look for clients who are open to new relationships.
by art kuesel
for the rosenberg map survey
the pandemic has been a time for all of us to re-think why and how we do what we do.
more: why it’s time for an acquisition | three ways the accounting profession has changed | ramping up for the year ahead
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it’s time to start fresh. i’d start with a handful of clients who would be open to what a new relationship could look like and start the conversation with different questions, which will allow us to find different answers and ultimately reposition our role as an advisor for success.
in the past, good accounting and accurate tax returns and audit reports were the goals. now the goal needs to be “how can we help you be as successful as you want to be?”
this profession is comprised of experienced, credentialed, and brilliant businesspeople with unmatched insight into what makes businesses successful. accounting is important, but it’s a smaller aspect of what constitutes success than we’d like to admit.
as we all saw, some industries suffered greatly during the pandemic; many adjusted and did okay, and others thrived. our profession was no different, as some firms really struggled, some adjusted and did okay, and others really stepped up – and thrived.
having a flexible mind and lens is a key ingredient for the firms that thrived and will continue to be leaders in the future.
assuming the talent war continues unabated, the firms that best balance the needs of their people with their clients will ultimately win – and win big. further, for the foreseeable future, that balance will be constantly changing. and, that’s okay – assuming firm leadership can effectively navigate continuous change.
i suspect that means that leadership needs to look at every decision with a new lens that can see new perspectives. the combination of wisdom and fresh perspectives could be the winning recipe.
tangentially, we cannot risk additional fatigue and burnout, and so firms are reassessing what constitutes an ideal client. they are strengthening their filters, raising their minimums and questioning the client acceptance criteria. often this does translate into culling of existing clients as well. i suspect this will create a small cascade of client movement from larger to smaller firms.