“if they’re consistently uncooperative, they’re not a good cas client, no matter how much they pay.”
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it’s not just the numbers
with penny breslin and damien greathead
for 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间
in the world of client accounting and advisory services (cas), most firms focus on building internal teams, refining processes, and adopting the right technology. yet, one crucial element often gets overlooked: the client.
in a recent episode of it’s not just the numbers, co-hosts damien greathead and penny breslin explore why clients must be treated as integral members of the team, and what happens when firms fail to define the client’s role in the process. their conversation, drawn from decades of working with accounting firms around the world, provides a blueprint for cpas and firm owners aiming to elevate their cas practices.
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traditionally, accountants position clients as recipients of a service; for example, the client would deliver documents once a year, and the firm would produce a tax return. that transactional model doesn’t work in cas, says breslin.
“cas is a team effort,” she explains. “if all you want is a tax return or once-a-year bookkeeping, that’s fine. but if you raise your hand for cas, you have to accept a new role. you become part of the team.”
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this shift requires open communication, trust, and accountability on both sides. clients must provide timely information, respond to questions, and utilize the tools that enable the firm to deliver valuable insights. without that collaboration, even the best-designed cas service can falter.
greathead emphasizes that many firms stumble because they don’t clearly define the client’s responsibilities. engagement letters outline fees and deliverables, but rarely specify what the client must do to fulfill their end of the bargain.
“firms will detail the roles and responsibilities of team members, but they rarely do the same for clients,” he says. “that’s where cas falls over.”
breslin recommends something surprisingly old-fashioned: pen and paper. she encourages firms to draft a client responsibilities checklist—access to systems, timely responses, accurate information—and ask the client to sign off. the physical act of committing creates accountability.
without this clarity, firms risk scope creep, missed deadlines, and strained relationships.
another common mistake firms make is starting cas with their most sophisticated, high-value clients. greathead cautions against that approach.
“don’t begin with your biggest or most complex clients,” he advises. “test your systems with simpler clients first. stress-test your workflows, communication, and technology. once you’re confident, then expand cas to your more sophisticated clients.”
breslin adds that client selection should involve the entire team, not just the partners. administrative staff and junior accountants often have the clearest view of how responsive and cooperative a client truly is.
“everybody’s nice to the boss,” she notes. “but how do they treat your staff? how quickly do they respond to requests? if they’re consistently uncooperative, they’re not a good cas client, no matter how much they pay.”
every firm has them: the clients who chronically deliver information late and then demand immediate turnaround. in the tax world, extensions provide some breathing room. in cas, constant urgency derails the firm’s workflow.
“you have to set boundaries,” says breslin. “be honest and open. if you wanted this yesterday but didn’t provide the information until today, there’s no guarantee it’ll be ready tomorrow.”
while some advisors suggest charging a premium for last-minute work, greathead is skeptical. “that just puts pressure back on your team and doesn’t change client behavior,” he says. the better path is to prioritize cooperative clients and, when necessary, let go of those who consistently create chaos.
“life’s too short to be distracted from your primary goal,” greathead concludes.
saying goodbye to misaligned clients
letting go of clients can be difficult, especially when they’re pleasant people or reliable payers. but if they don’t align with your vision, they can become costly distractions.
breslin shares her own experience of “amicably firing” a client after realizing their behavior undermined her boundaries. “you have to make a decision about where to put your time and energy, and your staff’s energy,” she says.
greathead agrees, noting that successful firms are deliberate about who they serve. “a traditional tax firm transitioning to a cas focus will draw a line in the sand, stopping the intake of individual tax clients to focus solely on business clients.” over time, they’ll phase out those current individual clients who don’t align with their strategy. it’s an immediate firing of clients, but there’s a medium-term strategy to evolve the client base.
guiding clients through technology
another challenge is the technophobe client—those who are ideal in every way except for their reluctance to adopt new tools. for these clients, education and hand-holding are essential.
“don’t be afraid to show them the benefits of the technology,” breslin advises. demonstrating how bank feeds, bill pay, or reporting dashboards save time can help clients understand the value of these services. and in many cases, showing them the flaws in their current manual process highlights why change is necessary.
greathead adds that firms should consider hiring client success specialists or technologists whose role is onboarding clients to new systems and troubleshooting issues. one firm he cited launched with two partners, a bookkeeper, and a technologist. they recognized that without dedicated support, technology would quickly overwhelm their team.
at its heart, cas is about collaboration. firms succeed not by delivering a static report but by working alongside clients to help them achieve their goals. that requires commitment from both sides.
“even if all your clients are in the same vertical, every one of them is different as a human,” breslin says. “they have their own hopes, desires, and fears. to succeed in cas, you need to treat them as team members, not transactions.”
5 key takeaways
- treat clients as part of the team with defined roles and responsibilities.
- start small, stress-test, and scale before moving cas to your more complex clients.
- involve your staff in evaluating which clients are a good fit.
- set boundaries and let go of clients who don’t align with your strategy.
- invest in technology education and dedicated client success roles.