‘clients still need us.’
by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research
keep calm and carry on.
that may be the best overall advice for the situation we’re in.
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and by “we,” we mean “everybody in the world.” because everybody’s got it tough. whether covid has touched close to home or not, its presence is impacting everyone.
but… how should accountants carry on? we asked. and you – the readers of 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 – delivered. adapt, pivot, focus on the client, watch your expenses – just a few of the themes gleaned from the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 business barometer.
double responsibility
like a few other special professional groups, cpas have a double responsibility.
- they have to care for their practices.
- they have to care for their clients.
when the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 business barometer survey asked cpas for their advice on making it through the “corona-recession,” we heard about both concerns.
and most is a concern for clients.
jeff raizen, a high-end tax pro for cbiz in denver, says, “clients still need us. keep pushing to help existing clients in every way you can and to get new clients.”
we hear echoes of that advice throughout the survey. it is really impressive to see so many cpas and tax practitioners expressing their primary concern for the people they serve.
but really, it’s self-preservation through service to others. as kathleen mullally advises: persistence. the founder of small business specialists inc. in calgary, alberta, ca. says: be ready to pivot. “remember clients are your bread and butter and we still need to serve them.”
the importance of adapting
the survey elicited a lot of advice on the importance of adapting.
one anonymous respondent says, “we will continue to be flexible with our clients and go with the flow of what is happening with the virus.”
- another says, “keep evolving, make changes where necessary and talk to your clients.”
- another says, “be creative…”
- another says, “be flexible…”
- another says, “think outside the box.”
christy l. peterson, an enrolled agent in royal palm beach, fla., cuts right to something fundamental. “self-preservation is key,” she says. “you can’t be everything to everyone. just do your best.”
“the best” is expressed in something david c. paulson, of dp financial & tax in tulsa, ok., writes: “give more value than you charge for. care for your clients like family. we are here to serve.”
the pressure
that’s smart. most businesses are under pressure — even more pressure than cpas — and if they don’t survive, their cpas won’t survive. and if clients manage to stay in business, they will never forget who helped them when the chips were down.
“keep helping your clients to survive and thrive,” says rachel wehr, of lone wolf solutions. “give them advice about their cash flow and how to improve their bottom line so that they can make it through to the other side stronger.”
but of course, survival works the other way, too. you can’t help your clients survive if your practice doesn’t. with that in mind, many barometer respondents offer nuts-and-bolts advice on how to keep a practice healthy when the economy around it descends into recession.
hang tough
“keep yourself protected and safe,” tom swigert advises from evanston, ill. “establish protocols to keep safe from your clients, while showing them great empathy for the shared problems we all share. make sure your firewalls and security are really good and use it as a selling tool to make your clients feel good and protected.”
note that advice on security. this year’s barometer finds security a top concern among more than a fifth of respondents.
“hang tough,” says susan remocaldo, an enrolled agent in lahaina, hi. “keep your boundaries….there will be more time needed to prepare returns with all the eidl, ppp, etc…..do not cheat yourself for the extra time……”
another reader, this one the head of a 17-partner firm says, “relook at your overheads and see where you can cut costs and make your business more efficient.
cathy anderson, of anderson financial services in fraser, mich., shares similar advice, telling us, “don’t over-spend on anything you don’t need to. cut back on everything you can think of.”
“increase marketing efforts and get remote operations capable,” says 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间’ own frank stitely, of virginia-based stitely & karstetter, adding, “get younger clients.”
and solid, semi-optimistic counsel from george a. smith, ea, in highland, ind.: “stay the course. the shakeout will be beneficial to survivors.”