The ROI of Mobile Solutions for Your Accounting Firm

How investing in mobility can net you gains in productivity and client satisfaction.

Smart phones, tablets, and laptops are must-haves for the modern worker to remotely access documents, files and get work done from anywhere. Accounting firms' growing desire for simpler ways to collaborate and get work done on any device, any time, are key drivers behind the adoption of mobile technologies in the workplace.  

But it’s not just email access mobile devices that's making more collaborative work possible. These tools, in conjunction with cloud-based technology and mobile apps, are contributing to a surge in productivity and business growth. This is the essence of mobility: a secure and common work experience on any device that empowers the modern accountant to do better work, whenever.

Though research shows 80–90% of US employees want mobility in the way they work¹, it's not just about improving employee satisfaction. Research indicates that increased productivity and streamlined processes are the top reasons why business owners, partners, and managers provide mobile options for their teams².

More reasons to invest in mobile solutions

Improve speed and efficiency

The increase in speed and efficiency that result from adopting mobile technology shows itself in your organization’s productivity and self-satisfaction. For example, a recent study revealed that organizations which implemented mobile technologies saw a 50% increase in productivity and a 39% increase in employee morale³.

Not only do mobile technologies and cloud-based services provide a unique and flexible way for employees to manage their own workflow and schedules, it also provides a way for smaller IT departments, or even individual IT roles, to manage and support the entire team using less time-consuming and more cost-effective measures.

60% of companies in a recent Harvard Business Review survey said that the cloud has improved employee productivity, mainly through the simplification of operations, better delivery of internal resources, and improved ways for employees to collaborate⁴.

Secure processes and collaboration

Relying on a trusted set of mobile solutions is imperative to your entire team’s ability to collaborate effectively and efficiently. Knowing client data is safe and secure on any device gives everyone on your team the reassurance to keep work moving, whether in the office or in the field.

60% of organizations said that the cloud has improved employee productivity.When you proactively provide the mobile technology that you want your employees to use, you can create and enforce new standard operating procedures that will reduce confusion between employees, increase productivity, and provide transparency. In fact, 55% of accounting firms already have a written policy specifically for mobile telephone usage for work⁷.

Ensuring secure, cloud-based applications and detailed processes are established and easily accessible can also support your compliance with IRS regulations and recommendations for e-file authorizations and other documents. When you don’t have to worry about whether or not your tools are compliant, you can focus on other things.

Increase growth

There are also revenue profits to gain from business mobility. While additional costs are needed upfront to establish a mobile solution for your business, the IDC reports that 67% of companies that implemented mobile technologies reported a positive ROI, with 16% of that positive return coming from an actual growth in revenue³.

This type of growth can be measured intwo ways:

1. Working with a cross-region, crosscountry or even global team allows you to access remote clients that were otherwise inaccessible. You can still provide the same quality service and responsiveness, but at a larger scale. In fact, business and IT professionals report an ROI of 150% with the use of mobile applications⁵.
2. Talent acquisition and retention are huge factors for SMBs. By providing mobile options for employees, you become a more desirable employer. Employees who have the freedom to work from anywhere appreciate and value the importance of self-sufficiency and autonomy⁶.

Learn more

Accounting firms that embrace mobility gain an edge over competitors by establishing a culture of collaboration and high-productivity. By investing in a trusted, built-for-business mobile solution like Citrix ShareFile, you and your team can be more productive on any device, any time.

ShareFile provides the ease of use, security and accessibility that teams need to share work and resources, whether employees are in the office or dispersed worldwide.

Notes
1. “Latest Telecommuting Statistics.” Global Workplace Analytics. 2015. http://globalworkplaceanalytics.com/telecommuting-statistics
2. Thomas-Aguilar, Blakely. “2015 State of Business Mobility Report.” VMware Air Watch. 11 Nov. 2015. http://blogs.air-watch.com/2015/11/2015-state-business-mobility-report/#.VyjDL1YrKHs%29
3. Tchkotoua, Chalva. “3 Advantages of Enterprise Mobility Management for SMBs.” NaviSite. 11 Jan. 2016. http://www.navisite.com/resource-center/blog/3-advantages-enterprise-mobility-management-smbs
4. “The Link Between the Cloud and Employee Productivity” - Virsage 2015. http://www.virsage.com/cloud-computing/linkcloudemployee/subpage684.html#.Vzs5NPkrKHs
5. “Businesses Embracing Mobility Are Averaging 150% ROI: VMware.” Datamation. 11 Nov. 2015. http://www.datamation.com/mobile-wireless/businesses-embracing-mobility-are-averaging-150-roi-vmware.html
6. Josuweit, Andrew. “5 Lessons I’ve Learned From Building Our Remote Startup Team.” Entrepreneur. 4 Dec. 2015. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/25295511.22.16/PDF
7. Thorsgaard, Claus. “Why Accounting Practices Should Be Encouraging a BYOD Culture” CPA Practice Avisor. 5 Oct. 2012. http://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/article/10799281/why-accounting-practices-should-be-encouraging-a-byod-culture