Is Accounting A Dying Profession?

According to the article at https://www.workandmoney.com/s/dying-professions, accounting is a dying profession, doomed to be taken over by computers.

Accounting does not need to be a dying profession. There are plenty of things one can do to not only compete with (and compliment) what your 'competition' does, but to also compete with automation.

Here are a few of them:

1 - Niche down. Find something that you enjoy, that you do well, and that your clients appreciate. Hate the hell of "busy time?" Move into more consultation work. It's as easy as asking your clients 4 simple questions. Love doing tax resolution work? Lots of people in your area need this help, if you enjoy it, do it.

Like working with a specific industry or business size? Do it - they'll love that you understand them, and can offer them the advice and services THEY need. 

Reasons to niche down - you can do ONE thing (or a few things) REALLy well, PLUS, it's tons easier to market a few specific services to specific kinds of markets than it is to spray and pray a general, non-specific, uninteresting message. 

2 - Develop actual relationships with your clients. Put out a client newsletter. Takes 2 hours or less a month. Put on client-only training and networking events. Have a yearly client appreciation dinner - complete with awards for several "Best of" categories.

Nobody does these things, and certainly not a computer... 

3 - Move into more consultations and business advisory services. Why? You get paid more for doing these, and they are perceived as higher value, because it addresses what your client REALLY wants - a better business. More leads. More clients. More revenue. Plus they need more numbers from you, so they can see what's going on better = more work from your office. They're getting better results, so you can raise your fees - without worrying that they'll jump ship. 

[And if you're not strong on the business advisory end of things - that can be outsourced. ]

So let the competition have their day, be it a human-run practice, or an automated service. YOUR practice can compete with these concepts. The Human touch will always have value, especially in an increasingly-automated society.