers such as Freeagent, Kashflow, Clearbooks, Quickbooks as it is slowly seeming like Xero is turning into the cash cow that SAGE had operated like for many years and fleecing clients wherever they can.

I would have been interested in going as always like to know latest developments but with flights, accommodation, airport parking and the ticket for the 2 days (including a dinner and awards ceremory I have no interest in attending) think will stick with Xero U and TV. 

By all means Xero, pat your favoured clients on the back and give high 5 all round, but dont force it on those who just want to know the latest developments and how we help our clients going forward.

Xero growth going forward is dependent on keeping partners on side as if they leave they will take their clients with them.  If I decided to move to another provider tomorrow then i believe over 90% of our current clients using Xero would likely be happy to move as well.

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Man of Kent
By Kent accountant
28th Nov 2015 10:30

Disillusioned?

It seems strange that Xero would deliberately try and alienate existing users and long time partners and customers.

@Cloudcounter - I know you adopted Xero early on and have attended Xerocon in the past, so it seems strange that you would be 'forced' to go to the awards dinner when you don't want to.

I've resisted going to Xerocon in the past, although have thought about, but the forced dinner is a definite put off. The idea of being surrounded by add on partners desperate to sell their wares (all the cold calls are bad enough) would get my back up straight away.

Sorry Xero this is not good practice - listen to your partners and customers!

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By petersaxton
28th Nov 2015 10:55

Awards ceremony

Does anybody, other than the few people who enter and get nominated, have any interest in them?

They can say they are an "award winning" practice without revealing they are the only one who entered.

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Replying to barberbuzz:
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By Cloudcounter
28th Nov 2015 11:43

Awards

petersaxton wrote:

Does anybody, other than the few people who enter and get nominated, have any interest in them?

They can say they are an "award winning" practice without revealing they are the only one who entered.

My thoughts exactly.  Tedious at best, nauseating at worst.

I actually don't have a problem with the basic cost of Xerocon, even as a partner.  For a two day event the ticket price last year was peanuts compared with any other two day event.  I do object to being forced to pay for an event that I wouldn't attend if you paid me to.  Quite simply I will not attend as long as this policy remains in place

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Replying to jonharris999:
Locutus of Borg
By Locutus
28th Nov 2015 12:26

Agree

Cloudcounter wrote:

petersaxton wrote:

Does anybody, other than the few people who enter and get nominated, have any interest in them?

They can say they are an "award winning" practice without revealing they are the only one who entered.

My thoughts exactly.  Tedious at best, nauseating at worst.

I actually don't have a problem with the basic cost of Xerocon, even as a partner.  For a two day event the ticket price last year was peanuts compared with any other two day event.  I do object to being forced to pay for an event that I wouldn't attend if you paid me to.  Quite simply I will not attend as long as this policy remains in place

I last went to Xerocon in September 2013 but did not pay the extra to go to the evening dinner as it is of zero (or should that be Xero?) interest to me.

I thought the whole event that I went to last time was generally interesting but a bit pricey and over the top (a number of people were flown over from NZ and there was a full time audio visual crew at the back recording every utterance on the stage).

I went to IrisWorld in September 2015 which was pitched about right. It was a free one day event, but at the same time slick and professional.

I object to having to pay for the ego trip that the masters in NZ get out of it and won't be going.

As with all of these things, you have to ask whether going to such an event is a good use of your time. It may count as CPD, but then again you still have to spend your time doing "proper" CPD as well.

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Replying to barberbuzz:
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By marks
28th Nov 2015 12:51

agree with

petersaxton wrote:

Does anybody, other than the few people who enter and get nominated, have any interest in them?

They can say they are an "award winning" practice without revealing they are the only one who entered.

As with any awards ceremory whether it be british accountancy awards or any local business awards, of which there are few local to me, all the firms that are nominated do so by self nomination and usually have to complete an application to justify why they should win.

Personally I see awards ceremonies such as these as nothing more than an ego trip for the owners and some free publicity.

I would rather spend my time servicing my clients as best I can and looking to gain future business rather than try to win an awards ceremory.

The best award I get is when a client come back to me and says "thanks very much for .........".

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Glenn Martin
By Glenn Martin
28th Nov 2015 19:07

I'm undecided now.
If I wanted to see the add ons for Xero they are all available at Accountex which is FOC.
And everyone else is there also.

I had thought that there was a lot to gleamed from the Xero people about how to grow
Your practice and push the Xero based service

If it's just a sales pitch by others than its not so appealing. I have looked at rooms and I can get something reasonable but it's still best part of £800 to attend without including the 2/3 days out of the office I would lose.

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By petersaxton
28th Nov 2015 20:56

Save your money for the Digita conference

It's about half the price and you will learn a lot - although you will be shattered afterwards.

