A day in the life of Klaas Ruiter, husband, father and accountant

Jan Wietsmas Klaas Ruiter saga is a glimpse into the future. Things could be this way in four years time. The core of what Jan describes is already partly visible. Jans merit is that he extrapolates from the developments hes already seen into the not so distant future in a playful, accessible way. Lets see how it all turns out. The use of technology is progressing ever further. Our communication has become more and more digitally based. It doesnt make a difference if you send someone a Whatsapp, a text or whether you chat via Apples Facetime function. In 2017, administrative work will have definitively evaporated; its now already fully underway. Behavior and attitude play a major role in the control of accountants, but also in the match the accountant must make with his SME clients. There is pressure on prices. This can mean one of two things: the accountant used simply to earn too much, or the market has the accountant in the squeezes; in any case, there is no shortage of accountants. Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Jan sketches a day that could easily depict the reality of 2017. Some offices are already closer to this reality than others. In my opinion, the saga is more than just entertainment. It points to a way thats partially digital, partially customer-oriented and partially about the knowledge and skills an office should always have and about the personal qualities an accountant should possess. Frans Heitling Editor in Chief Accountancynieuws