client service

the top 20 reasons clients love their cpa firms

by

by marc rosenberg
how cpa firms work

the cpa’s training is geared to identifying problems that clients are experiencing and giving recommendations for improving the company.   this leads to producing what is known as the “oh wow” feeling from a client.  efforts to super-please clients are what it takes to satisfy clients’ needs, retain them year after year and get them to make unsolicited referrals of other companies.

here are 20 things that cpas do that their clients rave about: read more →

accountants and six fundamental human needs

by

by hitendra patil
pransform

celebrity author anthony “tony” robbins identified six fundamental human needs that everyone has in common, and states that all behavior is simply an attempt to meet those six needs.

these six human needs are certainty, uncertainty/variety, significance, connection/love, growth and contribution.

as an accounting services provider, if you can identify the ways to meet these six needs of your clients (and your staff), if you can recurrently and consistently do things that lead to clients  (and your staff) actually experiencing the satisfaction of these needs, you are more likely to improve your firm’s performance. the question to ask is, “what should i do to ensure that my services/products fulfill these needs of my clients?”

for now, let us focus on your clients. here are some suggestions on what to do to fulfill six fundamental needs of your clients. read more →

the five essential skills accountants need today

by

above and beyond accounting, you need business know-how.

by sandi smith leyva, cpa
accountant’s accelerator

we’ve worked super-hard on gaining our accounting, tax, and auditing skills.  those skills alone will keep us working as employees for someone else, but what if we want to go out on our own or grow our business beyond what we have now?

more for soloists and small firms: the seven essential components of a simple marketing plan for accountants  | take six big steps to go beyond compliance services     |     when your business needs to be rebooted  |   two steps to easy cross-sells   |   the hot new tech product for automated data entry   |   five value-add service areas to take you beyond bookkeeping   |   six money-making strategies to take you beyond quickbooks   |   proactive ways to get more referrals   |   the three biggest money leaks in your practice   |   new client opportunities with mobile apps   |   six questions to launch your summer strategy sessions   |   what most accountants miss in the five simple steps to get more clients   |   accountants, do you know your opportunity number? | five ideas to reduce client price-sensitivity | rise to the top with a fresh elevator speech | four ways to practice entrepreneurial perseverance | 5 mistakes to avoid when seeking new clients  | the top 12 business card blunders accountants make | seven tips to keep the clients you have | how to attract clients like a magnet | eleven easy ways to deliver more value to clients

here are five skills to consider adding to your toolbox so you can get ahead faster. how do you rate in each of these areas?

read more →

take six big steps to go beyond compliance services

by

beat the billable hour by doing more than just taxes or quickbooks.

by sandi smith, cpa
accountant’s accelerator

as compliance services become more commoditized and automated, accountants are faced with how this affects their practice and their bottom line. they can:

  1. serve a higher level client that requires greater complexity, making themselves fairly immune to these changes
  2. serve a larger number of clients to offset a drop in revenue per client averages
  3. add new services to their practice to boost revenue per client

those are pretty much the options available to keep profits from shrinking. but today i want to focus on the third point above, adding new services, and provide you with some ideas on how you may be able to serve your tax compliance clients in new ways.

more for soloists and small firms:  when your business needs to be rebooted  |   two steps to easy cross-sells   |   the hot new tech product for automated data entry   |   five value-add service areas to take you beyond bookkeeping   |   six money-making strategies to take you beyond quickbooks   |   proactive ways to get more referrals   |   the three biggest money leaks in your practice   |   new client opportunities with mobile apps   |   six questions to launch your summer strategy sessions   |   what most accountants miss in the five simple steps to get more clients   |   accountants, do you know your opportunity number? | five ideas to reduce client price-sensitivity | rise to the top with a fresh elevator speech | four ways to practice entrepreneurial perseverance | 5 mistakes to avoid when seeking new clients  | the top 12 business card blunders accountants make | seven tips to keep the clients you have | how to attract clients like a magnet | eleven easy ways to deliver more value to clients

even if you don’t do taxes, you will find some ideas for new related services you can think about offering to your clients. (remember, it’s easier to sell to existing clients than to acquire new ones.) read more →

providing work papers to new accountant

by

 

when is it required?

question:

a long time business client that owed me a large balance for unpaid fees sent a letter dropping me. he then wrote me a letter requesting me to send “his” papers to his new accountant. can i insist on being paid first or do i have to send the papers? i made some notes on a worksheet adjusting his numbers that went on the tax return. do i have to send this also and if so, do i have to write these up in proper journal entry form?

more from ed mendlowitz, the practice doctor:  11 business-getting tips for the young staffer  |  how to get started in family office services  |  three and a half ways to get your own cpa practice |  novice manager needs to know: how to do it all? | why no one listens to you |  when not to offer a free initial consultation | measuring growth in yourself, staff and partners  |  what do you think you’re doing?  | can you teach judgment?  |  clients’ calls at home  | what you need to know before expanding into business valuation |   seven ways to increase fees  | 10 best practices for tax season  | nine healthy things to do during tax season  |  12 reasons to love tax season | free instant download: sample fee schedule for 1040s |   also: “implementing fee increases” and “the tax season opportunity guide.”

answer:

read more →

two steps to easy cross-sells

by

start with a spreadsheet.

by sandi smith, cpa
accountant’s accelerator

here’s a great spreadsheet exercise you can do to identify what i call “low-hanging fruit,” which means added revenue that will not take too much time or money to go after.

open excel, and start a worksheet from the sales numbers in your accounting system.

more at 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 for soloists and small firms:    the hot new tech product for automated data entry  |  five value-add service areas to take you beyond bookkeeping  |  six money-making strategies to take you beyond quickbooks   | 10 ways to add a “money maker” hour to your day   |  11 sources of wealth we can celebrate   |  nine value-adds to command a higher fee   |  how to design your business around your strengths

read more →

six money-making strategies to take you beyond quickbooks

by

how to give clients real solutions, options and opportunities they’ll love.

by sandi smith leyva, cpa
accountant’s accelerator

many accountants are quickbooks proadvisors who offer quickbooks consulting to their clients; you may be one of them.

more at 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 for soloists and small firms: proactive ways to get more referrals   |  the three biggest money leaks in your practice   |  new client opportunities with mobile apps   |  six questions to launch your summer strategy sessions   |  what most accountants miss in the five simple steps to get more clients   |  10 ways to add a “money maker” hour to your day   |  11 sources of wealth we can celebrate   |  nine value-adds to command a higher fee   |  how to design your business around your strengths

here are the opportunities i see to expand your client services in the area of quickbooks consulting, or for that matter, any accounting software consulting. read more →

consulting with a client who is also a friend

by

question: i have a close friend who is also a client. he went through a rough time with his wife threatening a divorce and we spent a lot of time talking about it (out of office settings).  i sent him a bill and he returned it with a notation that “we spoke as friends and not as a professional consultation, and the bill should be cancelled.”  what should i do? read more →

what partners don’t tell staffers about clients

by

by jean caragher

since strong client relationships contribute to client satisfaction, longevity and lead generation, partners often encourage their managers and staff to build relationships with their clients. but these managers and staff look at the relationships their firm’s partners have built over time and think it’s impossible to replicate their results.

however, building relationships with clients can be done using the same behaviors that we use when building friendships and courting our spouse or significant other.

consider these 12 tips to build client relationships: read more →