today's features

why accountants should embrace artificial intelligence

ai didn’t cause the talent shortage … and it won’t solve it, either.

by hitendra patil
client accounting services: the definitive success guide

  1. artificial intelligence says, “it’s essential to recognize that the talent shortage in the accounting profession is not a new problem. the profession has been facing challenges in attracting and retaining talent for many years, with factors such as increasing workloads, long hours and a lack of work-life balance contributing to the problem. addressing these issues is crucial to ensuring the profession’s continued success.”

wait. don’t believe ai at face value.

more: ai brings opportunities for accountants | seven things you must know about ai
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  1. because ai also says, “an important factor (why ai cannot easily replace accountants) that cannot be overlooked is the significant role that trust plays in the accounting profession.”

wait. don’t trust ai at face value.
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your chatgpt checklist: get started with generative ai

what accountants need to know today.

by sandi leyva

chatgpt is a game-changing technology for accounting and tax professionals. if you haven’t already tried it, you’re missing out on potentially significant efficiencies for your firm. like any technology, it has some pitfalls you must be aware of. but that shouldn’t stop you from at least seeing what all the fuss is about.

more chaptgpt here

here’s a 12-item checklist to get you started on chatgpt:

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how hard do you work to keep your clients?

woman in white office meeting with man

keep your clients out of the competitive pool.

by bruce marcus
professional services marketing 3.0

editor’s note: 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 was privileged to have a long relationship with bruce w. marcus, who was ahead of his time in his thinking and practice in marketing for accounting. we are publishing some of the late expert’s evergreen work, which retains wisdom for the present.

the conventional wisdom is that getting a new client costs more than keeping an old one. and for once, the conventional wisdom is correct.

yet, many professionals too readily take clients for granted. or don’t look for opportunities to increase revenues from perfectly satisfied clients.

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survey: the cas pricing problem

bar chart

accountants grapple with how to value insight and advice.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

one of the biggest challenges to offering client accounting services (cas) isn’t offering the actual services; it’s figuring out how and how much to charge for them.

more cas survey: cas challenge: no staff, no services | cas ‘one-stop shop’ means steady clientele | accountants cozy up to clients with cas
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

when the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 survey outlook 2024: emerging issues, opportunities and trends asked what’s most tough about cas, finding and training staff ranks #1, of course, for 30 percent of respondents. but pricing cas services was close behind for 29.2 percent.
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ten ways to make your business irresistible

magnet drawing in three people

draw new clients in like a magnet.

by sandi leyva
the complete guide to marketing for tax & accounting firms

if you’re an expert at something, don’t be the best-kept secret on your block. get the word out about what you can offer others, and one way to do that easily, especially if you’re an accountant, is to build your reputation.

more: eleven ways to serve clients even better | give to receive, and eight more ways to boost sales | five things that clients don’t know about accountants | five ways to wow your clients | how to fight feeling overwhelmed | you’re missing 60% of your revenue | make the most of cpe conferences | beyond compliance: six tips for adding value | track six figures to test your marketing | when you don’t know what you don’t know
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

here are 10 quick tips to boost yours.

1. get credentialed, certified or educated. a good credential – and the cpa is pretty much the gold standard – will get you instant credibility with your prospects and clients. you are simply treated better and respected more when you’ve earned a credential that others recognize.
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it’s time to do the uncomfortable

change can be difficult, but it can also be the key to success.

by seth fineberg
at large

yes, it’s that time of year again when proclamations of change are made, and everyone professes to be resolute in their goals.

the fact is that most of these statements don’t happen, despite all the best intentions, but let me give you one prescription for the new year. hopefully, beyond if accountants and the profession have any hope or goal of change, you need to do the uncomfortable.

more fineberg: jeremy sulzmann: can intuit mend fences with accountants at qb connect? | meet basis, the new ai bookkeeper on the block | is this when accountants start taking freshbooks seriously? | you’re doing email wrong  |  careful… you may be advising! | when live events fail | getting real: accounting tech decisions you need to make today | accounting tech doesn’t have to be daunting who’s in control? you? or your clients? |  time management rule #1 for accountants |  plan to go ‘live’ post tax season |  why vc is a bigger threat than ai  |   what does taking control of your firm mean? | accountants need each other more than ever | marchternity: just say ‘no’ | some thoughts on in-person events | so you think you know accountants? | what bogs down accountants

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

what does it mean to “do the uncomfortable”? it can include nearly anything outside of one’s comfort zone, ranging from not responding to every client call or email to working comparatively fewer hours using new technology to increase efficiency. it could even mean posting entry-level positions at a higher pay (you are raising fees anyway, yes?). and maybe, just maybe, embrace more diverse staffing practices.

change, in and of itself, is uncomfortable and not for everyone. it also doesn’t have to be anything major. these are incremental steps to improve your life and the life of your firm.

