{"id":69227,"date":"2021-11-11T12:21:39","date_gmt":"2021-11-11T10:21:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/?p=69227"},"modified":"2026-01-29T15:28:47","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T13:28:47","slug":"tips-for-becoming-a-tech-savvy-accountant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/tips-for-becoming-a-tech-savvy-accountant\/","title":{"rendered":"5 tips for becoming a tech-savvy accountant"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGrowth & Customers<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t5 tips for becoming a tech-savvy accountant\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\tMongezi Lupindo<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

During product demos in firms across the country, we hear a common refrain: \u201cThat\u2019s great, but my clients won\u2019t use it.\u201d Whether we\u2019re talking about client portals, digital signatures or electronic delivery of tax returns and financial statements, a few professionals continue to use client aversion to technology as an excuse to stay firmly rooted in the status quo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we hear \u201cMy clients won\u2019t use that\u201d or client pushback, we ask more questions. How does the firm roll out new technology to clients? What are clients\u2019 specific concerns? Usually, we find out that it\u2019s not an issue of clients refusing to try new technology. The problem is the firm hasn\u2019t done a good job of selling the internal team on why the change will be better for the firm and its clients. The truth is there is a rising comfort level with technology among most people \u2013 your clients included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the <\/span>2020 Practice of Now (PoN) survey<\/span><\/a>, 91% of accountants believe technology delivers value to their business, and 58% said technology had improved efficiency and productivity – vital for creating space for the additional service offerings clients demand. The survey findings further suggest that accountants recognise that clients expect the latest technologies to be utilised to unlock business potential and model new revenue streams.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

\n\tGet the report<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

If your clients own smartphones, make purchases on mobile devices and use a mobile phone for banking, are they really not tech-savvy enough to use cloud-accounting software<\/a> and record expenses with a mobile app? Or is the real issue that it\u2019s easier for firms to stick with the way things have always been done because change is difficult?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clients increasingly expect tech-savvy experiences. Are you up to the task? If not, here are five tips for getting there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Invest the time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the short term, it\u2019s undoubtedly quicker to do things the way you\u2019ve always done them. Whether that involves manually entering a trial balance or collecting a box of receipts from your client at year-end. But short-term thinking is short-sighted. Time invested in learning new technologies will more than make up for itself in the mid-and long-term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prioritise the client experience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Remember utilising technology to make our lives easier isn\u2019t just about our own ease. It\u2019s about providing ease of use for your clients. When you are actively bringing solutions to your clients that make their lives and work more manageable, it sends a strong message to clients that your firm is not becoming stale or oblivious to the technological innovations happening all around. You\u2019re adopting new tech and new processes to make the client experience<\/a> easier and more enjoyable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ask for help<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you personally struggle with adopting new technologies, it\u2019s ok to admit where you have challenges. Reach out to the people on your team who are tech-savvy and have them help you along the path. FYI: that doesn\u2019t necessarily mean turning to the \u201cyounger\u201d people on your team. Age is not the sole determinant of comfort with emerging tech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with solution providers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Think of your vendors as partners in this transition rather than simply a party to a transaction. If you partner with them, they\u2019ll help you with rollout, onboarding and change management in your firm and your client base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start small<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Still convinced your clients won\u2019t use new technologies? Give it a try. Start small with a few more forgiving and easier clients. Getting a few short-term wins under your belt will help you gain confidence and provide tangible evidence of the validity of the change vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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White paper: Small businesses and accountants are ready to try again<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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We surveyed 1,947 South African small businesses \u2013 the majority of which offer accounting and bookkeeping services \u2013 to find out how they\u2019re coping in the new world of work. We were curious to know what they\u2019re doing to strengthen their defences against the next disruption and how optimistic they are about the future \u2013 and we were pleasantly surprised.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload the white paper<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Subscribe to the Sage Advice enewsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Get a roundup of our best business advice in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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