Mike Sabbatis: Change with the Client… [VIDEO]
… or risk getting left behind. Mike Sabbatis warns CPA firms to be ever vigilant of client needs. After three generations, a client suddenly dumped their CPA firm. Why? And could it happen to you?
… or risk getting left behind. Mike Sabbatis warns CPA firms to be ever vigilant of client needs. After three generations, a client suddenly dumped their CPA firm. Why? And could it happen to you?
Are portals part of your client service strategy yet? In this series of soundbites from his keynote speech at the annual CCH users’ conference, CCH Wolters Kluwer CEO Kevin Robert starts by challenging accountants to understand their clients’ service needs. … Continued
Clients seek broader array of services via CCH Few concerns weigh more on the minds of accountants than the desire to satisfy, and retain, clients. As CPA firms look to build client loyalty and grow profitability, a new CCH nationwide … Continued
Kirkland Albrecht & Fredrickson battles a bruising recession. by Rick Telberg By the time you read this, Ken Kirkland will be packing for a trip to the India beach resort of Thiruvananthapuram as the newly named international chairman of the … Continued
What do accountants talk about when they talk about…? When CPA Trendlines asks practicing accountants how they “delight” clients during busy season, one word pops up more than any other: “personal.” Clearly, clients respond to “financial” “planning” “service” with “questions” … Continued
Three Rock-Solid Principles.
by Rick Telberg
It shouldn’t take an economic downturn and cutthroat competition for accounting firms to rekindle their interest in optimizing client service, satisfaction and retention.
“It should be at the top of the agenda all the time,” Sandra Wiley, COO at Boomer Consulting was telling me.
But with the economy of the new normal, client service has become a hot topic.
What you need to know to get started today.
A record number of accounting firm professionals joined last week’s webinar on client service, satisfaction and retention, produced by The Seven Keys to Successful CPA Firm Management.
Co-presenter Jean Caragher of Capstone Marketing summed it up at one point, saying, “The bottom line: Every CPA firm claims to deliver excellent client service.”
But, she added, “How does your firm support that claim? Do you have a formal client satisfaction and retention program?”
If not, today is the day to start.
Here’s how: READ MORE →
How to embrace a new advisory role and really deliver value.
In the new book, “Bull’s-Eye! The Ultimate How-to Marketing and Sales Guide for CPAs,” business development veteran Russ Molinar discusses a concept he calls “cross-serving.” According to Tracy Crevar Warren, writing in the latest AICPA CPA Insider, cross-serving offers an alternative to cross-selling, while highlighting the importance that the trusted advisory role plays in serving clients.
She cites the Bay Street Group research showing 63% of clients indicate that proactive advice and consultation is an important criterion in selecting a CPA firm. However, 44% noted problem-solving ability as a top factor.
For more on the research findings and how to put them to use in your accounting firm, visit “The Seven Keys to Successful CPA Firm Management” and click on Client Service+Satisfaction.
And then she lays out five steps to shift from cross-selling to cross-serving: READ MORE →