surprised? it comes down to security.
by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间
the latest data from atomik research’s 2021 client expectations study shows that cpa firms without portals, apps and solid security face a high probability of losing clients.
and not just a few but most.
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overall, a staggering 78 percent of small businesses say they would consider switching accountants to one that uses “the latest technology.”
they aren’t necessarily expecting the latest in accounting software, but a burgeoning majority think an accountant with a portal might suffice to get them to jump the fence.
the importance of a secure portal increases with firm size. here are the numbers for small business owners who say it is somewhat or very important that their accountant offer an online portal:
- 1-5 employees: 48 percent
- 6-10 employees: 61 percent
- 11-50 employees: 83 percent
- 51-100 employees: 90 percent
comparing those numbers with the number of small businesses whose accountants don’t offer portal security may indicate an imminent shift of clientele across all industries. here are the numbers for businesses without access to a cpa firm portal:
- 1-5 employees: 71 percent
- 6-10 employees: 60 percent
- 11-50 employees: 32 percent
- 51-100 employees: 31 percent
so who’s ready to switch?
the numbers are high across all industries. here are the numbers for those who would switch to a cpa with a portal:
- tech: 88 percent
- financial: 95 percent
- health care : 85 percent
- construction: 61 percent
- distribution: 77 percent
- construction: 82 percent
- business: 65 percent
companies of all sizes across all industries consider it somewhat or very important to have access to documents 24 hours. they range from 62 percent of companies with 1-5 employees to 94 percent of companies with 51-100 employees.
the numbers for various industries range from 72 percent for those in construction to 85 percent in health care.
they want a mobile app, too.
the numbers are quite high for small businesses that say it is important that their accountant offer a mobile app. the numbers rise with size:
- 1-5 employees: 62 percent
- 6-10 employees: 66 percent
- 11-50 employees: 86 percent
- 51-100 employees: 94 percent
and the numbers are high across all industries, from 51 percent of companies in distribution to 77 percent in health care and 78 percent in manufacturing.
the numbers are even higher for those who say it’s important that they be able to upload documents from their cell phones, from 76 percent in finance to 95 percent in distribution.
the numbers are roughly the same for companies that say it’s important that they be able to upload photos of documents.
do the math
unsurprisingly, security is of critical importance in selecting an accounting firm. even the smallest of firms – 78 percent of them – say security is “very important” in choosing an accountant. the total of firms that say security isn’t important at all is in the low single digits across all industries.
if your firm lacks a portal, an app for clients, and solid security for digital transmissions, crank some numbers. how many of your clients just might take a walk to find an accountant that has what they need?