You may already have a great CPA website. If so, you’re already on the right track. The struggle for increasing efficiency is, for all practical purposes, ongoing. Your website is one of the most important instruments at your disposal in this conflict.
But you really can’t just stop there.
There’s a adjustment under way, and accountants ought to take advantage of it: the smartphone.
Once you join the “smartphone revolution,” you’ll see why they’re taking over. With this tool, your productivity reaches new heights – and you even strengthen your client relationships.
Smartphones Increase Efficiency
Work from Anywhere. This is especially true during tax season – but it applies anytime of year: accountants are spending more time outside the office.
Whether it’s visiting clients in their office, taking an afternoon to go to their daughter’s ball game, or just working from home after hours, CPAs find plenty of reasons to leave the desk behind.
Smartphones make it much easier to do business away from your office. You have access to phone numbers, addresses, your calendar, and your email – all while getting your life done.
Not Ready to Start Hiring Again? When the recession hit, many accounting firms had to lay off staff – and they’re not yet confident enough in the economic recovery to rehire.
Smartphones give partners a way to conduct the business of the office with fewer admins and assistants.
Smartphones Strengthen Client Relationships
More and more, accountants find that their clients expect a return phone call right away. When a client calls in with a question, it’s not acceptable to wait until you’re back in the office to call them back.
A smartphone is crucial for keeping that client relationship as healthy as you can. With a smartphone, the client’s phone number and address is right at your fingertips, wherever you are.
And because you can sync a smartphone with your email, you’re able to access lots of relevant information about your client, too.
50 Million Users Can’t Be Wrong
There’s no denying the popularity of smartphones. Here’s a breakdown of the most popluar brands’ market shares:
- Blackberry (RIM)- 10%
- Android (Google) – 53%
- Microsoft – 5%
- iPhone – 29%
All told, nearly 85 million people in the United States use this technology, an 10% increase in just the last three months.
That’s a lot of smartphones.
Take Advantage of the Experts
There is one hitch: if you’re not technically savvy, it can be a bit tricky to set up your phone to sync with your email.
But not to fear. Providers of websites for accountants do this all the time – and they can help. Let your Webmaster handle all the techie details.
Whether you choose the legendary iPhone, or the ever popular Droid – join the smartphone revolution today. Your accounting or CPA firm will benefit.
By Kenneth T. Marshall
Kenny Marshall is an online marketing professional and former Vice President of CPASiteSolutions.com. His core service is marketing small practices by using websites for accountants. While using online social media and Search Engine Optimization forms the basis of his methodology he also stresses the importance of good, old fashioned networking and excellent customer service in helping CPA practices grow their client bases.