Invest in your firm’s future by ensuring every team member has the information and technology they need to drive efficiencies and encourage growth.
How do you know if your firm’s technology can handle issues accounting firms face daily? How can you determine if your tech stack is up to par?
Let’s assess and determine if your firm’s tech stack is optimized and where you need to make improvements with the help of the accounting technology optimization model.
6 Components of the Accounting Technology Optimization Model
You can use an accounting technology optimization model to assess every aspect of your firm’s technological landscape. The model includes the following components:
1. Support
When your team needs a little extra help, you need technology that can offer your firm the support it needs to manage challenges, especially with its technology. Here are the good, better, and best practices when it comes to outsourcing IT to support your firm’s tech stack:
Good
- Support Contact
- Business hours
- Helpful and responsive
Better
- Proactive managed IT
- Preventative measures
- Support for all tech devices
Best
- Understands your business
- Supports your goals
- Service level agreement
2. Apps
Workforce applications that make it easier for your team to communicate, collaborate, share files, engage with customers, and manage cash flow and AP/AR include:
- Team collaboration: Microsoft Teams or Slack
- Client communication: Liscio
- Marketing automation: ActiveCampaign or Keap
- Workflow: monday.com
- Bookkeeping: QuickBooks Online or Xero
Not only do these apps help your teams with the benefits above. It also ensures that your accounting firm has the tools to get (and keep) a leg up on the competition. Here are the good, better, and best practices when it comes to using apps in your firm’s tech stack:
Good
- Current and supported versions
- Enabling automation
- Backed-up and secure
Better
- Well trained staff
- Tightly integrated
- Efficient data entry
Best
- Driving efficiency
- Fully integrated
- Native cloud
3. Gear
Using specific gear to streamline your processes, improve inefficiencies, and stay connected to your team, clients, and vendors will boost revenue and cash flow. Here are the good, better, and best practices when it comes to using gear in your firm’s tech stack:
Good
- Windows 10
- Under warranty
- Device policies
Better
- Good ergonomics
- Device management
- Employee choice
Best
- Large and/or dual monitors
- Laptop or tablet with dock
- Scanners and high-quality headsets
4. Connectivity
Stay connected to every member of your team with these good, better, and best practices when it comes to using connectivity technology in your firm’s tech stack:
Good
- Fiber or cable internet
- Encrypted Wi-Fi with modern, updated devices
- Ethernet when possible
Better
- Managed and monitored Wi-Fi
- Guest access
- Backup internet connections
Best
- Secured Wi-Fi for home offices
- Failover internet connections
- VPN for travel
5. Security
Data security should be the top priority of your accounting firm and its sensitive data. Here are the good, better, and best practices when it comes to prioritizing security in your firm’s tech stack:
Good
- Written security policies
- Secure client communication
- Security standards
Better
- Tech security leader
- Physical and administrative controls
- Cybersecurity assessment
Best
- Proactive security awareness
- Regularly updated security policies
- Training clients and staff regularly
6. Strategy
Does your firm make room in its budget for new technology investments? How often does your organization discuss your current technology infrastructure and ways it can be improved? Check out these good, better, and best practices when it comes to preparing an effective strategy in your firm’s tech stack:
Good
- Regular vendor discussions
- Technology conversations
- Issue tracking
Better
- Written technology plan
- Technology budget
- Internal technology advocate
Best
- Quarterly technology strategic planning
- Business growth support
- Measurable return on investment
3 Steps for Assessing Your Firm’s Tech Stack
Each component of the accounting technology optimization model is just as critical as the next and contains the following steps to assess your firm’s technology accurately:
1. Identify Inefficiencies
First, you will identify inefficiencies and manage them by replacing manual processes with automation solutions. Once identified, ensure that your firm’s tech stack will check for duplicate entries and notify the person entering the data.
Improve that lack of transparency within your organization, especially regarding your data management protocols. When assessing your tech stack, establish a seamless method for account handoffs and managing bottlenecks.
2. Transform Issues into Tech Objectives
Now that you have identified your firm’s inefficiencies, it’s time to see what technologies can address them most effectively. Your assessment might include acknowledging whether there are better uses for the technology you utilize today.
For instance, if your file server is disorganized and slow or files are inaccessible when working remotely, a SharePoint migration will ensure files are made accessible to anyone that requires permission.
Another issue you might face with an inefficient tech stack includes a need to keep a pulse on virtual team health. By implementing team management software, you connect with staff more efficiently and ensure that every team member is on track and on target to meet their objectives.
3. Prioritize What Matters
When setting objectives for your team, you must consider that the average human loses focus every 90 days. Another study published by The Guardian claims that people can only focus on one task every 65 seconds. That’s why you must sit down with your team (in person or virtually) and discuss your firm’s technology goals for the next 90 days.
Set new objectives, evaluate progress, and work closely with your teams to help them achieve goals and accomplish assigned tasks. You’ll also want to:
- Establish an owner for any technology project
- Break down goals into weekly milestones
- Check-in with team members weekly
- Track metrics using monday.com
- Coordinate with your team
Assess Your Accounting Firm’s Technology Stack with Tech Guru
It is time to innovate! Refrain from allowing your firm to become obsolete using antiquated systems, outdated procedures, and manual processes. Empower your team to make better decisions that are both knowledge-based and profitable.
At Tech Guru, we help you evaluate your tech stack and help members of your teams drive growth through more efficient processes, improved decision-making, and heightened business intelligence by assessing your firm’s technology and taking proactive steps to prioritize advanced integrations.
Is it time to take action to improve your firm’s technology infrastructure? Download our Identifying, Prioritizing & Deciding on Technology worksheet.