Your CPA firm probably needs a managed services provider. A few years ago, the small to mid-sized accounting firm got by with an occasional visit from a part-time computer geek. If a crisis happened — a server going dark, for example – you’d pay big money to get back up and running.

There are three trends today that are changing this old school model. Each one is a call to arms for changing your outsourced technology management model to cloud managed services. Even enterprise-level CPA firms that want to supplement their internal technology teams are now adopting managed services.

Let’s take a closer look at how managed services could improve your accounting practice.

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Technology Trends and Managed Services

The concept of managed services has been around for decades. But with the onset of cloud computing managed services really took off. IT support for small business in the digital era almost demands consideration of managed services as a lower cost option for the small to mid-size accounting firm. These days, it takes a village of IT professionals to maintain all the digital tools at your disposal. Three trends are driving managed service adoption at a rapid rate in the accounting sector:

• The pace of technology change
  Technology is accelerating again. With a decade of establishing the necessity of your Internet connection behind us, our digitally connected world is now the norm, not an anomaly. The fast pace of tech is back, with IoT devices, autonomous vehicles, drones, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality predominating the news. This evolution necessitates consideration of managed services for your firm. Cloud managed services gives you a team of network administrators at the helm of these technology changes. It is important to note that the IT profession does not require continuing education to stay on top of the latest trends. Wouldn’t you feel safer in the hands of a team that has built their business on staying at the forefront of the industry?
• Cloud convenience – cloud demand
  The biggest disrupter on the planet these days is technology. From Wi-Fi to cloud computing models, we have entered the era of the Internet of Things (IoT), where computers ride the Internet to connect everything, from our cars to our refrigerators. There is no doubt that these trends have affected consumer demand for your services; your clients want the immediacy and convenience of the ‘net incorporated into your services. Managed services can help your business assess market demand, and shift your technology models to meet them.
• Security
  We’ve written frequently lately on the plethora of computer hacks making the news. You’ve seen the headlines: UK Hospitals Hit with Massive Ransomware Attack.… The threats are real and even the AICPA says the smallest of accounting firms are even at risk. An outsourced part-time technologist visiting a few times a year is not actively monitoring your network for an intrusion. It’s unlikely that small to mid-sized accounting firms even have an IT business continuity plan. Managed services mitigate your risk by providing these and other services.

For the small to mid-size accounting firm, managed services can help your business survive and thrive in the great technology upheaval that is sure to come in the future.

Request a quote on managed services.