don’t let clients outgrow you

two men having coffee; one has an open laptop

it might not be too late to keep something going.

by ed mendlowitz
202 questions and answers: managing an accounting practice

question: i just suddenly lost my biggest client. they said they outgrew me. what could i have done to keep them?

more: what to do when a partner becomes disabled | do as little as possible | don’t blame the client for your location | who to hire when it’s time to grow | the top tip for reviewing tax returns | you can’t win with lowballing | yes, you have to share work papers | should you merge? here’s how to chart your path | hold staff accountable if you want them to listen to you | how to raise your rates | higher fees to start: ten ways to make your tax season better
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

response: maybe nothing. and at this point it may not matter, but there are some things you can do to maybe get them back in the future and stop it from happening with another client.

losing any client is not pleasant, and losing a large client hurts. and when it is sudden it hurts even more.
read more →

what to do when a partner becomes disabled

man seated at desk in front of empty chair

what does the partnership agreement say? oops …

by ed mendlowitz
202 questions and answers: managing an accounting practice

question: my partner has been out sick for the past 3½ months, and he has been continuing to get his draw. it looks like he will be out for some time more, but not sure how long.

more: do as little as possible | want to merge? here are 23 things to request | i’m just starting out; why join an association? | don’t blame the client for your location | realign partners with monthly meetings | i’m 76. should i slow down? how? | who to hire when it’s time to grow | hourly billing doesn’t cover the value; now what? | ask for what you’re worth | the top tip for reviewing tax returns | you have to start somewhere | two options for collecting past due fees | you can’t win with lowballing | nine reasons not to specialize | when board service gets tricky
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

he does make some calls from home, but isn’t really doing any work. is there anything i can do?
read more →

do as little as possible

older businessman taking a coffee break

and still have happy clients.

by ed mendlowitz
202 questions and answers: managing an accounting practice

question: i have many clients who always expect me to do extra work as part of our fixed-fee agreement. how can i get paid extra for work beyond the scope of our agreement?

more: want to merge? here are 23 things to request | i’m just starting out; why join an association? | i’m 76. should i slow down? how? | ask for what you’re worth | two options for collecting past due fees | when board service gets tricky | eleven ways new staffers can help bring in business | busy season is over, so it’s time for some resolutions | want to merge? six steps to take | how to start providing family office services
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

response: this is a recurring theme, and one that has many answers. one approach: don’t take on the extra work.

here is another approach.
read more →

want to merge? here are 23 things to request

this is your starting point.

by ed mendlowitz
202 questions and answers: managing an accounting practice

question: what do you ask for when considering a merger?

more: i’m just starting out; why join an association? | don’t blame the client for your location | who to hire when it’s time to grow | the top tip for reviewing tax returns | you can’t win with lowballing | yes, you have to share work papers | should you merge? here’s how to chart your path | hold staff accountable if you want them to listen to you | higher fees to start: ten ways to make your tax season better
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

response: this is a “you show me yours and i’ll show you mine.” you should have this information fairly well organized.

also, look at it critically and try to imagine what a prospective partner would say, and how you would react if this were someone else’s information that were being presented to you.
read more →

i’m just starting out; why join an association?

four businesspeople greeting each other

why would you not?

by ed mendlowitz
202 questions and answers: managing an accounting practice

question: i do not belong to the njscpa and see no value in it. what are the benefits if i am a sole practitioner and just starting out?

more: don’t blame the client for your location | realign partners with monthly meetings | hourly billing doesn’t cover the value; now what? | you have to start somewhere | nine reasons not to specialize | hiring experience vs. training inexperience | a friendly chat or a billable discussion? | when selling a firm to staffers is tricky | courting a client? don’t give too much away for free | nine tips for a healthier tax season | fifteen strategies for first-time supervisors | measure knowledge gaps (then close them)
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

response: i belong to the aicpa, njscpa and nysscpa, feel strongly about supporting these societies and believe it is a responsibility of professionals to do so.
read more →

don’t blame the client for your location

vehicles on both sides of a divided highway

charge for travel time and expenses at the risk of alienating clients.

by ed mendlowitz
202 questions and answers: managing an accounting practice

question: my practice is in central new jersey and i have a client about 2-1/2 hours away in pennsylvania. the mileage and tolls cost us $200 each month. can i bill for this?

more: realign partners with monthly meetings | i’m 76. should i slow down? how? | ask for what you’re worth | two options for collecting past due fees | when board service gets tricky | eleven ways new staffers can help bring in business | busy season is over, so it’s time for some resolutions | want to merge? six steps to take | how to start providing family office services | every accounting firm needs quality control | no one listens to you? change how you talk | 47 types of business valuation to provide
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

answer: are you crazy? you will lose the client. you would be “penalizing” the client for you not being local to their business.

read more →

realign partners with monthly meetings

happy business professionals giving high five hand slap

everyone needs to be on the same page. here’s how.

by ed mendlowitz
202 questions and answers: managing an accounting practice

question: there seems to be disagreement among our partners on important issues in running our practice and we never seem to have time to discuss it or work things out. we are a three-partner firm with 15 employees and no one is designated as managing partner.

