ten ways to spot who’s ready.
by hitendra patil
client accounting services: the definitive success guide
experience of those offering successful client accounting services shows that the fastest way to start your cas practice is to provide it to some of your existing clients. if you already have a cas practice, it is important to periodically analyze which of your clients have become a good fit for cas. it is important to note that not all of your clients will be good fits for cas.
more: client wants vs. needs | clients’ new expectations | 8 ways to create your cas practice | the big money in cas for small firms | what cas is and isn’t | do you value your cas value? | the mindset you need for client accounting services
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there are some easy ways to identify which of your existing clients are cas-fit, i.e., which of your clients will benefit the most from your cas offering. and then there are some not-so-easy ways to know which are your cas-fit clients.
the easy ways to identify cas-fit clients
- specific industries: there are some industries/professions that have comparatively more complex business processes than others. their accounting processes are more complex, too, and they need professional accountants to manage those. if you focus on some such niches and develop genuine expertise about such industries/professions, you can establish a healthy cas practice. for example, construction (companies, contractors).
- transaction-heavy: in some industries/professions, a large number of repetitive sales/purchase transactions is regular business. accurate recordkeeping and timely financial statements are a lifeline for such companies. being transaction-heavy also means the owners do not have much time to focus on accounting. when you have robust internal processes backed by an integrated technology stack, you can establish a strong cas practice. as a rule of thumb, cas-fit clients have:
- more than 100 sales and purchase transactions each month;
- more than one bank and credit card accounts;
- more than 50-60 customers; and
- more than 30-40 regular vendors – for example, restaurants (fine dining restaurants, multi-location family-owned restaurants).
- number of vendors/customers: some businesses have a significantly large number of vendors and customers compared to the average number of many other businesses. invariably, the payable/receivable terms are such that they give rise to the need to professionally manage cash flow. also, such businesses have several business transactions that lead to a good monthly volume of bookkeeping and accounting work. when you have more than one staff member trained on each such client’s work, you can establish a strong cas practice – for example, accounting work of b2b product companies or b2c companies with high-value products.
- inventory-heavy: some businesses are essentially trading companies that either trade end products or turn/assemble inventory into final products to sell to the end consumers. how fast they turn around their inventory, their ability to secure favorable terms to ensure just-in-time inventory purchase – of adequate quality at the right price – and the velocity of their sales function determines their profitability. again, such companies do not have much time to focus on accounting as their business success comes from a relentless focus on purchase, sales, delivery and customer service functions. when you develop fundamental process insights into such industries (e.g., branded products companies and distribution companies) and identify technologies that integrate well with their crm/purchase/sales/inventory management technologies, you can establish a thriving cas practice.
- growing companies: in each industry/profession, some companies grow faster than others. such companies need better accounting processes and resources. how do you find such companies? the easiest way is to look for hiring/recruitment/job ads they post. companies that advertise for part-time bookkeeper/accountant positions are the “low-hanging fruit” that you can target. such companies can grow to such levels where the need grows to full-time resource(s). when you demonstrate that the owners of such companies (e.g., local products/services companies, specialty boutique restaurants) do not lose control of their accounting – and can perform some functions (e.g., pay a bill, send an invoice) themselves using your cloud-based accounting system – they see the possibility that they do not really need in-house accounting staff, and that will help you establish a strong cas practice.
these are just some of the proven ideas to get you started on your cas journey. you can examine the books of your own clients to see if any of your clients fit into any of these criteria.
additionally, you can do some research to find out what’s working for other accounting firms. for example, do a google search to find firms that have more than 5 to 10 staff members. then research if those firms focus on some niche industries / offer some specific service types.
the not-so-easy ways to identify cas-fit clients
there are some people whose thought processes, belief systems and knowledge make them understand and appreciate the real value of sound accounting. such people are an excellent fit for cas – all you need to do is show them their transition to cas will be seamless.
to identify such people, you need to carefully observe their behavior patterns and increase your (and your staff’s) personal interactions with them. treat this additional analysis time as an investment in your marketing and sales function. as a rule of thumb, your revenue from a non-cas client will grow from about $3,000 to $4,000 a year to $12,000 to $15,000 a year when that client buys your cas offering. there is a massive return on your one-time investment in identifying such people.
- clients who make fact-based decisions: do you have a few clients who call in/email multiple times, more than other clients, to ask you more questions about their accounting information? most likely, they are seeking insights to make some business decisions and affirm the choices they have already made by confirming with the accounting information. such clients are the ones who make most of their business decisions based on facts, but they are also more likely to prefer control over their finances and processes. these are the clients where you should focus on moving more of their accounting processes to your office, but make sure you have a cloud accounting system with collaborative capabilities. collaborative cloud systems ensure such clients do not feel there is a threat of loss of control.
- clients who are efficiency-driven: do you have clients who come straight to the point when you have any discussion with them? such people value their time and are efficiency driven. more likely than not, they are hard-pressed for time, not just because they do not delegate much but because their business is growing, and they are stretched in multiple directions managing their business. such people appreciate the value of efficiency in your accounting processes and service delivery. any delay in delivering service beyond the timeline you promised will slowly take them away from your firm. you’d notice that they will point it out every time there is a delay in service delivery. so, if you see such behavior, counterintuitively, those would be good prospects to pitch cas to because cas puts you, the accountant, in more control and helps deliver services in time – as compared to situations where you are always chasing clients for information.
- clients who are focused on their craft: some people are genuinely passionate about their business. they talk a lot about various nuances of their business. every time you interact with them, they will share some new ideas that they figured out about their business. you may find that they end their conversation with you by saying, “okay, send the financial statements/that report by email,” and that may be the only time they spoke about accounting! such people are focused on their craft. their passion drives them, and your cas offering will give them more time and energy to focus on their craft. one of my ex-clients, an experienced and expert cpa from san diego – who had mostly high net-worth individuals with multiple businesses as his clients – told me, “after 19 years in practice, i realized that small to medium business entrepreneurs are not really concerned with managing their balance sheets. it is the job of the accountant.”
- clients who don’t ask you yes/no questions: some clients would ask you in-depth/searching/detailed questions about their accounting. very rarely, you may be able to answer their questions by a simple yes or no. they want to know why and how about almost everything that shows up on their reports. such people are not suspicious/untrusting people. they are actually the ones who, deep down in their minds and hearts, will recognize your true worth and impact. offering them cas is your opportunity to enhance your worth (and revenue) and deepen your impact.
- clients who take pride in their brand: everything about them is synchronized. their office, their email signature, their name cards, office stationery, uniform (if they use one) is all color- and style-coordinated with their brand style and color. they would use their brand name while speaking with you multiple times. for them, their brand is like a living individual with a name.
they may say something like “mybrandname turned four today” or “mybrandname cares about the local community,” etc. “i” is minimal in their conversations. they replace the “i” with their brand name. such people need all the time and focus in the world to enhance their brand. cas is something that will liberate them from the accounting responsibilities.
you already have a relationship going with your existing clients. it is easier for you to convince them to offload their entire accounting work to you.