Xero Awards South Africa 2024: How to enter

Here’s what you need to know to submit your entry for the Xero Awards. Entries are open until 26 January 2024.

Following are the categories open for entry in this year’s Xero Awards for South Africa. Under each award name, you’ll find full entry criteria, the questions you need to answer, and a link to submit your entry. Feel free to use this information to draft your nomination with your team before submitting your entry. Entries close at 23:55 (SAST), Friday 26 January 2024. Rules apply.

Awards criteria: South African accountants and bookkeepers

Awards criteria: South African App Partners

Awards criteria: South African accountants and bookkeepers

Partner of the Year

Nominations for this award category need to be made by the accounting or bookkeeping practice. This award goes to a partner with a national presence who has added significant value to clients across South Africa and championed the use of Xero and cloud technology. They’re champions of the cause and have shown an unwavering dedication to using Xero with all suitable clients using Xero and the app ecosystem.

Eligibility requirements

  • Your practice must be based in South Africa.
  • Been a Xero partner for longer than 18 months prior to entries opening (i.e. before May 2022).
  • The award is based on achievements made in the last 12 months.
  • Previous winners or nominees are eligible to enter.

What we’re looking for

Assessment is based on the period 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023. These are the criteria we’ll use when assessing nominations:

  • Client care
  • Innovation
  • Knowledge sharing
  • Digitisation
  • Xero aficionado

Questions you'll need to answer when submitting your nomination:

Client care (max 300 words)

How have you taken a client-centric approach to consistently deliver exceptional customer service to help them meet their goals?

You could talk about:

  • Helping clients adapt their business model to survive or thrive.
  • Client training: educating clients on using Xero to make informed business decisions.
  • Client feedback: measuring satisfaction and implementing improvements from feedback.

Innovation* (max 300 words)

How has your firm used Xero’s suite of products and features to deliver value-added services to lead the way?

You could talk about:

  • Xero Tax: getting your practice and clients ready and filing.
  • Using Xero features to manage client cash flow.
  • Offering value-added advisory services.

*Your suite of Xero’s products and practice tools

  • Using practice tools or products: Xero products: Xero, Xero Projects, Xero Expenses, Employee Tax Returns (EMP201), HubDoc, Online invoicing, payments and reminders and Analytics or Analytics Plus.

Knowledge sharing: (max 300 words)

How has your practice demonstrated a commitment to maintaining, increasing and sharing Xero knowledge with staff, clients and the wider community?

You could talk about:

  • Xero certifications and industry badges: advisory, migration, payroll certifications. Xero Tax, cash flow and other industry badges.
  • Events and webinars: Xerocon, Xero Central, quarterly product updates and more.
  • Client demos and education.

Digitisation (max 300 words)

How has your firm adopted technology to gain practice efficiencies and recommended third-party apps to boost client service?

You could talk about:

  • Implementing technology to improve internal workflows.
  • Using technology to enhance client onboarding and communication.
  • Recommending and implementing the right apps for clients.

Xero aficionado (max 300 words)

How has your firm shown a commitment to migrating and implementing Xero for clients while also raising awareness of Xero’s benefits?

You could talk about:

  • Marketing strategy: website optimisation, social media and Xero advisor directory listing.
  • Migrating and onboarding clients to Xero.
  • Business strategy to continue to thrive and grow using Xero.

Emerging firm of the year

This award honours an emerging Xero accounting or bookkeeping partner who has achieved great success in a short period of time. The winning app has provided a great user experience and has made an excellent start with engaging Xero’s customer base.

Eligibility requirement

  • Your practice must be based in South Africa.
  • The practice must have joined the Xero partner programme on or after 1 April 2023.
  • The award is based on achievements since becoming a Xero partner.
  • The Xero partner can nominate their firm in this category only.

What we’re looking for:

Judging will be based on the early success of the partner on the Xero partner programme. The judges will assess your application based on 5 criteria points – client care, innovation, knowledge sharing, digitisation and Xero aficionado – which is to help form and direct your answer.

Questions you'll need to answer when submitting your nomination:

Client care (max 300 words)

How have you taken a client-centric approach to consistently deliver exceptional customer service to help them meet their goals?

You could talk about:

  • Helping clients adapt their business model to survive or thrive.
  • Client training: educating clients on using Xero to make informed business decisions.
  • Client feedback: measuring satisfaction and implementing improvements from feedback.

Innovation* (max 300 words)

How has your firm used Xero’s suite of products and features to deliver value-added services to lead the way?

You could talk about:

  • Xero Tax: getting your practice and clients ready and filing.
  • Using Xero features to manage client cash flow.
  • Offering value-added advisory services.

*Your suite of Xero’s products and practice tools

  • Using practice tools or products - for example: Xero products: Xero, Xero Projects, Xero Expenses, Employee Tax Returns (EMP201), HubDoc, Online invoicing, payments and reminders and Analytics or Analytics Plus.

Knowledge sharing: (max 300 words)

How has your practice demonstrated a commitment to maintaining, increasing and sharing Xero knowledge with staff, clients and the wider community?

You could talk about:

  • Xero certifications and industry badges: advisory, migration, payroll certifications. Xero Tax, cash flow and other industry badges.
  • Events and webinars: Xerocon, Xero Central, quarterly product updates and more.
  • Client demos and education.

Digitisation (max 300 words)

How has your firm adopted technology to gain practice efficiencies and recommended third-party apps to boost client service?

