http://cpatrendlines.com/2010/02/08/five-questions-to-ask-clients-today/ Business Intelligence and Market Insight for the Tax, Accounting and Financial Management Community Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:01:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 http://cpatrendlines.com/2010/02/08/five-questions-to-ask-clients-today/comment-page-1/#comment-547587 Ed Wielage Thu, 29 Apr 2010 18:37:02 +0000 http://cpatrendlines.com/?p=5930#comment-547587 There is an excellent book titled "The Trusted Advisor". One of the points the book makes is that before a client will seek your advice on business decisions they have to perceive you as someone whose judgment they trust. If all the accountant has ever done is provide compliance services, they probably haven't earned that level of trust. To earn that trust, the accountant needs to first demonstrate that they have more to offer. That requires that the accountant has to take the first step by providing more than tax returns and financial statements. In my opinion, too many CPAs are reluctant to provide an extra level of service unless they get compensated for it. So the CPA continues perceived as a "bean counter" and never becomes the trusted advisor. There is an excellent book titled “The Trusted Advisor”. One of the points the book makes is that before a client will seek your advice on business decisions they have to perceive you as someone whose judgment they trust. If all the accountant has ever done is provide compliance services, they probably haven’t earned that level of trust. To earn that trust, the accountant needs to first demonstrate that they have more to offer. That requires that the accountant has to take the first step by providing more than tax returns and financial statements. In my opinion, too many CPAs are reluctant to provide an extra level of service unless they get compensated for it. So the CPA continues perceived as a “bean counter” and never becomes the trusted advisor.

]]> http://cpatrendlines.com/2010/02/08/five-questions-to-ask-clients-today/comment-page-1/#comment-547196 Darren Wendroff Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:58:19 +0000 http://cpatrendlines.com/?p=5930#comment-547196 Great article, although feedback from clients is sometimes difficult to get. We've recently conducted a Net Promoter Score survey, but I like the questions you introduced. I might incorporate some of those in our next NPS Survey. Good stuff ... Great article, although feedback from clients is sometimes difficult to get. We’ve recently conducted a Net Promoter Score survey, but I like the questions you introduced. I might incorporate some of those in our next NPS Survey. Good stuff …

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