more: i’m 76. should i slow down? how? | who to hire when it’s time to grow | the top tip for reviewing tax returns | you can’t win with lowballing | yes, you have to share work papers | should you merge? here’s how to chart your path | hold staff accountable if you want them to listen to you | how to raise your rates | higher fees to start: ten ways to make your tax season better | three ways to start an accounting practice | free consultation? not always | referral fee? forget it | how much is your tax practice worth? | merge in lower-priced work without losing out
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

answer: a suggestion is to have monthly partner meetings out of the office and an annual retreat. both of these have been covered previously but i will add some new ideas here.
read more →

i’m 76. should i slow down? how?

senior man working at desk

many considerations factor into the best time to retire.

by ed mendlowitz
202 questions and answers: managing an accounting practice

question: i am 76 and am starting to think about slowing down and selling my practice. i am a sole practitioner with three bookkeepers and a secretary/admin person working for me. i have a nice spacious office in a small building i own.

more: who to hire when it’s time to grow | hourly billing doesn’t cover the value; now what? | should you merge? here’s how to chart your path | when selling a firm to staffers is tricky | want to merge? six steps to take | courting a client? don’t give too much away for free | every accounting firm needs quality control | measure knowledge gaps (then close them) | should you offer financial services? | thirteen things to consider before you sell your practice | how much is your tax practice worth? | ready to retire? selling your practice is no strategy
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

i have been approached by a larger firm that wants to buy my practice, but they want a guarantee of retention, and i was thinking of working with them for two years to ease the transition, and then sell. how do i set up the work arrangement?

also, they want me to move into their office, but then i will have to sell my office and the real estate market is soft. also, we will negotiate the price now (a percentage of gross) but how do i know they won’t change their mind, or what happens if the transition period is not good and i have to pull out? what do you suggest i do or how should i proceed?
read more →

who to hire when it’s time to grow

young businesswoman speaking with client

management and review still will be needed.

by ed mendlowitz
202 questions and answers: managing an accounting practice

question: a cpa sole practitioner with a few part-time staff told me that he has come to realize that he no longer had a practice, but a business, and wanted to hire a person for “growth,” not just someone to help him get through the day.

more: hourly billing doesn’t cover the value; now what? | ask for what you’re worth | two options for collecting past due fees | when board service gets tricky | eleven ways new staffers can help bring in business | busy season is over, so it’s time for some resolutions | want to merge? six steps to take | how to start providing family office services | every accounting firm needs quality control
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

he wanted some suggestions of what type of person he should hire. read more →

hourly billing doesn’t cover the value; now what?

a lesson in applying judgment.

by ed mendlowitz
202 questions and answers: managing an accounting practice

question: i helped a client get a bank loan, negotiated the rate and fees with the bank and had a tight covenant loosened. i prepared a personal financial statement, prepared a compilation statement for the business, projected financial figures and accounts receivable projections and reviewed and discussed them with the bank, and had numerous conversations with bank and client.

more: ask for what you’re worth | the top tip for reviewing tax returns | you have to start somewhere | two options for collecting past due fees | you can’t win with lowballing | nine reasons not to specialize | when board service gets tricky | yes, you have to share work papers | hiring experience vs. training inexperience | eleven ways new staffers can help bring in business | should you merge? here’s how to chart your path
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

read more →

ask for what you’re worth

hand moving triangle along beam to indicate balance between price and value

how to prepare for a value pricing opportunity.

by ed mendlowitz
202 questions and answers: managing an accounting practice

question: i just heard from a client we hadn’t heard from in seven or eight years and he says he has an “emergency.”

more: the top tip for reviewing tax returns | you have to start somewhere | nine reasons not to specialize | hiring experience vs. training inexperience | a friendly chat or a billable discussion? | when selling a firm to staffers is tricky | courting a client? don’t give too much away for free | nine tips for a healthier tax season | fifteen strategies for first-time supervisors
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

here’s the story: he had started a business eight years ago and he used us for a couple of years until some big money was raised and they switched to a big four firm. he also stopped using us for his personal return, switching to the big four firm. then, just last week, he called us to ask for assistance in evaluating a multimillion-dollar termination package. he needed to meet with me right away because he did not want the offer to slip away. he then asked what the rates would be and could he have a discount because he was once a good client (he was – seven and eight years ago!). the asking for a discount left a bad taste in my mouth.
read more →

the top tip for reviewing tax returns

what would you say?

by ed mendlowitz
202 questions and answers: managing an accounting practice

question: i know you have a lot of advice on how to review tax returns. what’s your single best tip?

more: you have to start somewhere | two options for collecting past due fees | when board service gets tricky | eleven ways new staffers can help bring in business | busy season is over, so it’s time for some resolutions | want to merge? six steps to take | how to start providing family office services | every accounting firm needs quality control | no one listens to you? change how you talk | 47 types of business valuation to provide | thirteen things to consider before you sell your practice | uncooperative partner might not be the problem
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

response: i had never thought about this until this question was asked.
read more →

you have to start somewhere

wishful thinking won’t move you forward.

by ed mendlowitz
the 30:30 training method

question: thanks for the training memo. although i requested your memo because i know i need help with improving efficiency and the like with my practice, many of your thoughts and ideas i have already thought of but simply did not implement them.

more: two options for collecting past due fees | you can’t win with lowballing | yes, you have to share work papers | should you merge? here’s how to chart your path | hold staff accountable if you want them to listen to you | how to raise your rates | higher fees to start: ten ways to make your tax season better | three ways to start an accounting practice | free consultation? not always | referral fee? forget it
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

 

response: i think you hit part of the nail on the head in what you wrote – you’ve had many of the ideas and “simply did not implement them.”
read more →