Even with Value Pricing, Time Tracking Matters and Here’s Why

Higher productivity equals higher capacity, which drives faster turnaround times. Faster turnaround times create happier clients. 

By Frank Stitely
The Relentless CPA

Employee productivity plays a huge factor in managing WIP (work in progress). Because capacity is the denominator in the Lean Six Sigma equation, and employee productivity is a big factor in capacity, employee productivity becomes a big factor in determining turnaround time.

MORE: End Tax Season Meetings with Clients…SeriouslyGet Clients to Understand Firm Processes … or Say Goodbye | Train Now Before It Costs You Down the Road | Keep Clients from “Balance Due” Shock | It’s OK to Say No to Clients (Even the Large Ones) | You Train Your Clients, Whether You Mean To or Not | Business Owners Face One of Three Exits | How Small Firms Can Win the Talent Wars | Do You Know Your Turnaround Time?
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First, let’s dismiss all the consultants from the room who tell us that time tracking and productivity metrics don’t matter. Mostly, these consultants have never managed or owned CPA firms. Rarely have they worked in firms for any length of time. They have never known the struggles of meeting payroll during the first pay period in February when employee hours are up, but the tax season money is not rolling in yet. Goodbye. Don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out, or do let it hit you. That’s up to you. I hope it’s a heavy door.

Here’s an example that shows why time tracking and productivity metrics matter:

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End Tax Season Meetings with Clients … Seriously

Clients who want to meet should be more than willing to pay for that meeting.

By Frank Stitely
The Relentless CPA

What did Dorothy and her friends fear in The Wizard of Oz? “Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!” Dorothy feared the wrong things if she was a partner in a CPA firm. We don’t see much wildlife in our offices during tax season unless you count fast-food delivery people and the occasional crazy client.

MORE: Get Clients to Understand Firm Processes … or Say Goodbye | Train Now Before It Costs You Down the Road | Keep Clients from “Balance Due” Shock | It’s OK to Say No to Clients (Even the Large Ones) | You Train Your Clients, Whether You Mean To or Not | Business Owners Face One of Three Exits | How Small Firms Can Win the Talent Wars | Do You Know Your Turnaround Time?
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We should fear the events that destroy our priorities and drain hours from productive work. Meetings and phone calls and emails, oh my! From a practice management standpoint, let’s look at why these communication methods are so destructive.

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Make It ‘Productive Season’

Don’t be busy. Be productive.

By Seth Fineberg
At Large

At this time of year, most accountants are considered to be mired in an annual waterboarding-like ritual known as “busy season.” While the moniker has long stirred ire, one way to rally against its implication is to take a good look at what being “busy” means. Moreover, why not make it more productive?

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Perspective is everything. And while I’ve noticed more accounting professionals making concerted efforts to have more of a life/work balance, it is apparent that much of the work that contributes to being “busy” could evolve into productivity.

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Higher Fees to Start: Ten Ways to Make Your Tax Season Better

woman smiling as she uses calculators and views charts on computer screens

Does your firm look “closed for business”?

By Ed Mendlowitz
202 Questions and Answers: Managing an Accounting Practice

  1. Increase your fees 3-5 percent at a minimum – to offset your increased costs.

MORE: Nine Tips for a Healthier Tax Season | Every Accounting Firm Needs Quality Control | No One Listens to You? Change How You Talk | 47 Types of Business Valuation to Provide | Thirteen Things to Consider Before You Sell Your Practice
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  1. Deliver your bill with the return.
  2. Call clients before return is sent to explain and give a heads up for unexpected results.

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Leverage Your Strengths to Beat Stress

Woman tossing exclamation points into air

24 ways you may be better than you think.

By Sandi Leyva
The Complete Guide to Marketing for Tax & Accounting Firms

How many times a day do we tell ourselves with the little voice in our head that we’re falling short of the ideal we have for ourselves? “I forgot to add the salt, so I ruined the recipe.” “I’m not good enough.” “I was mistaken.” “I’m not smart enough.” “I didn’t get picked for the finals.” “Nobody likes me.” And so on.

MORE: You Don’t Have a Time Problem | Ten Ways to Have More Energy This Tax Season | Seven Steps to Keeping Your Clients Forever | Give to Receive, and Eight More Ways to Boost Sales | Five Things That Clients Don’t Know about Accountants | Five Ways to Wow Your Clients | How to Fight Feeling Overwhelmed | You’re Missing 60% of Your Revenue | Make the Most of CPE Conferences | Beyond Compliance: Six Tips for Adding Value | Track Six Figures to Test Your Marketing | When You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know
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Instead, why don’t we focus on our strengths? A University of Michigan psychology professor undertook an extensive research project to discover 24 positive character strengths that each person has to varying degrees.
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Can Your Tax Reviewers Answer These 10 Questions?

Businessman looking up answers in a book

BONUS CHECKLIST: The answers!

By Ed Mendlowitz
Tax Season Opportunity Guide

The primary people who should review tax returns are trained tax department reviewers. However, often the bunching and compression of work shifts some of the review to higher level, non-tax personnel such as audit managers and partners who might not necessarily have the comprehensive training, background and experience to handle everything that might come up during the tax preparation process.

MORE ON TAX SEASON: The Top 12 Mistakes in Tax Return Preparation | Six Types of Person: Which Are You? | Answer These Two Questions First | Help Your Tax Clients, Help Yourself | What’s Your Value to Your Tax Clients? | Are You Excited About Tax Season?
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Additionally, in many firms, almost everyone on the staff prepares some returns. That lack of dedicated preparers with the trained skills places an added burden on the tax reviewers, making it important for them to have the range of experience needed to perform the review.

Following are 10 questions reviewers should be able to answer to qualify for their role.

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Nine Tips for a Healthier Tax Season

woman and man walking and talking outside office building

How to be at your best through April 15th.

By Ed Mendlowitz
202 Questions and Answers: Managing an Accounting Practice

Tax season can be a marathon. Everyone has their own tips and tricks, habits and techniques for staying sane and healthy. Here are 10 of mine:

MORE: Every Accounting Firm Needs Quality Control | Three Ways to Start an Accounting Practice | Free Consultation? Not Always | Referral Fee? Forget It | How Much Is Your Tax Practice Worth? | Merge in Lower-Priced Work without Losing Out
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  1. Eat lunch out of your office.
  2. Go for a 15-minute walk in middle of afternoon instead of eating a snack.

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