client accounting services

firm differentiation depends upon client service | accounting arc

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raising the bar on client service doesn’t mean sacrificing all your time. 

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accounting arc
with liz mason, byron patrick, and donny shimamoto
center for accounting transformation

more arc: analysis, reaction, comedy

technology has changed how firms operate, but relationships—and setting clear expectations—remain central to client satisfaction. 

in a recent episode of accounting arc, co-hosts liz mason, cpa; byron patrick, cpa.citp, cgma; and donny shimamoto, cpa.citp, cgma, tackled a pressing issue: how the accounting profession can evolve to deliver better client service in the digital age. 

more accounting arc: ron baker: surviving tariff turbulence | crypto, cash, or chaos? the fallout of an irs-free america | is agentic ai a game changer or game ender? | kelly mann: thriving against all odds | are we ready for the hidden risks of ai in accounting? | the research imperative: why data drives accounting success | how coaching can unlock professional success | demystifying accounting governance |  top 10 red flags to watch for in accounting offices | jeremy dubow: private equity as a catalyst for growth | break the burnout cycle in accounting | accounting in transition: 2024 reflections & the road ahead | ron baker: visions for the accounting profession | angie grissom: next gen inspo for accountants | does accounting belong in stem? | rose wang: where numbers meet strategy and creativity | tiktok fraud exposes gaps in financial literacy | how accounting pros own the stage in public speaking | greg kyte: being a cpa is like being the marie kondo of numbers | rachel bashore: a lawyer’s case for reinventing accounting | beyond the basics in ethics education

“client service is the number one reason we hear clients are looking for a new cpa firm,” says mason, founder and ceo of high rock accounting. “we need to get back to the roots of our profession—deep relationships and great communication.” 

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align your processes with your goals

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two women shaking hands across a table

nine ways to measure client experience.

by hitendra patil
client accounting services: the definitive success guide

if you were to define how your firm is different in three sentences, what would those three sentences be?

write them down. read those the next day and judge for yourself if your competitors can say the same three sentences to differentiate their firms. if yes, you will see why this is a significant challenge for your firm’s growth aspirations.

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the classic equation of “people, process and technology” defining differentiation from the competition is somewhat flawed in accounting. by its very nature, accounting is about doing exceptionally well-defined work that follows clear laws and regulations. most firms have employees certified in similar lines of education and specialization. technology solutions for accountants are highly mature now.
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liz scott: bookkeepers may beat cpas in the race to advisory | the disruptors

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the real value of accounting isn’t in the numbers but in the conversations we’re not having.

this is a preview. the complete 1-hour video episode, with commentary and transcript, is first available exclusively to pro members | go pro here
sponsored by “turbocharge your profits: how to thrive in the new economy,” by frank stitely, cpa, cva – see today’s special offer

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the disruptors
with liz farr

liz scott, like many other disruptors, prefers keeping her firm small. “i did try and grow my firm to this million-dollar firm. and i found myself in a spot where i was managing 10 team members, and that’s all that i had time for,” she recalls. “so i wasn’t able to do the thing that i actually really love, which is the tech development. i love that piece.”

more podcasts and videos:  ashley francis: ai’s a partner, not a replacement | richard roppa-roberts: collaboration over competition | ira rosenbloom: m&a numbers are easy – culture fit is hard | roman villard: ditch the suit & shine | monique swansen: align firm values with services | tina mcgill: how to create lasting client impact | stefan van duyvendijk: develop operational mindset | steve evans: why traditional hiring methods fail | roger knecht: can you be an accountrepreneur? | beth whitworth: focus on outcomes not hours |mike sylvester: learn to say no | salim omar: identify your client’s $100,000 problem | jackie meyer: earn more with fewer clients | jack fleherty: don’t be a ‘yes’ person | greg adams: from finance to storytelling | the disruptors | jody padar: make radical changes now if you want to be relevant in 2030 | rebecca driscoll: amplify reach by helping other firm owners | rory henry: create the return on relationships | mike maksymiw: be the leader you wish you had |

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her firm, accounting lifeline, serves as an incubator across various industries and technologies so she and her team can test different apps. at the same time, the consulting side of her business, liz scott training and consulting, dives in deeper to spend time testing apps and giving feedback to developers.

scott was attracted to accounting because she wanted to help other entrepreneurs in her family understand and grow their bottom lines. “if you’re going to be spending time working, how do you maximize your efforts? so how can you make the most money in the least amount of time?”

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how cas is more than bookkeeping

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young businesswoman speaking with client

get paid for what you’re probably already providing.

by hitendra patil
the definitive success guide to client accounting services

q: i am new to exploring client accounting services. i see many cas firms offer bookkeeping. however, they are still using cas engagements primarily for bookkeeping. can i move forward and leverage cas for higher-value-added business advisory services? any advice you can share? 

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a: books are the foundation from which you can derive insights and advice. bookkeeping is a process that prepares you for higher-level, higher-value advisory work. bookkeeping and outsourced accounting services are components of a full-scale cas practice.
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is it time to outsource?

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businessman holding up magnifying glass

twelve ways to tell.

by hitendra patil
client accounting services: the definitive success guide

when you are the key person to make things happen at your firm, you want to invest as much time in “business development” (not just marketing and sales) as humanly possible. your firm’s growth will make you feel that producing and delivering your services is an essential core business function for you, but some of it is not. freeing up yourself to spend more time focusing on the things that add value to your practice, and help set it apart from the competition is an essential differentiating growth strategy you will ever deploy. the same principle applies to your experienced, talented staff.

