Technology - Questions & Answers.
Each week we ask experts about developments in technology. This week
Does it make sense for accounting firms to offer services online?[QQ] The bigger firms are paranoid about losing income. People see the web as a means of offering services at a low cost, but really firms want to see high costs and high fees.
Are there opportunities for smaller and regional firms?
It is these firms where the web can provide the opportunities. They do not have the size and infrastructure of the top firms and for them the web represents a chance for them to create new markets and not cannibalise their existing market.
Do you think the accountancy profession has been slow to recognise the advantages of the web?
Yes, but that is symptomatic of the marketplace. Firms need to recognise they have to either embrace the web or become obsolete. Their clients want to see a web presence even if they don’t use it.
What attitude should firms adopt regarding the web?
Firms should see the web as an investment amid an evolving business culture, but caution makes sense.
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