Pricing in traditional offices vs. online accounting

The traditional digital accounting market has had to start pulling strings since the advent of electronic invoicing and SPED (Public Digital Bookkeeping System). Since then, new digital solutions have emerged to make digital processes increasingly streamlined. 

As a result, automation in accounting routines became essential, as the initiative came from government agencies. Accounting websites and platforms also began to emerge offering online services. Traditional accounting firms found themselves in a situation where they either had to adapt to the digital transformation or lose market share. 

While operational tasks are being streamlined and reduced with this "digitization" of accounting, services focused on accounting consulting are increasingly in demand. In other words, clients are valuing personalized service, and firms that can offer this combined with technological innovations stand out.

The startup iCount Plus has created the perfect solution for accounting firms that don't want to lose ground to digital accounting platforms. It's an all-in-one management platform for accountants and businesses, capable of increasing firm profitability by up to 30%, reducing paperwork and rework by 98%, and saving 45% in time and efficiency.

Accounting firms need to adapt to innovation 

For those who think that accounting firms will lose ground to digital accounting websites, that's not the case. A survey by Contábil Trends found that 44% of accounting firms are experiencing "stable growth" and 32.5% are experiencing "moderate growth."

The key is adaptability to technological innovation, and those who have already grasped this stand a chance of continuing to expand. Accounting software, such as iCount Plus, is therefore the answer for these companies to meet current market expectations without sacrificing personalized service. 

In the view of Lucas Bugati, CEO and founder of the startup: "To remain in the market, conventional offices (which are not online) must seek to expand the use of technologies that help optimize tasks and, most importantly, must have very well-designed and mapped processes to facilitate the identification of gaps in productivity increases."

He adds that new generation professionals and recent graduates are already much more open to this adaptation, with most of their clients being accountants in their first five years of practice. More traditional firms, with more than 15 years of experience, tend to be more resistant to this innovation. 

What about pricing with online accounting?

According to Bugati, firms that insist on refusing to digitize processes and/or use new technologies will experience a decline in client numbers in the coming years and will lose market share. "This is due to competitors' use of technology, which allows for greater 'scale,' increasing margins and thus opening up opportunities for price reductions."

In other words, online accounting platforms can operate at reduced prices because their profit margins aren't affected, as they can attract high client demand. For iCount's CEO, therefore, lowering service prices isn't the problem. "What the firm (any company) can't tolerate is a reduction in margins. In this sense, you have only two pillars: efficiency/cost or increasing monetization through a differentiator or other products."

Optimizing accounting processes with iCount Plus

In the current scenario, the ideal is to combine the best of both worlds: the personal experience of the accounting firm and the technical expertise of the accountant with technology. By using accounting management software, it's possible to streamline and automate processes, accurately report the financial returns of a given action, and map strategies to solve problems more efficiently.

Furthermore, clients can be trained to access their accounting status at any time. iCount Plus is an all-in-one platform for accounting firms, the only one on the market that also covers client relationships and management, in addition to accounting processes. "The advantage of implementing iCount Plus lies primarily in the centralization of information and process automation."

Bugati believes that this will allow accountants to get much closer to business owners and support them in managing their businesses, providing a more consultative approach to accounting and redefining the future of the profession.