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Glenn Martin
By Glenn Martin
28th Nov 2015 21:33

Synergy is privy also
Is it not £150 per day for the event plus a similar amount if you want to stay in the hotel that's hosting it. So will still cost £700/£800 as well to attend plus a bit busier in May so not sure about that one although I did enjoy the single day event last year as they held a northern one which was just an hours drive away.

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Replying to unearned luck:
By petersaxton
28th Nov 2015 21:53

A lot cheaper

Glennzy wrote:
Is it not £150 per day for the event plus a similar amount if you want to stay in the hotel that's hosting it. So will still cost £700/£800 as well to attend plus a bit busier in May so not sure about that one although I did enjoy the single day event last year as they held a northern one which was just an hours drive away.

Didn't you get the email?

2 day pass £168

accommodation £135

Total £303

That's a lot less than £700/£800

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Glenn Martin
By Glenn Martin
28th Nov 2015 22:21

Must of miss read it
I thought it was £168 per day and £135 per night in hotel.

I would probably need to stay for 2 nights if it's an early start on the morning as would take a while to get there as would probably drive unless train is nearby

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Jessica Pillow
By Jessica Pillow
29th Nov 2015 09:42

Digita's great too but it's not the same

Yes I wouldn't argue that the Digita conference is excellent and I`m very pleased to see its return this year.  However, the Digita conference is really more about the internal running of your practice and how to be more efficient and manage it better.  Obviously an extremely important element of running an accountancy practice so I`ll be taking along 3 members of staff to ensure we`re making the most of Digita's software.

However, Xerocon is learning about technology that will help your clients.  It will give you access to software which will allow your clients to manage their businesses better and make them more efficient.  In my opinion, this is why Xerocon is so different from the other conferences. 

My clients seem to want business advice from my practice more and more as well as the compliance work completed efficiently.  Xerocon is one of my main sources for getting this business advice (particularly business systems improvement ideas) which mostly comes from listening to the spiels of the add-on partners and working out how that software may, or may not, help my clients.

The evening event at Xero is the best party of year in my opinion but of course you don`t have to come along.  However, part of Xero's aims as I understand it, is to great a strong group of Xero partners who share ideas and work together, particularly through the myriad of add-ons available.   You will only get the benefit of this culture if you take the time to meet and get to know other Xero partners and the evening event is the perfect setting for this as well as obviously the breaks between daytime sessions too.

Xero like to do things differently which is how they have created their great product.  So why not run with it this year and then give them feedback after the event if you really did not find the evening event of any value to you?  Xero do listen to their partners so if we collectively don`t like the new format, I know that they will change it for next year.

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By petersaxton
29th Nov 2015 10:07

Are you sure?

"The evening event at Xero is the best party of year"

I don't really go to parties now but thinking back to some of the parties I have attended I would be surprised if Xero got anywhere near them.

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FT
By FirstTab
29th Nov 2015 14:30

"Xero do listen to their partners"

That depends on who the Partner is and how much dosh that partner brings. Higher the dosh more the influence. You clearly have influence with Xero pillowmay. You are Xero's PR and marketing function dream customer. 

What you are saying is giving away your hard earned  money this year - it is okay because it is lovely and cuddly Xero? With me - tight FT, it will not happen. It would not happen even if the ticket was £50. In fact, they should give me a decent incentive to give up my time to see them. Saying because we are beautiful accounting software and we are so cool! Does not cut with me. 

They are getting more than enough from me. They are so many other ways to find out about add on partners rather than going through Xero promotion (yawn) days with the odd CPD thrown in. 

If business aliens landed on planet earth, they would think this is madness. You pay to hear how good a product is and what new products will be coming out. You then pay to hear how well your peers have done. What a good way to have a money printing machine. For me, just go away Xero! 

Xero is not Apple! As you know, it is not a consumer product. 

 

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Locutus of Borg
By Locutus
29th Nov 2015 15:13

Is Xero turning into a cult?
I think Xero's (somewhat expensive) bookkeeping software is mostly good ... not beautiful (as claimed) or life changing, just good. How it compares in functionality to all of the others, I don't know, as I've not researched all of the others. On the other hand, I think Xero payroll (the big announcement at the 2015 Xerocon) is sub-standard. I also tried Xero work-papers a while back and found it cumbersome and restraint and quickly went back to spreadsheet schedules.

What I don't get is the happy-clappy "hey dude, this is the best thing in my life" feeling and all of the hype around it. When I went to Xerocon in September 2013, there was a speaker who had entirely moved their practice to Xero and turned away any clients who didn't join them. I agree with FirstTab that it seemed very much like Xero are trying to emulate Apple - not necessarily a bad goal, but Xero ain't Apple nor is it anywhere close.

