client needs and desires define which skills are necessary. 
by hitendra patil
the definitive success guide to client accounting services
have a cas question? get it answered here.
question: the largest revenue for my firm has been from tax services. we also offer accounting services, but it is not something we are the best experts in. what skills must practitioners have to grow a cas practice?
more cas: why cas? why now? | matching your tech to your cas clients | the tech stack you need for cas | yes, you have the staffing for cas | six steps to spreading cas awareness | finding profits in cas |
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answer: first, the good news. you already have the foundation for offering cas successfully. it is only a matter of amplifying the parts of your current services that your clients need and want the most, from tax preparation to tax planning services to after-the-fact write-up accounting to more real-time accounting and advisory. but upgrading your service capabilities is just the start. skills development follows the service capabilities.
you can’t sell what you don’t have, even if you have excellent sales skills. let us assume you manage to enhance your service capabilities in a reasonable time. to do so, you need to improve your knowledge and technical skills. you will then need to raise the human skillsets of your team. in the definitive success guide to client accounting services (cas), i share some insights about the additional skill sets you will need for cas success. let me share the outline here:
- identify who is better suited for what. some of your team members are great technicians. they are well suited to produce cas work. others are excellent at client interactions. they are perfect for delivering insights from the cas work produced. your firm’s operating procedures will change when you start offering cas. make all the necessary efforts to train your team members on new process requirements.
- cas is about expertise in client industries. in general, you can consistently deliver insights from the numbers. but, you succeed more in cas when you understand the pulse of client industries. e.g., to be a great restaurant accounting firm, you need to know the importance of the prime cost. your clients’ needs and wants define which skills are more vital for you and your team to develop.
- human skillsets. cas is the foundation for advisory services. technology only helps to discover actionable insights. you need human skills to connect insights, client expectations, goals and objectives. this requires enhanced human skillsets, i.e., listening skills, empathy and problem-solving skills, presentation skills to simplify complex information to make it easier for clients to understand, etc.