Someone’s been reading this blog. It’s not telling me anything particularly new but the numbers are interesting. According to a survey conducted among AccountingWeb readers on behalf of e-conomic
When asked about the future of the profession, there was consistent evidence that accountants foresee dramatic change occurring over the next five years. Three quarters saw themselves moving away from their traditional role to become more of a profitability consultant and business adviser than a reporting accountant, and over a quarter believe they will be sending all their compliance work offshore for processing.
When it comes to technology, the picture looks a little rosier. An overwhelming majority, 84%, believe their ability to advise clients on the best use of IT to optimize profit and efficiency will be an important part of their professional expertise. Over 40% could imagine being a roving digital pioneer, dipping into clients’ information via Cloud-based systems when needed rather than being tied to a specific office, and as many as a third see themselves working in a totally paperless office.
Why am I not surprised? Calls to practitioners regularly cite changes in the business and regulatory landscape as reasons why they are considering fundamental changes to their business model. I am surprised 25% are looking at offshoring. I’d have thought the figure might be higher. But then labour arbitrage is only part of the story. Key to any fundamental change will require entering the world of SaaS. As more vendors recognize the need to include professionals in their offerings, such choices will become easier.