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you will build your client accounting services practice on newer, cloud, collaborative technologies. it will help you automate many routine functions and optimize your operating costs. but you still need competent people to manage, nurture and strengthen your client services and advisory functions.
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luke templin: lose your perfectionist gene | the disruptors

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don’t be afraid to try new ideas or plans–or afraid to fail.

this is a preview. the complete 1-hour video episode, with commentary and transcript, is first available exclusively to pro members | go pro here
sponsored by “holistic guide to wealth management,” by rory henry – see today’s special offer

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the disruptors
with liz farr

luke templin believes that cas – client advisory services – will be the key to success as an accountant in the future. not only is it an effective recruiting and retention tool for staff, but “it’s an attractive offering to clients,” he says. “if you were to talk to most entrepreneurs on what they want, most of them are going to want some sort of proactive advice on the numbers,” and not just the basics of bookkeeping and tax prep.

more podcasts and videos: ira rosenbloom: m&a numbers are easy – culture fit is hard | roman villard: ditch the suit & shine | monique swansen: align firm values with services | tina mcgill: how to create lasting client impact | stefan van duyvendijk: develop operational mindset | steve evans: why traditional hiring methods fail | roger knecht: can you be an accountrepreneur? | beth whitworth: focus on outcomes not hours |mike sylvester: learn to say no | salim omar: identify your client’s $100,000 problem | jackie meyer: earn more with fewer clients | jack fleherty: don’t be a ‘yes’ person | greg adams: from finance to storytelling | the disruptors | jody padar: make radical changes now if you want to be relevant in 2030 | rebecca driscoll: amplify reach by helping other firm owners | rory henry: create the return on relationships | mike maksymiw: be the leader you wish you had | terrell turner: build a solid business showing up as yourself | kelly mann: be the bull in the china shop | alicia katz pollock: create a human-centric business |  nancy mcclelland: be the one your clients ask first |alan whitman: stop accepting the status quo | sean duncan: discover your own genius | ingrid edstrom: true wealth is not financial |

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over his career, templin has built four different cas offerings in other firms, including his own, a2 advisors, which focuses on fractional cfo services. as templin explains, the goal of cas is “to get numbers as real-time as possible,” while a fractional cfo expands on bookkeeping, “helping the client solve problems with as real-time numbers as we can possibly get.”

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how to match your tech to your cas clients

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and why it’s worthwhile.

by hitendra patil
client accounting services: the definitive success guide

client accounting services essentially requires an ability for your firm to be able to best serve the needs of all your clients. in other words, your firm’s technology stack, services, processes and pricing packages need to cater to businesses of different sizes, turnovers, as well as various levels of tech-savvyness of the business owners and their employees. in yet other words, your firm should have the ability to do part of the accounting work or all the work your clients offload to your firm.

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in such cases, you want the technology stack to be as standardized as possible to avoid costly, error-prone and time-consuming need to deal with a variety of software. at the same time, when clients do part of the work, you must seek to implement collaborative technology on the cloud to eliminate duplication of data entry and mailing/emailing information back and forth between your firm and clients. this will, most likely, require you to convince your clients of the benefits of common, collaborative, cloud technology platform, and more likely than not, train the clients onto newer technologies. but the experience of hundreds of firms shows that the payoff far outweighs the cost of such efforts.
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five steps to choosing your cas technology stack

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cloud computer network

your current cloud use plays a role.

by hitendra patil
client accounting services: the definitive success guide

your firm’s current processes/procedures adapted to your current technology stack, or vice versa. trying to “fit in” client accounting services into your existing technology stack may become a challenge for you – not just from a procedural point of view but also from a profitability point of view. if your current technology stack is still more of desktop software, it could be nearly impossible for you to offer cas as profitably as potentially possible with non-desktop solutions.

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before you start thinking, “oh gosh, this is going to be a hugely expensive technological overhaul of my firm,” stop. cas does need you to adapt to an optimal technology mix, but it does not mean you just throw away your current technology and bring in entirely new technology. cas does not need a technological transformation of your firm. depending upon your existing technology stack, it may only require some reorganization, integration and adjustment.
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five ways to make cas staffing easier

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number 5 drawn in sand

even solos can provide it. here’s how.

by hitendra patil
client accounting services: the definitive success guide

when we asked firms what is stopping you from offering client accounting services, their top response was that they don’t have the staffing.

the #1 cas killer that emerged from the cas survey results is, unfortunately, also the most misconceived perception. it is a myth.

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the cas survey results showed that even solo practitioners offer cas. the number of firms that provide cas is significantly higher than those that do not offer cas for firms of all sizes. cas firms provide about twice the number of services compared to non-cas firms. “staffing shortage” or “lack of relevantly competent staff” are not the reasons why you should not offer cas. let us see why.
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tell clients how cas would help them

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businesspeople having a meeting over coffee sitting together at a table discussing a document, young man and two middle-aged women present

six steps to take.

by hitendra patil
client accounting services: the definitive success guide

what is stopping you from offering client accounting services? maybe your clients aren’t asking for it. no matter. unless you are providing only tax return preparation services only to individuals, you can, and should, make sure your clients learn about the many benefits of cas.

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i sent a quick one-question poll to randomly selected people. i had no clue if such people bought any services from accountants. the question was simple: “what word comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘accountant‘?”
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hesitant about cas? you’re not alone

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smiling businessman

fortunately, there are solutions.

by hitendra patil
client accounting services: the definitive success guide

why fall into the same trap that other firms have fallen into during their client accounting services journey? if you know what those traps are, you will save significant money and time in establishing your cas practice.

fortunately, the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 cas survey identified which are the top five cas killers, for firms of different sizes, that the accounting profession has experienced.

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before we discuss those, let us also look at the results of the cas survey that identified how many firms of different sizes are offering and not offering cas. the following figures show how many percent of survey respondents said they offer cas and don’t and what are their firm sizes:
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