BMO automates Xero disbursements and moves 97% of rural clients to direct debit

Before Rechargly, BMO managed software disbursements through spreadsheets and manual data entry, processing hundreds of line items each month across a largely rural client base.

With 300+ clients and over 800 line items per billing cycle, the process required a full day of admin every month. Clients preferred traditional payment methods, which made billing inconsistent and difficult to manage at scale.

Since implementing Rechargly, the firm has automated subscription billing, introduced direct debit, and replaced manual workflows with a simple daily routine. Admin time has dropped significantly, and client adoption of digital payments has exceeded expectations.

The result is a consistent, scalable billing process that works even in a traditionally change-resistant environment.

At-a-glance stats

• Firm size: 300+ clients
• Location: Dalby, Queensland, Australia
• Client type: Rural and farming businesses
• Core systems: Xero
• Key outcome: Transitioned a rural client base to automated billing and direct debit (97% adoption)
• Efficiency gain: Reduced from 1 full day per month to ~30 minutes per day managing disbursements

Before: What life looked like pre-change

Context

BMO is a regional accounting firm based in Dalby, Queensland, serving farming and rural communities.

Many clients have long-standing relationships with the firm and prefer traditional payment methods such as cheque. This made introducing new billing processes more challenging.

Old workflow

Software disbursements were handled manually each month. The process typically involved:

• Receiving Xero invoices with hundreds of line items
• Entering all data manually into internal systems
• Managing billing across different client cycles
• Following up payments individually

This process was managed end-to-end by a single team member.

Where the process broke down

High volume of manual data entry

Each month involved processing around 800 line items across two invoices.

“It was just days of manual entry. I’d sit down with the spreadsheets and type everything out. It would take me a full day.” — Janette Dudgeon, Receptionist, BMO

This created a repetitive and time-consuming workload.

Inconsistent billing cycles

Clients were billed at different times depending on their preferences and setup.

This made it difficult to maintain a consistent billing process and added complexity to reconciliation.

Resistance to digital payments

Many clients were hesitant to adopt direct debit or digital payment methods.

• Preference for traditional payments
• Concern about unfamiliar systems and emails
• Reluctance to change established habits

This made automation difficult to implement.

The trigger

The combination of high admin workload and inefficient processes made it clear that the existing system could not continue.

The firm wanted to:

• Reduce manual data entry
• Introduce a more consistent billing process
• Move clients towards automated payments

They needed a solution that would work within the realities of a rural client base.

During: How the firm made the change

Implementation

Rechargly was introduced to automate subscription billing and remove manual data entry.

The new process is simple:

• Subscription invoices are forwarded to Rechargly
• Charges are mapped to clients
• Any unmapped records are updated in Xero
• Failed payments are monitored and followed up

“It’s a really quick, easy process now. Nothing like what we used to do.” — Janette Dudgeon, Receptionist, BMO

Removing spreadsheets and manual entry

Rechargly eliminated the need for spreadsheets entirely.

• No more manual data entry
• No need to reconcile large CSV files
• Billing runs through a consistent system

This replaced a full day of work with a lightweight daily routine.

Shifting to a daily workflow

Instead of a monthly batch process, the team now manages billing incrementally.

• Around 30 minutes per day
• Integrated into the morning routine
• Small updates handled as they arise

This makes the process more manageable and less disruptive.

Driving client adoption of direct debit

Despite initial concerns, the firm achieved high adoption of direct debit.

The approach was simple and personal:

• Calling clients directly to explain the change
• Reassuring them about security
• Explaining what emails to expect
• Framing it as a way to help the team

“I just rang them and talked them through it. They trust us, and they know me.” — Janette Dudgeon, Receptionist, BMO

Clients responded positively, particularly when they understood the benefit to the team.

The new playbook

The updated workflow is simple and repeatable:

• Subscription charges are forwarded and processed automatically
• Client mappings are maintained in the system
• Billing runs through direct debit
• Exceptions are handled as needed

The process no longer depends on spreadsheets or manual entry.

After: Results + proof

What changed (Before to After)

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Day-to-day impact

The team no longer spends hours processing spreadsheets or entering data manually. Instead, billing is managed through a short daily routine, with most of the work handled automatically. The process is predictable, consistent, and easy to maintain.

Business impact

The improvements have delivered strong operational outcomes:

• Significant reduction in admin workload
• High adoption of direct debit across a rural client base
• More consistent billing and payment collection
• Reduced reliance on manual processes

The firm has modernised its billing without disrupting client relationships.

Bottom line

BMO replaced a manual, spreadsheet-heavy billing process with an automated system that works at scale. By introducing Rechargly and taking a personal approach to client communication, the firm reduced admin time, improved billing consistency, and successfully transitioned a rural client base to direct debit.