also: some pushback on virtual work environments.
by jeff pawlow
anytime that complexity goes up, it seems that accounting fees follow. that said, the current economic environment may not allow firms to capture as much additional work as they may have in other turbulent/changing environments.
more: remote work is more productive | advisory services: real commitment or just talk? | 2021: you’ll never see ‘normal’ again
exclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.
clearly, clients are tightening their belts, and it now becomes imperative for firms to bring more to the table than just “debits and credits.” the role of a trusted advisor is paramount in this uncertain time and firms that embrace the challenge will leap ahead of the pack. unfortunately, many firms are slow to adopt this posture. providing clear value for fees is a non-negotiable moving forward.
while the pendulum has swung hard toward remote work, i can’t help but believe it will come back somewhat as firms realize that culture and synergy are difficult to create in virtual environments. that said, physical infrastructure will clearly be reduced going forward.
technology systems that accelerate the ability for practitioners to function as trusted advisors are going to flourish for the foreseeable future, and the ability to artfully navigate a virtual world will be rewarded. i see firms turning to third-party providers and their alliances/associations to round out their service delivery offerings in order to remain competitive with larger firms in their markets.
2019 was the year that firms truly got serious about moving from “compliance” to “advisory.” we saw a significant uptick in interest related to training and consulting offerings that were designed to help firms make this pivot successfully. as part of this, firms are also becoming more serious about the technological infrastructure that is needed to support this shift. crm is on the rise and collaboration tools are an absolute must. i believe this shift will only be accelerated as a result of the current pandemic environment.