CCH survey: I've got it all wrong

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Courtesy of CCH, I received a press release that contains thse findings:

“CCH has found that accountants are still unfairly branded as being behind the times. Highlights of the report include:
·         28% of the general public recognises accountancy as a dynamic profession where new technologies are embraced compared to 53% of all accountants.
·         Nearly 80% of accountants under 25 think of the profession as energetic and enthusiastic
·         74% of accountants are comfortable using iPods compared to 59% of the public who think accountants can use iPods
·         58% of accountants are comfortable using social networking sites  compared to 44% of the public who think accountants can use social networking sites
·         Accountants are 50% more likely to have a Facebook profile than the general public
·         78% of accountants in Leeds have more than 50 Facebook friends compared to the national average of 44%”

It then goes on: ‘Martin Casimir, CCH Executive Director said: “Even in these hyper PC times, it seems that accountants are still unfairly viewed as being behind the times. Despite embracing new ways of thinking and technologies in their professional and personal lives, they are still unable to ditch their stuffy label. However, by adopting advanced technologies such as paperless audits and document management systems, accountants’ clients will begin to change their perception.” ‘

Casimir clearly hasn’t had to put up with the stuff I’ve had to listen to the last few years when it comes to discussing anything new in technology. Try getting an accountant excited about anything much beyond a new Excel macro and you’ll be pulling hen’s teeth. Mostly. As for DM…sheesh: that’s so 2001.

I’d love to know who they interviewed as this runs entirely counter to everything I know so I took a few soundings.

First, I went to the ICAEW members directory of firms and pulled up the listings for Leeds. On the first page I found 50 firms listed. I got as far as Begbies Traynor at 27 before I gave up. Going from the top down, only 10 were listed as having a website. No evidence of any social networking activity. Then I hopped over to Accountants are SEXY on Facebook. Sure, it has 12,893 ‘members.’ But when I started looking at the profiles it made little sense. Students and recruiters for sure, but hard evidence of accounting types? I struggled. Then I went to another online directory – same story.

I can only assume that CCH hit a bunch of Gen-Y’ers for whom blogs and websites have passed them by and who have gone straight to Facebook. Maybe that is the way of things. If I am to believe Venkat then there may well be some truth in that. But then I dropped my Facebook account a long time ago so perhaps I am missing out on something. Having spent the last 10 months working with ICAEW on their online presence, I know how tough it is to get members to leave comments, let alone write articles. If they’re all on Facebook then maybe we’ve got something completely wrong. But then I doubt.

If the evidence was as compelling as CCH claims then there would be evidence turning up on websites. There isn’t. I would be hearing from colleagues who work exclusively in this area. I don’t. Whichever way, these findings are strange.

Tagged as: facebook, ICAEW