Pricing in Traditional Offices vs. Online Accounting

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

With this, automation in accounting routines became essential, as the initiative originated from governmental bodies. Accounting websites and platforms offering online services also emerged. Traditional accounting firms found themselves in a situation where they had to adapt to the digital transformation or lose market share. 

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

iCount Plus, a startup, created the perfect solution for accounting firms that don't want to be left behind by digital accounting platforms. It's an all-in-one management platform for accountants and businesses, capable of increasing profitability by up to 30%, reducing paperwork and rework by 98%, and boosting time and efficiency by 45%. **Note:** The numbers 30%, 98%, and 45% are nonsensical. They likely represent a placeholder or a typo. The translation reflects the text as written. If the original contained specific percentages or other numerical values, those should be provided for an accurate and meaningful translation.

Accounting firms need to adapt to innovation. 

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

The secret lies in adapting to technological innovation, and those who understand this have the chance to continue expanding. Accounting software, such as iCount Plus, is therefore the answer for these companies to meet the expectations of today's market, but without sacrificing personalized service. 

In Lucas Bugati's view, as CEO and founder of the startup: "To remain in the market, conventional (non-online) offices must seek to expand the use of technologies that help optimize tasks and, most importantly, have very well-designed and mapped processes to easily identify productivity improvement gaps."

He complements that the new generation and recent graduates are significantly more open to this adaptation, with most of their clients being accountants during the first 5 years of operation. However, more traditional firms, with more than 15 years of experience, tend to show greater resistance to this innovation. 

How does pricing affect online accounting?

According to Bugatti, offices that refuse to embrace digital processes and/or new technologies will see a decline in client numbers and lose market share in the coming years. "This is due to competitors' use of technology, which allows for greater 'scale,' increasing margins and, consequently, opening windows for price reductions."

In other words, online accounting platforms can operate with reduced prices because their profit margins are not affected, as they attract a high volume of clients. Therefore, for the CEO of iCount, the price reduction of services is not the problem. “What the office (any company) cannot admit is the reduction of the margin. In this sense, you have only two pillars: efficiency/cost or increasing monetization through a differential or other products.”

Optimizing accounting processes with iCount Plus

In today's scenario, the ideal is to combine the best of both worlds: the personal touch of the accounting office and the accountant's technical knowledge with technology. By utilizing accounting management software, it's possible to streamline and automate processes, accurately report the financial returns of a particular action, and map strategies to solve problems more efficiently.

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

Bugatti believes this will allow accountants to significantly closer to business owners, supporting them in managing their businesses with more consultative accounting and redefining the future of the profession.