CASE STUDY
Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES)
Bookkeeping made easy for emergency services staff across multiple platoons.
Reliable and approachable accounting software for critical emergency services
Marie-Claude Pilon moved to Geelong in Victoria from her native Canada five years ago to be with her partner. Since then, she’s become integrated into Australian life.
“It was a pretty big change…I was looking for a way to meet people and build my new life. I was a volunteer with the Canadian Red Cross in emergency operations previously, so I was searching for something similar in Australia and found the Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES).”
“I loved that I could help the community and learn new skills like swift water rescue and rooftop operations. I was amazed at what VICSES was doing to help the community, and I thought volunteering with them was a good way for me to give back.”
In volunteering for VICSES, Marie-Claude not only found herself meaningfully assisting the community through devastating events like the 2022 Geelong floods, as Unit Finance Officer, she was also able to help organise their operations.
“One of the most memorable and highly charged events I’ve been involved with at VICSES was a search for a little girl…we were so relieved it had a happy ending.”
“You don’t need to be an accountant to use Reckon One—it’s so easy. Activating the bank feed reduced the time required to do the work needed right away.”
– Marie-Claude Pilon, Unit Finance Officer, VICSES Geelong Unit
THE CHALLENGE
An automated software solution you can use anywhere, anytime.
Before implementing Reckon One, VICSES was using a desktop program for compliance and bookkeeping. Previously relying on paperwork hardcopies to complete their yearly audits, the units sought to automate manual tasks with easy-to-use accounting software.
Social distancing and working-from-home policies amplified VICSES’ need for cloud-based financial software when the pandemic hit. Geelong (where Marie-Claude is Unit Finance Officer) was within the first group of the VICSES units to take up Reckon One. Since then, it’s helped promote cohesive workflows across multiple sites.
““The fact that Reckon One was in the cloud was a lifesaver through COVID. Our previous software was on a computer at the unit.”
Success with Reckon One
“We started using Reckon One shortly after COVID came into play…”
“The fact that Reckon One was in the cloud was a lifesaver through COVID. It meant I could continue to do the work required from home and respect the isolation policies from VICSES and the Victorian Government.”
“Reckon One is also extremely helpful in completing our yearly audit. We used to have to bring all the paperwork to our auditors, but now they can access our books instantly, get all the information they need, and do their work a lot faster!”
“I also use Reckon One on my phone, so any finance questions that arise from the Unit Controller or one of our unit members can easily and quickly be answered from anywhere.”
“Even when I have had to travel back and forth from Canada, being on the Reckon One cloud has allowed me to continue to support the unit from overseas as needed…”
“Reckon One is also extremely helpful in completing our yearly audit. We used to have to bring all the paperwork to our auditors, but now they can access our books instantly”’
– Marie-Claude Pilon, Unit Finance Officer, VICSES Geelong Unit
About VICSES
Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) is the control agency for flood, storm, tsunami, earthquake, and landslide throughout Victoria.
VICSES is a volunteer-based organisation, providing emergency assistance to minimise the impact of emergencies and strengthen the community’s capacity to plan, respond and recover, when emergencies occur.
Operating since 1950, VICSES covers all of Victoria, operating via 150 units across two regions.