‘You can’t get ahead having a heart-to-heart with a spreadsheet.’
By Richard J. Koreto
The Accounting Firm Operations and Technology Survey
I once interviewed a CPA who was a partner in a small accounting firm with his father. The father was a “detail guy” who knew every detail of the IRC and made sure their clients paid no more than the legal minimum. The son was more “front office.”
He personally delivered every return to their high-net-worth clients in their homes and went over each form and schedule: “What are you unclear about? Based on changes in your family situation, there will be some tax implications. Let’s discuss what we can do about them…” He realized that handling the numbers was not enough – he had to explain what they meant. And he had to listen.
This type of skill is more important now than ever, and a way for accountants to clearly differentiate themselves from increasingly sophisticated and inexpensive software.
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