What’s That Saying About Necessity?

Years ago, when I was heading one of the profession’s top B-to-B accounting publications I asked a veteran managing partner if he ever would allow any of his staff to work from home. This was back in the day when “remote worker” was a term about four area codes from the mainstream.

He looked at me in the manner of someone who was just asked for a loan by a deadbeat relative. “Oh sure, I’m sure they’ll be working diligently in between The Price is Right and The Young and the Restless.”

I gathered at the time he was not a fan of the concept.

For some reason I thought about that interaction last week when the folks at Verizon finally arrived to upgrade my Internet – an order I placed nearly three months ago. And no, that’s not a typo – three months.

The technician explained that the backlog of upgrade orders since COVID-19 was so overwhelming, that some subscribers would not be serviced until September. He revealed that the day before, he installed a new router and wiring in a house that had SIX family members working on a dining room table. I shuddered to think of what mealtimes looked like at that address.

Another acquaintance of mine said he ordered one of those Internet upgrade devices you see with maddening frequency in online pop-up ads and was told the package would be delivered no later than August 15.

And imagine if you had invested in Zoom stock even six months ago?

The pandemic has prompted – or perhaps more accurately, forced – CPA firm owners as well as thousands of other businesses across the country to re-evaluate the traditional office. Accounting practices that once viewed working remotely with the same enthusiasm as having their car towed, are now in the process of reformatting their operations and workflow once the quarantine lifts.

Once owner admitted to me that “I never thought we could do this (remote work) this efficiently.” I’m sure he is far from alone in that revelation.

An old proverb states that necessity is the mother of invention. It’s safe to say I’m not venturing too far out on a limb predicting that the profession will likely look very different once we all can discard the masks and pocket-sized bottles of Purell.

As you would expect, the Internet upgrade at Chez Carlino has proven to be worth the wait. Not only are the online speeds increased, but now I can watch Netflix and Amazon Prime without interruptions or lost signals.

Of course, you and I know that’s only after normal business hours.