You could talk about:

  • Implementing technology to improve internal workflows.
  • Using technology to enhance client onboarding and communication.
  • Recommending and implementing the right apps for clients.

Xero aficionado (max 300 words)

How has your firm shown a commitment to migrating and implementing Xero for clients while also raising awareness of Xero’s benefits?

You could talk about:

  • Marketing strategy: website optimisation, social media and Xero advisor directory listing.
  • Migrating and onboarding clients to Xero.
  • Business strategy to continue to thrive and grow using Xero.

Digital Practice Champion (new!)

We’re looking for a Xero partner who has demonstrated digital innovation in their business over the past 12 months. Show us your cutting edge innovations and how your organisation has led change in your industry and community.

Eligibility requirements

  • Your practice must be based in South Africa
  • You must be a Xero partner.
  • Previous winners or nominees are eligible to enter.

What we’re looking for

Assessment is based on the period 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023.

Questions you'll need to answer when submitting your nomination:

Digital Innovation

  • How has your business demonstrated digital innovation and strived for excellence in the industry?
  • What led you to come up with this innovative process or initiative?
  • How did you go about implementing this innovation? What challenges did you overcome along the way?
  • How did this innovation better your business and/or that of your clients? What were the results?

Xero Most Valued Professional

Our highest honour and most prestigious award recognises an individual who is a Xero advocate through and through. This award is not open for partner applications and the winner will be chosen by the Xero judging panel.

This award is selected and voted internally (by Xero).

Eligibility requirements

  • Must be a Xero partner.
  • Your practice must be based in South Africa.
  • Previous winners or nominees are eligible.

Awards criteria: App Partners

App Integrator of the Year

This award recognises one of our trusted Xero app Integrators as being a leader in their industry, offering the best advice for specific app needs.

Eligibility requirements

  • Your business must be based in South Africa.
  • App must be live in Xero’s marketplace and launched on or before 1 October 2022.
  • Assessment is based on the period 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023.

What we’re looking for

The judges will assess your application based on 4 criteria points – client care, innovation, knowledge sharing and Xero aficionado – which is to help form and direct your answer.

These are the criteria we’ll use when assessing nominations:

  • Client care: provide exceptional services to accounting and booking firms and to their clients.
  • Innovation: design excellence, ongoing technical improvements and robustness of the integration to Xero’s API.
  • Knowledge sharing: robust programmes of education and engagement for Xero partners.
  • Xero advocacy: commitment to raising awareness of the benefits of Xero and to app partner programmes.

Judges will also consider:

  • Customer growth: API connections and any associated growth.
  • Great user experience: customer reviews on the Xero app marketplace and client case studies.

You also have the option of supplying a maximum of two case studies that highlight industry-specific to support your application.

Questions you'll need to answer when submitting your nomination:

Why do you think you should be titled App Integrator of the Year?

South African App of the Year

This award recognises a South African app partner with a proven track record of growth with Xero’s customers, who provides a fantastic user experience and has a world-class engagement programme.

Eligibility requirements

  • Your business must be based in South Africa.
  • App must be live in Xero’s marketplace and launched on or before 1 October 2022.
  • Assessment is based on the period 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023.

What we’re looking for

The judges will assess your application based on 4 criteria points – client care, innovation, knowledge sharing and Xero aficionado – which is to help form and direct your answer.

These are the criteria we’ll use when assessing nominations:

  • Client care: provide exceptional services to accounting and booking firms and to their clients.
  • Innovation: design excellence, ongoing technical improvements and robustness of the integration to Xero’s API.
  • Knowledge sharing: robust programmes of education and engagement for Xero partners.
  • Xero advocacy: commitment to raising awareness of the benefits of Xero and to app partner programmes.

Judges will also consider:

  • Customer growth: API connections and any associated growth.
  • Great user experience: customer reviews on the Xero app marketplace and client case studies.

You also have the option of supplying a maximum of two case studies that highlight industry-specific to support your application.

Questions you'll need to answer when submitting your nomination:

Why do you think you should be titled South African App of the Year?

Global App of the Year

This award recognises a global app partner with a proven track record of growth with Xero’s customers, who provides a fantastic user experience and has a world-class engagement programme.

Eligibility requirements

  • Your business must be based in South Africa.
  • App must be live in Xero’s marketplace and launched on or before 1 October 2022.
  • Assessment is based on the period 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023.

What we’re looking for

The judges will assess your application based on 4 criteria points – client care, innovation, knowledge sharing and Xero aficionado – which is to help form and direct your answer.

These are the criteria we’ll use when assessing nominations:

  • Client care: provide exceptional services to accounting and booking firms and to their clients.
  • Innovation: design excellence, ongoing technical improvements and robustness of the integration to Xero’s API.
  • Knowledge sharing: robust programmes of education and engagement for Xero partners.
  • Xero advocacy: commitment to raising awareness of the benefits of Xero and to app partner programmes.

Judges will also consider:

  • Customer growth: API connections and any associated growth.
  • Great user experience: customer reviews on the Xero app marketplace and client case studies.

You also have the option of supplying a maximum of two case studies that highlight industry-specific to support your application.

Questions you'll need to answer when submitting your nomination:

Why do you think you should be titled Global App of the Year?

Good luck!

We look forward to receiving your entry!

Any questions?

If you have any questions please contact us at events.emea@xero.com