E-mail to be dominant communication method

Projected phone use comes in below e-mail use, at 73 percent, for accountants in 2006

Companies may be spending a lot less time on the phone or meeting face-to-face with their accountants during tax season in the future.

In a recent survey, 73 percent of chief financial officers said e-mail would be the most commonly used method of communication for accountants by 2006; use of the telephone came in significantly lower, with 10 percent of the response.

The survey was developed by Accountemps, a temporary staffing service for accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals. The survey was conducted by an independent research firm and includes responses from 1,400 CFOs from a stratified random sample of U.S. companies with more than 20 employees, according to a release from Accountemps.

CFOs were asked, "Which one of the following methods of business communication you think accountants will use most by 2006?" Their responses:

E-mail: 73 percent

Phone: 10 percent

Fax: 9 percent

Face-to-face communication: 7 percent

Don't know: 1 percent

"The level of interaction among accountants, their corporate clients and other departments within their organizations is increasing, making quick access to key information more important than ever," said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps, in the release. "E-mail is one of the most expedient ways for financial professionals to exchange data and reports."

However, career-minded professionals shouldn't rely on e-mail exclusively, Messmer added.

As the scope of accountants' responsibilities continues to grow, they will also need excellent verbal communication skills to be successful.

"Accounting professionals must be able to meet with company management or clients to clearly explain financial results and provide strategic guidance on business decisions," Messmer said.