I just don't understand the devotion from some of the followers and it is almost starting to sound like a cult (like Scientology ... or AVN?!?) where you pay ever increasing amounts for further enlightenment to be revealed.

I suppose like all spiritual matters, it comes down to how much you want to believe in the central message.

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By petersaxton
29th Nov 2015 16:49

Some people are influenced by the happy clappy

and others are not.

Some people need to be part of something to give them reassurance.

Obviously FT isn't in that mold but he takes it too far. He thinks that anything called a conference must be full of bullshit. On the whole he may be right. But why not talk to people who have been to Digita conferences and talk to Digita people and ask direct questions. I'm sure you can see through any bullshit. It's better than making your mind up without any knowledge. Isn't that what the happy clappy people do?

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Replying to bernard michael:
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By chatman
01st Dec 2015 14:19

.

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Glenn Martin
By Glenn Martin
29th Nov 2015 17:56

@pillowmay
You have raised the bar with the "best party of the year line"

As someone who has spent the last 15 years advising/ working as an FD to some of the best bars and night clubs in North of England I have been to some good parties.

I doubt if a room full of accountants is likely to be up there on the party scene mind so you are over selling it.

With regards to Xero it is good but not head and shoulders better than the rest, it's now just a lot bigger and shouts a lot, to the point where you cannot afford to sit outside of the Xero camp.

As said above it does the job to certain size/ type of client but I don't get the buzz that some do from it.
I had thought at some point the penny would drop and I would get it.

I have seen people though who do properly gush about it and now enjoy doing their bookkeeping whereas they saw it as a chore before.

I am to polish my dancing trotters for this party - Ha Ha

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FT
By FirstTab
29th Nov 2015 21:25

How about changing the game?

How about changing the game Xero? Attendees only pay an amount equivalent to value they have gained out of the conference? This will show Xero thinks in a different way and it is so damn cool. 

 

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Man of Kent
By Kent accountant
29th Nov 2015 21:40

@Locutus

Who is Xero's Jim Jones?

Doesn't sound like you'll be drinking toe Kool-Aid ;o)

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By Tim Vane
29th Nov 2015 22:32

I think all this cult happy-clappy stuff is essentially an antipodean thing, so has more to do with Xero's NZ culture than anything particularly special about the software. The evangelical accountant experience is definitely something that was imported from down under. It started in the 80's and 90's with the likes of the "Accountant's Boot Camp", and has now taken root in various forms. The influence can be seen in events such as AWeb's very own Practice Excellence Awards, which this year officially exhalted Paul Dunn as its godfather in chief.

I think the majority of us reserved english accountants find it all rather vulgar and distasteful, and for many of the rest (for I would never accuse FT of being reserved) it is simply that they cannot see any value recouped for the money that would be spent.

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Locutus of Borg
By Locutus
29th Nov 2015 22:43

@ Kent accountant

I guess Rod Drury is Xero's Grand Wizard.

https://www.xero.com/uk/about/team/

I've never been a fan of Kool-Aid, especially if it is laced with cyanide.

Maybe that's why the Awards Dinner is included in the price this year!?!

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By petersaxton
30th Nov 2015 09:38

Crazy guys

The last thing Xero is going to do is kill off the mugs who attend each year.

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By cheekychappy
30th Nov 2015 10:10

Having to pay for something you won’t attend; truly putting the con in Xerocon.

If I had a large practice where I could delegate my work and the cost would be less significant, I would probably go. As a sole practitioner, the value from the event doesn’t come close to the time and cost of attendance.

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By PracticePartner
30th Nov 2015 10:12

Xero Con

Accountants are a core sales channel for Xero. Why should we pay to attend an event which is aimed at making us more successful Xero sales channels. Yes, their success means our success and all that but it doesn't work for me on principal.

I might yet make it to one of ClearBooks' free drinks events though.

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By chatman
01st Dec 2015 14:14

What were they thinking?

You have to ask yourself what they were thinking when they called in Xerocon. Someone in the marketing department must have been sacked by now.

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By elliesch
17th Dec 2015 16:42

Putting the Con into Xero

Just adding my voice to the discontent at XeroCon including a charge for an awards dinner in the basic price. 

When I queried the cost of the event with Xero I was told that they'd had a lot of feedback that that was what the delegates wanted. Really? I have yet to speak to an accountant who likes the idea.

I would have thought most people would have been happy with the old style 1 day event with a few drinks in the evening rather than giving up 2 days of our lives to listen to Xero sales pitches with an evening of back slapping for the usual suspects. 

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FT
By FirstTab
17th Dec 2015 16:59

Remember

Xero does listen to its partners. That is why the event is still going with no changes.It will be one big razzmatazz. Sift will be there with their cameras rolling. 

Vote with your feet. Don't go!

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