can’t find staff? focus on technology … and other suggestions.
by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research
client accounting services is a bold, new world in the accounting industry, so no surprise we’re getting a lot of good advice from the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 outlook 2024: emerging issues, opportunities, and trends survey.
more cas survey: ten+ ways firms prefer (and prefer not) to market cas | survey: the cas pricing problem | cas challenge: no staff, no services | cas ‘one-stop shop’ means steady clientele | accountants cozy up to clients with cas
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if 59 percent of firms are offering some form of cas, that means 41 percent aren’t even though most (but not all) the 59 percent are saying go for it … but be careful.
asap… but
while one respondent says, “dive in, there is plenty of need out there,” and another just says, “do it asap,” most others recommend some forethought and planning.
“it takes more time to create than you think,” one respondent counsels. “but you want to maintain capacity for when it becomes known that you offer such services because your schedule will fill up quickly after the initial start.”
filling your schedule should be a good thing, of course, but it can kill you, too. so, as someone else says, “hire and train qualified professionals who understand the cas mentality.”
hiring staff is a great idea but easier said than done. thirty percent of the respondents say that finding and training staff is their single toughest challenge.
if you can’t hire the staff, then, one respondent advises, “pick the right technology and develop a good pricing strategy.”
pricing came up quite a bit. in fact, it is seen as the second-most common challenge, with 29 percent reporting it as their toughest.
and pricing’s important because cas takes a lot of time. a lot of interaction with the client. a lot of new skills. a lot of in-depth analysis.
“clearly define your service package and be sure clients understand what you can do in this area” is certainly among the best advice we’re received.
not a get-rich-quick scheme
several comments advise both planning and being ready to change plans.
“develop a plan and work it,” says one wise accountant. “at the same time, be prepared to modify the plan when something isn’t working.”
along those same lines, “make a solid plan as to how/what you are going to provide before you start,” says a cpa who seems to have suffered some setbacks. “don’t just offer what the client thinks they want.”
and this: “start small with one service line and build from there. don’t try to be all things to all clients.”
and this: “make sure management is in place. it’s a service line, not a get-rich-quick scheme.”
in other words, do some thinking before you dive into that water.
“cas practices cannot be run like your traditional accounting firm with the same metrics,” one respondent notes. “be prepared for change, and that’s ok! your clients will see additional value for the services provided, which is a win-win.”
and someone else agrees, advising that “it takes longer to build than you might think, but you need to have capacity waiting for it to build quickly once word gets out.”
many respondents are indicating that they don’t have to do much marketing of cas. no networking. no advertising. no social media. no search engine optimization. as one respondent says, it’s just a matter of “talk(ing) to your current clients about their needs.”
and finally:
- “stay optimistic and true to your set standards.”
- “communication is key.”
- “gain the client’s trust.”
- “temper your expectations.”