That is exactly how I spent the first day of the second half of this year (July 1st)-conducting a day-long QuickBooks training class for one of our clients.  This training meeting was special because I conducted it over telephone/web conferencing, hosting fifteen attendees in my computer from where I guided the training.  The special part came in that the fifteen participants were attending from ten different countries:  Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, and USA (Arkansas); they were representatives from the accounting offices from each of our client's many locations.  I used GoToMeeting technology to host the session.  Because they were joining from foreign locations, all attendees signed on via the GoToMeeting integrated audio (via VOIP, using their computer microphones and speakers); this allowed them to attend without having to call into a U.S. telephone number, something quite expensive from such other countries.
 
It was not until near the end that I realized how special a session this had been, hosting people from ten different lands into my very computer.  Even though the lands represent a variety of cultures, there was one common language-QuickBooks.  In actuality, the common language was Spanish, in which I conducted the session. And even though the language was one, the terminologies for certain accounting or computer terms vary, depending on the country; mannerisms in the language and general customs can also be different from country to country-especially noted when one of the attendees offered me "un cafecito" (a small cup of coffee) during the afternoon break; I replied saying that I'm waiting for the day when that can be delivered via internet during such an online meeting (!!)
 
For the above, the experience was especially challenging but enjoyable.  It's not every day that one can speak (or teach) to people from so many countries-and all at the same time!
 
Next challenge:  one QuickBooks session, seven continents.
...MARIO

Mario discusses QuickBooks at the Tampa Convention Center

Mario Nowogrodzki served "triple duty" at the recent Florida Institute of CPAs (FICPA) Florida Accounting and Business Expo in Tampa.  The triple duty included (1) being part of the FICPA Accounting Shows Committee, which plans and organizes the statewide accounting trade shows, among the largest in the nation; (2) Mario presented a breakout session/seminar on "Selecting Accounting Systems for Your Clients and Accounting Software Implementation/Migration/Conversions"; and (3) our firm had the largest QuickBooks exhibit booth.

 

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