Three quarters of UK accountancy firms are 'invisible' on social media channels, new research by Verbatim shows

NEWBURY, England, Oct. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the UK's leading telephone answering services, Verbatim Telephone Answering Service (www.verbatim-cc.co.uk) has commissioned research revealing staggering statistics showing how accountancy firms are lagging far behind when it comes to digital customer service. The research found that one in three accountancy firms are virtually invisible in search engine results, and over 75% of firms are failing to use social media to promote their business.

Falling behind

The research shows the accountancy industry falling behind in all aspects of digital customer service:

• 1 in 3 accountancy companies have websites that are virtually invisible in search results, preventing customers from finding their business online.
• 81% of the accountancy websites reviewed would be classed as 'difficult to read'
• Only 8% of companies reviewed had web chat on their website, despite 75% of millennials confessing to prefer chat to phone.

Despite over 95% of digital users frequently using social media, three-quarters of the accountancy companies reviewed, either didn't have a presence on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, or didn't actively use it to promote their business.

Despite the relentless move to digital, the research commissioned by Verbatim showed that accountancy firms were often reluctant to embrace new channels and technology.

Lost in cyberspace

A third of the accountancy companies researched appeared only in google when their own company name was typed in (known as a 'brand search') – severely limiting their ability to gain new customers through their website

Don't talk to me, just chat

Despite 75% of millennials admitting to avoiding phone calls, over 90% of accountancy companies don't use web chat on their website, consequently accountants who are not embracing web chat are missing out on an important customer-service channel.

Over 60% of accountancy websites do not load fast enough on mobile

Half of all website traffic now comes through mobile devices, which are convenient for doing business on the go. Slow-loading websites are guaranteed to drive potential customers away.

The research concludes that accountancy companies need to do more when it comes to embracing digital customer service. To read more research findings and discover some examples of best practice, view the full report here. (https://verbatim-cc.co.uk/are-uk-accountancy-firms-embracing-digital-customer-service/)

For more information about the research please contact: Dave Patterson, dave.patterson@verbatim-cc.co.uk, 01635 576070