MYOB Product Manager Spotlight: Marlana M - MYOB AccountRight

Good afternoon everyone!

Welcome to our 4th instalment of our Product Manger spotlight series! 

 

This month we've got Marlana in the light. After you learn more below, if you have any questions make sure to head over to our Q&A board to ask before 5pm 19th of May.

 

Name: Marlana M

Role: Product Manager

 

What inspired you to pursue a career in product management?

I have a strong passion for solving complex customer problems and creating positive impact. A career in product management is a great space a customer first mindset, creative problem solving and strategic thinking.

 

Can you share a little about your background and how you arrived in your current role?

I’m super passionate about supporting small businesses, having spent most of my career in the small business space & coming from a family of small business owners, MYOB is a great fit. I started my career in marketing and soon after fell in love with product management. I’ve been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work across different areas at MYOB throughout my journey here; I started out as the PM for MYOB Business Reports, later on moved into Payroll focusing on the Australian market for MYOB Business & AccountRight before working on core experiences across MYOB Business and AccountRight.

 

What’s one thing you’d like the community to know about your product or team?

We don’t build in a bubble. Everything we design is shaped with our customers - not just for them.

That means sitting down one-on-one with business owners to understand their day-to-day, running research sessions with our accountant and bookkeeper partner panels, and digging into the feedback you give us through CSAT surveys and support conversations. We also look closely at what the data tells us - like where users are getting stuck in the product or dropping off a task.

All of that comes together to help us design features that not only work well, but make your life easier. Your voice genuinely shapes what we build, how we improve, and where we go next.

 

What’s your favorite productivity hack or tool?

Last year we introduced Priority Support exclusively for AccountRight customers. We know that our AccountRight customers are pretty savvy in their use of the software and sometimes our standard support doesn’t cut it so we created a specialised support team just for you.

When you call us and enter your Client ID number, you will be automatically redirected to our Priority Support team. You'll find your client ID in My Account (Manage account > Account details).

Or, you can book in a 30 minute slot. It’s perfect if you don’t have an urgent question. You can book in these sessions through My Account.

 

What’s the most exciting thing happening with your product right now?

1) We’ve got a big release landing soon in AccountRight - and it’s a clear signal of our continued investment in the desktop platform.

While the tech world moves fast, AccountRight remains a vital part of our product portfolio. That’s why we’re not just maintaining the Desktop platform - we’re actively making it better to improve your user experience.

2) Again - Priority Support. It’s a game changer for getting our top customers the help you need, in a fast and effective way. You can find out more about it here.

 

What’s a surprising fact about [product] or its development process?

A lot of people are surprised to learn that many features in AccountRight have been directly shaped by customers who opted in to our research programs. From one-on-one interviews to early prototypes and feedback sessions, we regularly involve real users - business owners, bookkeepers, and accountants - to co-design what we build.

A great example of this is the early access program that was run for the changes to the Command Centre. EAP members were invited to give feedback and they told us that we hadn’t hit the mark, so we went back to the drawing board.

If you’ve ever thought “why doesn’t the software just do this?”. We want to hear it. You might help shape what’s coming next. Complete this form to opt-in to future research. https://forms.office.com/r/h52FVPpmwA

 

 

If you have any questions for Marlana, head on over to the Q&A board now to ask.

This question board will remain open until 5pm on the 19th May, so make sure you post your question there before its closed.