11 steps for handling client complaints

they might come to you unhappy, but they don’t have to leave that way.

by jassen bowman

unhappy clients are a part of doing business. while we strive to deliver the absolute best customer service, provide excellent value in our services and run a first-class operation, it’s simply impossible to please everybody.

more: what you tell yourself matters | use checklists to get new tax clients what your tax resolution staff must do | are you quitting on leads too soon? | grow faster, be more efficient
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the key to properly and professionally addressing client complaints is to not be overtly defensive. adopting a defensive attitude usually just inflames the situation.
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peer-to-peer: your best advice for 2021

clockwise-from-top-left-raizen-wehr-paulson-swigert-anderson-stitely.png
pivoting to 2021 (clockwise from top left): raizen, wehr, paulson, swigert, anderson, stitely

‘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.

more in surveys & research: survey: a glint of optimism for 2021| accountants say: brace for a dismal 2021 | ppp client fraud: how much risk is too much? | ppp traps: 1 in 5 accountants report shady dealings | cloudy forecasts call for rainmaking

goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

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.

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does your staff know all the services you provide?

they can help clients and increase revenue.

by ed mendlowitz
the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 practice doctor

question: we have around 30 full-time staff, and most of them graduated less than three years ago.

more: four tips for new partners | before you sell your practice | work the client needs … but won’t pay for | tossing timesheets is just the start
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how can we let them know more about the services our cpa firm provides so they can help sell our services?
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invest in the right guidance

hand watering small plant in pot shaped like upward arrow“we never look at the money we’re missing out on.”

by matt solomon

there is one final shift you need to get your business kicking into high gear. the cornerstone to building a successful, growing business is shift #5: investing in the right guidance. growing a sustainable business for the long term requires having the right team of advisors because, to put it simply, you don’t know what you don’t know!

more: tap into your gold mine | your secret weapon for exponential profits | step into the role of a business advisor | shift your practice: stop depending on compliance work
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getting the right guidance can be the difference between success and failure, between time spent with family and loved ones and endless hours at the office, between satisfying, high-profit work and low-paying busy work.
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why should clients keep you?

most business clients must use an accountant, but it doesn’t have to be you.

by ed mendlowitz
call me before you do anything: the art of accounting

i met someone one day and asked how she was doing with her accountant. she said everything was fine, but reduced the three interim quarterly visits to once every four months. the year-end work did not change.

more: advice to new accountants | what does the client want to see? | 6 ways to increase your fees … if you dare | the clients that got away | upselling made painless | boosting a fixed fee substantially | creative ways to retain staff | what cpas can learn from lawyers and doctors
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this got me thinking. most business clients must use an accountant, but it doesn’t have to be you.
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the 8-step method for launching client accounting services

start small, learn, and then expand.

by hitendra patil
client accounting services

whether you are thinking of offering client accounting services, have already started offering it or you want to grow your cas practice or make it more profitable, some proven steps will make your cas practice shape up in the most optimized way. if you have already started offering cas, these are the steps that you will revisit from time to time.

more: six reasons cas is king | who’s afraid of client accounting services? | what cas is … and is not | how to develop the cas mindset | the right mindset for client accounting services | client accounting services: the definitive guide
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there are several steps to get started in cas and make your cas practice better. the following details are just a bird’s-eye view of the important aspects of how to create your cas practice. read more →

advice to new accountants

businesspeople discussing chartswhat to know when you’re starting out.

by ed mendlowitz
call me before you do anything: the art of accounting

i was asked to provide advice to people starting out in accounting and am sharing my thoughts here. i get many requests to speak, write and comment on all sorts of areas of practice management. here is one such interview that hopefully you might find interesting and insightful.

more: what does the client want to see? | the clients that keep you awake at night | creating a cross-selling culture | cross-selling beyond your comfort zone | a test of concentration | value pricing in uncharted waters
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what is the best career advice you received? why do you consider it so?
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step into the role of a business advisor

portrait of a cheerful businessman smiling at the cameraare you proactive or reactive?

by matt solomon
the center for enlightened business

once you’re ready to stop depending on compliance work, you’ve got to move your business into another model. you need to be proactive, charge for your value and leverage your existing knowledge and skill set.

more: shift your practice: stop depending on compliance work | take the nine-point practice checkup | three ways to leverage today’s uncertainties for renewed growth
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the business advisory model is your way out of compliance work! you can charge premium prices, work with better clients and be of greater service – while working fewer hours.
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an alternative to pro bono

businesswoman at crossroads, facing two pathstry board service instead.

by ed mendlowitz
the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 practice doctor

question: occasionally i receive requests to perform accounting services for free for not-for-profit organizations. i usually ignore them. do you have any suggestions on how to handle these emails?

more: work the client needs … but won’t pay for | advising estate executors: the newbie guide to getting started | 14 better uses for timesheet data | tossing timesheets is just the start | how’s your overhead? | 9 must-haves for firm growth | collect more by clearing up billing | envision your future, then plan for it | 5 ways to build teamwork
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

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shift your practice: stop depending on compliance work

number 5 drawn in sandare you ready to step off the hamster wheel?

by matt solomon
the center for enlightened business

this article is the first in our five shifts series, which lays out five key shifts you need to take your business away from a high-volume model with long hours and unfulfilling work and toward monthly engagement of $3,000-$15,000 per client with $500+ hourly realization rates and a better quality of life.

shift 1: stop depending on compliance work

more: let go of beliefs that hold you back | reframe sales as communicating value | 3 keys to evolving your accounting practice
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the idea of reducing your dependence on compliance work may be radical for some accountants and familiar to others.

compliance work is the main source of income for many accountants, but unfortunately, it’s a high volume, low-profit ballgame. in order to be successful, you need to have flawless execution and massive leverage if anything is out of place or goes awry, you won’t get the results you’re hoping for.
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build the practice you want in 4 steps

businessman's shoes toeing words "what's your next step?"it’s never too late to start.

by ty hendrickson

building an accounting practice is not for the faint of heart. you go into this profession because of a love of analyzing numbers and helping others, but to have work to do accountants have to pivot and become salespeople too.

more: get goal-ready for 2021 | why choose you? | the one big reason your hiring sucks | 5 crucial areas of firm culture not to ignore | the cpa firm partner’s role is changing | are you botching your first impression? | maybe the pandemic isn’t all bad
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there are many ways to grow a practice, some being more passive, including utilizing referrals as they come, and some being more outward, including networking and prospecting. the bottom line is that accountants must find a way to bring new clients in the door to keep the doors open.
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work the client needs … but won’t pay for

young businesswoman putting hand out in "stop" gesture while sipping coffeemaybe it’s time to part ways.

by ed mendlowitz
the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 practice doctor

question: i know that one of my clients needs some extra work done, but they don’t want to pay for it. it is important that this work gets done.

more: advising estate executors: the newbie guide to getting started | 14 better uses for timesheet data | 9 must-haves for firm growth | 5 ways to build teamwork
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

do you think i should do it anyway? what is my responsibility?
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