The Challenge: Outdated Payment Processes That Slowed Things Down
We had one client using Stripe across multiple entities with one bank account and it just stuffed everything up.
Before adopting Pinch, Liam had already encountered outdated payment flows while working in a previous firm. Clients would call the office and read their card details over the phone to pay via an in-office EFTPOS machine. Not only was it inefficient, but clients often avoided the process altogether—delaying payments or forgetting to follow through.
Later, he saw the limitations of Stripe, particularly when a client was using it across multiple entities. Funds were being paid into a single account, which created problems with reconciliation and made reporting unreliable.
The Solution: Automated Payments That Feel Effortless
Liam and Amy first implemented Pinch nearly five years ago at a previous firm. When they launched Project Alfred, Pinch was one of the very first tools they set up. It connected seamlessly with Xero, let them issue invoices straight from proposals, and offered a simple portal for clients to pay or set up direct debit—no account creation or login required.
One of the earliest things that impressed Liam was Pinch’s responsiveness. When he flagged a feature request, the team shipped an update within a week.
“I said, we’ll sign up if this gets added, and they came back the next week and said it’s done. That was pretty impressive.”
The Result: Time Saved and Trust in the System
“The standard would be time saved on reconciliation—but I think more than that, it’s just trust that the system works.”
Liam now describes their accounts receivable as essentially invisible. Invoices go out, payments are collected, and reconciliation happens automatically. The clearing account in Xero maps out fees and payments, so when the bank feed comes in, it’s just one click to confirm everything.
Clients using Pinch have reported faster payments and better visibility. Invoices get paid with minimal effort, and Liam doesn’t have to think about where money is sitting or when it will come in.
The Experience: Invisible Support and Consistent People
“In five years, I think we’ve had one issue with reconciliation. You don’t need support because it just works.”
What Liam appreciates most is that he rarely needs support. Pinch simply works. On the rare occasion that something needs attention, the response is fast and handled by a real person—often someone he already knows by name.
That consistency matters. He’s met the Pinch team in person and sees the care they put into their product and partner relationships. It’s a far cry from the faceless support of international platforms.
Liam built Project Alfred to remove friction from finance. Pinch removes the friction from getting paid—and that means more time for work that matters.
