"Speed of Sound" is Almost Too Slow

I’ve blogged about how technology has the ability to transform our firms and businesses in ways that are almost super-human. Validating my thoughts is a new article on WSJ.com that talks about how companies are using technology to connect to customers in speedier ways:

“Technology is transforming innovation at its core, allowing companies to test new ideas at speeds—and prices—that were unimaginable even a decade ago. They can stick features on Web sites and tell within hours how customers respond. They can see results from in-store promotions, or efforts to boost process productivity, almost as quickly.”

I understand Fortune 500 firms have the means and money to do this, but why can’t CPA firms also use technology to more quickly connect to its clients and prospects? According to the article, “Innovation initiatives that used to take months and megabucks to coordinate and launch can often be started in seconds for cents.”

Consider something as basic as LinkedIn, a social media technology most CPAs understand and many already use. Through the “Answers” section, CPAs and accounting professionals can position themselves as resident experts on all kinds of topics simply by reading through various questions and responding. This gives you the ability to brand yourself and your own intellectual capital, not to mention providing an experienced opinion.

Yes, it’s a simple example, but let’s think of more ways for accountants to push out their knowledge using technology. As Coldplay says in “Speed of Sound,” “Look up, I look up at night, Planets are moving at the speed of light. Climb up, up in the trees, every chance that you get.”

How does your firm use technology to connect with your clients?