As VP of communications at INCPAS, I spend a significant amount of time sharing information with members on how technology adoption and automation are key to the future of the CPA profession. You would think with all the reading I have done about the benefits of using the right tech tools, I would have realized how they could also help
us as an association. But I didn’t—not until I tackled my first technology project and saw the immediate results.
The background: In 2021, I was charged with launching our first-ever AI-driven website chat tool. Our primary goal with implementation was to provide real-time information to our current and prospective members who were visiting our site.
Our secondary goal was to help alleviate staff time by building in pre-programmed, automated responses to web visitors’ most-asked questions.
I went into the project with very little knowledge of chat or its capabilities, and I wasn’t sure where to begin. But as I dove in, I learned 3 key takeaways for how to successfully start, finish and modify tech tools.
#1 – Ask for Help
My first step on the chat project was reaching out to other state CPA societies to see who had a chat or was looking to add one to their site. There were several states at the same point in the process as I was, so we scheduled a few demos with technology companies to learn more about our options. Because of this collaboration with a group of state societies, we were able to secure a significant discount when several of us signed up with the same chat provider.
Once I selected the chat provider, I worked closely with another state society who was using the same provider and was a few weeks ahead of where I was in the process. Because of our close working relationship, she was willing to share their initial Q&A spreadsheet needed to upload to our chat autoresponse database. All we had to do was tweak the responses to point to our own web pages, which saved us a significant amount staff time.
Additional Resource: This is very similar to the INCPAS Technology Networks we launched in 2021. These small, collaborative groups help members vet technologies by discussing successes, struggles, efficiencies, and “tips and tricks.” Learn more by contacting INCPAS COO Stacey Wilson, CAE.
#2 – Create a Plan and Timeline
When I’m working on a project I don’t know much about, it can be a challenge for me even to get started. Planning and timelines are what help me push through. I started by setting up meetings with the chat provider, staff that would be doing the data entry, and additional staff that would be responsible for manning the chat.
We spent three months adding anticipated questions and the respective answers into the dashboard. After launch, we started saving new questions that were being asked by members and programming our responses for even more automation to alleviate staff time.
Additional Resource: Our Tech Series: Practical Tools for Small Firms to Generate Big ROI infographic has great question prompts to help you get started with your next tech project.
QUESTIONS TO GET YOU GOING
- What are your immediate pain points?
- What is your current client experience like?
- What will future clients expect?
- What do you want to get out of your technology investment?
- What is a realistic timeline for implementation, and can you implement in phases?
#3 – Determine What Success Looks Like
87% of INCPAS members surveyed agree the #1 reason to adopt new technology is to improve performance and efficiency.
By reviewing chat transcripts, we were able to identify members’ key pain points and discover that while we were innovating with AI, we needed to take a step back and revisit the basics as well. Our chat transcripts are now driving larger internal conversations about how to improve functionality, accessibility and navigation on our website so members have a more seamless online experience.
Further, we now have a cross-departmental website team that meets regularly to prioritize resolving these existing or emerging issues in real-time. Together, we map out plans and timelines to fix the problems that ultimately save our members AND staff time so we can all put our efforts into more value-add services.
Additional Resource: INCPAS members can hear from their colleagues about what technology success looks like to them in our Boost Your Revenue: Add New Client Services video
Read more articles from this series:
Tech Series: How to Move Toward a Cloud-Based Office
Tech Series: How to Select & Implement New Tools