who makes the technology acquisition decisions for solo and small firms?\u00a0 the survey suggests partners and maybe firm administrators make these decisions. of course, the decisions are limited by their tech knowledge, which is likely to be lacking compared to it professionals and even tech partners in larger firms.<\/p>\n
the survey shows that solo and small firms don\u2019t even use it consultants extensively.\u00a0 how informed can these decisions be?\u00a0 we can logically conclude solo and small firms will fall even further behind in technology, which impacts their ability to compete in commoditizing traditional markets.<\/p>\n
from the survey, solo practitioners rate understanding new technology as a bigger challenge than attracting new clients.\u00a0 small firms rank practice improvement as their number two challenge. \u00a0that\u2019s really just a proxy for identifying the right tech solutions.<\/p>\n
in the survey, solo and small firms rate examining technology to solve workflow inefficiencies as their second most effective way to control costs.\u00a0 yet, how can they do that with limited knowledge?<\/p>\n
avoiding the issue by selling at retirement won\u2019t work.\u00a0 the survey also shows that the likely suitors for small firms, medium-sized firms, aren\u2019t that interested.\u00a0 less than 20% of medium firms believe firm acquisitions are an effective way to generate revenue.<\/p>\n
show that to the broker, who tells you that you\u2019ll get a 1.2 collections multiple on your sole proprietorship.\u00a0 i had lunch recently with a cpa firm owner, who had made four recent acquisitions.\u00a0 he told me that the maximum multiple he paid was 0.8 times.\u00a0 he avoids any firm that has \u201cbrokered up.\u201d they don\u2019t know the reality of the declining value of 1040 practices.<\/p>\n
if selling and retiring isn\u2019t a solution, what is?<\/strong><\/p>\nrather than listening to vendors and consultants, \u00a0who have never worked five minutes in a cpa firm, maybe we can generate the solutions ourselves.\u00a0 we need a new type of vendor\/consultant, who brings solutions from experienced cpa\u2019s to other cpa\u2019s.<\/p>\n
effective practice management arises from interdependent components:<\/p>\n
\nworkflow<\/li>\n software<\/li>\n human resource management<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nwe need a new type of vendor\/consultant, who can marshal resources to solve challenges with all three components.\u00a0 good workflow means nothing without good software.\u00a0 good software means nothing without a good workflow.\u00a0 both workflow and software fail in the face of poor staff management.<\/p>\n
our current vendors know little about the day-to-day grind of solo and small firms.\u00a0 at best, they are great software developers.\u00a0 at worst, they are international conglomerates, who had the misfortune of acquiring companies serving cpa firms.<\/p>\n
they have no emotional investment in our success or our clients.\u00a0 they haven\u2019t known the joy and challenge of preparing thousands of tax returns in a small firm.\u00a0 they couldn\u2019t care less about the small businesses, who depend on small cpa firms for advice that literally keeps small businesses open.<\/p>\n
these vendors provide training led by product specialists, who know every little bit of product functionality but have zero knowledge leveraging the features for small firm success.\u00a0 they know the software, but not workflow or people management.\u00a0 they address an isolated piece of the practice improvement equation.<\/p>\n
our version of farm aid won\u2019t be led by musicians.\u00a0 our plight just isn\u2019t as tears-worthy as farmers.\u00a0 our version of cpa aid won\u2019t be a concert.\u00a0 it will be support for cpa\u2019s by other cpa\u2019s.<\/p>\n
start by following the advice from our industry visionaries like randy johnston<\/a><\/span>, brian tankersley<\/a><\/span>, donny shimamoto<\/a><\/span>, and ed mendlowitz<\/a><\/span>.\u00a0 then demand solutions from vendors with real-world experience running cpa firms.<\/p>\njohn mellencamp won\u2019t be writing a song that will solve our problems.\u00a0 we\u2019ll write that song ourselves.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
<\/a> \ntoday’s changes in the accounting business recall the plight of the small farmer in the 1980s.<\/strong> \nby frank stitely<\/em> \nclick to play: john mellencamp at farm aid<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1362,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3120,3002,2306],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-66261","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pro-member-exclusive","category-special","category-tech-and-fintech"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nfarm-aid for accountants? - 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n