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bissett bullet: this too shall pass

today’s bissett bullet: “you will undoubtedly encounter challenges in business, just as there will be good times. the important thing to remember is that neither lasts forever.”

by martin bissett

when you are experiencing bad times, keep perspective and plan for when circumstances are different and you’re able to grow. when times are good, build your cash reserves to weather any storms that may be ahead.

today’s to-do:

if today is a bad time, what would you do differently once the storm has passed? if today is a good time, are you building your cash reserves to cushion you from harder times ahead?

see more bissett bullets here

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don’t make firm profitability a goal

an example from outside the accounting profession.

by marc rosenberg
the rosenberg practice management library

it has been said that organizations should never have profitability as a goal. why? because profitability should be the result of an organization’s efforts, not its goal.

more: core values: why your firm needs them | five keys in compensating new managing partners | what partners do and don’t deserve | five steps to transition to partnership | disturb the present to improve the future
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

profitability is a measure of success in accomplishing core business goals. the disney corporation probably says it best in their mission statement, which is short and sweet, but very powerful: “our mission is to make millions happy.”
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get clients to understand firm processes … or say goodbye

woman in a business suit waving a red flag

with just a little advanced marketing, you can get paid year-round and have more satisfied clients.

by frank stitely
the relentless cpa

when i’m frustrated, here’s how i explain the importance to clients of letting us work our process:

“when you get your car repaired, you don’t look over the mechanic’s shoulder and tell him which wrench to use. the same principle applies to us. if you knew the best ways to prepare tax returns, you should become our competitor.”

more: train now before it costs you down the road | keep clients from “balance due” shock | it’s ok to say no to clients (even the large ones) | you train your clients, whether you mean to or not | business owners face one of three exits | how small firms can win the talent wars | do you know your turnaround time?
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

let’s be perfectly honest with each other.

there’s a reason you aren’t actively training clients to allow you to work efficiently. you’re afraid that you’ll lose clients.

i guarantee that you will.
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cas challenge: no staff, no services

bar chart

demand isn’t a problem, but supply might be.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 outlook 2024: emerging issues, opportunities and trends survey asks 23 questions about client accounting services. early results clearly reveal certain emerging issues:

more cas survey: cas ‘one-stop shop’ means steady clientele | accountants cozy up to clients with cas
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

  • a majority of cpa firms (59 percent) now offer cas, and a lot more (21 percent) may soon join them.
  • a sizable portion of clients want these services.
  • staff shortages and training are the biggest challenge (for 30 percent) and biggest obstacle (for 44 percent) to offering cas.

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use timesheets for productivity, not billing

back office support calls for flat rates. here’s why.

by penny breslin
it’s not just the numbers

let’s get to the big questions that confound professional service providers of all types in today’s tech environment:

  • how do i charge my client for these services?
  • how do i continue to get paid?
  • how do i charge hourly for processes that will be taking less and less time because of the application of technology?

more: best practices for source doc permissions and handling | sixteen guidelines for naming conventions | you have to manage three kinds of procedures | tech tips for back office support | decoding accounting tech (and all those acronyms) | digital marketing strategies level the playing field | eight tasks to delegate today | advisory services done your way
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

fixed pricing

flat-rate billing is the logical choice for back office support (bos) services. this fixed pricing is typically used for monthly recurring work. we can do this by knowing how long it takes to create any given transaction. there will be swings in time, but the idea is that the fixed monthly rate considers the busiest season or months for the business. that way, on less heavy months, you receive the same rate and it makes up for the times when the workload increases.
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who are you more committed to, your firm or your clients?

sometimes silence is the best approach.

by martin bissett
passport to partnership

ask yourself and answer these questions when considering the current and future “commitment” behaviors that you’ll employ.

more: two steps toward mastering selling | rate your personal purpose | five ways to make selling easier | six keys to getting a proposal accepted | tell the world your worth | four surprising keys to communication | culture can’t be ignored | three questions about your competence | 10 can’t-skip steps for business development | attract clients, don’t chase them
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

1 – what is my first reaction to being asked to work outside of my normal hours?
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windows is now an app for pcs, apple products

the most widely used office software is now more convenient.

by rick richardson
technology this week

microsoft has created a windows app for ios, ipados, macos, windows and web browsers. the application effectively transforms the old windows 365 app into a central location for accessing microsoft desktop services, azure virtual desktop, windows 365, microsoft dev box and streaming a copy of windows from a distant pc.

more: study: solar will lead global energy by 2050 | fcc approves superfast wi-fi tethering | major websites blocking content from ai crawlers | printer ink: not just expensive, but a blatant scam? | generative ai coming to microsoft 365 | electronic skin that can sense touch will transform robotics | chatgpt passes cpa exam on second try
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

microsoft supports device redirection for peripherals such as webcams, storage devices and printers, as well as configurable display resolutions and scaling. these features are accessible through its windows app. the preview version of the windows app isn’t currently available for android, though.

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