A new report suggests that small businesses almost always turn to their accountants for advice on technology. It shows that 83% of small businesses ask for this advice and 40% of the accountants say that people ask them for technology advice up to 20 times each month. Andy North partnered with Zoho to conduct this survey and Andy stated what kind of technology questions do accountants answer most often. First, 62% answered questions about desktop accounting software, 46% stated that they answered questions about software training, while 46% gave advice on support services. Also, 57% of the accountants answer questions about the security of the data.
Hence, according to the survey conducted, the most common questions accountants get is about desktop accounting software, as well as questions related to third-party applications and integration. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that close to 20% of small businesses fail in the first year. Half also fail by the end of a five year period. Technology is a partial solution to higher success rates. Small businesses are more often turning to their accountants for technology help.
You might be wondering why employees and business owners would turn to their accountants for help. Well, here are some reasons why that is the case:
1. Trust is important
When you seek expert advice, one of the most important things is trust. Usually, an accountant is someone who will do the bookkeeping in the company, hence, they are among the first ones that gain a lot of trust from the business owners, as well as employees. The second most common reason is that accountants know how a company functions financially. According to experts from ACT Network Solutions, tech systems are implemented with accounting solutions online. Hence, an accountant will know the system, hence they are in the perfect position to actually give advice on tech.
2. Clients often ask for it
38% gave technological advice because the customers asked for it. However, others (21%) stated that by answering these questions, they could use their passion for tech. Although they are often being advised to charge for the advice, some accountants still do not want to charge anything for the advice, simply because they are passionate about it.
However, is asking you accountant for tech advice really smart? Do you think that it carries risks? What happens if they give the wrong advice? This could lead to potential problems. Keep in mind that there are various applications that will connect an accountant’s finances, focus, with almost every tool that their customer might need. Also, some of these programs can actually provide experts who will train and support them to expand their bookkeeping and accounting practices. Hence, the accountants will be able to do their job well, as well as give advice and answer questions about technology in the company.
Conclusion
As you can see, various business owners, employees, and even customers ask accountant questions about technology. However, with a little investment, you can make their lives easier, as well as make them more focused on their work.