Case Study: Nature of CPA Firm Essay

For this case study I looked at a massive range of certified public control firms websites from the large subject firms such as Deloitte, PWC and Ernst & new to the sm entirelyer local firms including KDV, Copeland Buhl & Co and Schechter, Dokken & Kanter. While examining these websites, the first liaison that became app arent to me is that the content and functionality from website to website is very similar. All of the websites I looked at take on an About Us paginate explaining who they are and what they do, which typically includes their mission statement.They all include a Services page detailing the service provided which includes and is not limited to advisory, assurance, tax, consulting, pecuniary and technology. All of the websites I looked at similarly featured a Careers section which includes current job opening and particular tuition about the organizations culture and benefits. The large national firms include a listing of the industries they support. Some of the firms include a resources page which may contain links to a variety of calculators to assist with financial decisions as well as links to various publications and forms.There are many reasons a firm may invest in a website. In fact, I would argue that it is essential for CPA firms to have a strong web presence if they want to be competitive in todays marketplace. If you are a smaller firm, having a website muckle allow you to compete with the large national firms, as anyone with mesh entrance focusing can find your website. Having a website is also a much cheaper way to give notice (of) when compared to the more traditional methods such as newspaper, television, radio, direct mail, etc Having a website can allow you to reach millions of people something newspaper and radio cannot do.Having a website also improves your energy to enhance customer service because you have the ability to provide customers with information instantly. It also provides an avenue for recruiting a t alented workforce. In my opinion the website of a CPA firm need not be highly sophisticated. For CPA firms, a websites primary role is to advertise and market to existing and potential customers by providing information regarding the services they offer. The meshwork has changed how CPA firms do business from communicating with leaf node to hiring and retaining employees. The net profit has allowed CPA firms to go paperless.Paper no longer needs to be printed and photocopied. pecuniary statements and reports can be delivered electronically in an instant. Now, information is delivered via the web and the pass receiver has it within seconds at no additional cost. One example of how the internet has changed how CPA firms do business is through the increase in electronic tax returns and payments. The internet can also be used to carry information back and forth with customers through the use of an on field of operation portal. In my line of work, nearly all of the audit firms we d o business with use the internet to receive and transmit information.The Internet has also increased efficiency by giving accountants the ability to manage a clients computing devices and software, and happen information from them, remotely. With the appropriate permissions and software such as LogMeIn. com or PCanywhere. com, an accountant can take control of a clients computer from afar and do everything that someone located in the office could, draw off physically load discs. The CPA can virtually visit the client at any time without the need for the client to be physically present. For any organization that has a website there are certain liabilities that mustiness be considered.Often CPA firms are providing financial information and advice to their customers. Providing wrong information that causes financial harm to a customer is a bear on that CPA firms must consider. Additionally, many CPA firms use an online portal as a way of transferring information back and forth wi th customers. As a result security should be a primary consideration. If an online taxier were to hack into the computer systems of a CPA firm and obtain confidential information such as social security numbers or individual(prenominal) tax information the results could be devastating.