client accounting services

plus, how to tailor your offering.

by hitendra patil
client accounting services: the definitive success guide

“i am not a good salesperson.”

i have lost count of how many accountants have told me this over the years. but i also learned that what they really mean is that they do not have a well-defined, structured sales process.

more: how to cas: first, break bad habits | how much cas profit per person? | five reasons the top 100 loves cas | look backward for your cas processes | make sure your differentiation is truly different | is it time to outsource? | your firm’s cas team: who and how many | two tech approaches to cas | when to start building your cas tech stack | stop derailing cas
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this post is not about fundamental sales skills. that is beyond our scope today. this post is more about how to develop and execute your cas sales process, pitch and supporting collaterals that can help get you more cas sales, including:

1. how to define your cas sales process
   • four stages necessary for a sale
   • seven things you need to know about your sales process
2. the cas sales pitch
   • thee key recommendations
3. the cas sales collaterals
   • 11 items for your tool kit
4. your existing clients as your cas salespersons
   1. how to provide client references
   2. daft template of the introduction email
5. the cas sales process performance measurement
   • 10 kpis
   • 3 objectives

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consider your pricing tiers carefully.

by hitendra patil
the definitive success guide to client accounting services

when your prospects shop for client accounting services, what they find out about pricing methods and trends defines their expectations. if you follow very different approaches to price your cas offering, it will take significant effort on your part to educate the prospects (and existing clients) about why you are pricing cas the way you are.

more: how to cas: first, break bad habits | how much cas profit per person? | make sure your differentiation is truly different | two tech approaches to cas | show your priciest cas package first | how cas drives virtual cfo billings | the roi on identifying clients for cas
exclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

as they say, it’s easier to ride the horse in the direction it’s going. it is good to first conform to the perceptions of prospects when it comes to your cas pricing. once you ride the horse, you can direct it to the destination you want to take it to. once you conform to the pricing method (not the dollar value) expectations of the prospect, their anxiety and perception of risk (what value will they receive in the price they are willing to pay) reduce. after that, they are more open to evaluating the choices you present to them.
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you’re providing more than reports.

by hitendra patil
the definitive success guide to client accounting services

a successful client accounting services practice requires increased interactions with clients. your usual non-cas methods of client communications are not sufficient to meet the demands and expectations of your cas clients. you must leverage new tech tools to reach out, communicate and collaborate with clients more frequently.

more: how much cas profit per person? | five reasons the top 100 loves cas | look backward for your cas processes | make sure your differentiation is truly different | is it time to outsource? | your firm’s cas team: who and how many | two tech approaches to cas | when to start building your cas tech stack | stop derailing cas | show your priciest cas package first
exclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

some accounting software can help you automate client notifications (by email/text) based on customized triggers set up in the software. similarly, automated payroll software can keep clients informed automatically. mobile apps of core accounting software are becoming a necessity to deliver client service and communications.

why?
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it’s no less true for cas than for anything else.

by hitendra patil
client accounting services: the definitive success guide

“people think of us (accountants) as the compliance agents – the necessary evil.”

more: look backward for your cas processes | make sure your differentiation is truly different | two tech approaches to cas | show your priciest cas package first | how cas drives virtual cfo billings | the roi on identifying clients for cas
exclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

this sentence haunts me even today, after hearing it nearly 15 years ago from a multi-award-winning, highly experienced cpa.

perception!
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smart design will save you time.

by hitendra patil
client accounting services: the definitive success guide

we have examined how you can enhance your firm’s internal processes and what factors influence those processes. in this post, we will focus more on cas-specific processes that can give you competitive advantages. however, this post is not about the technicalities of accounting processes. as a professional accountant, you already know the accounting fundamentals required to create your processes for each of the segments of the services you provide.

more: make sure your differentiation is truly different | is it time to outsource? | your firm’s cas team: who and how many | two tech approaches to cas | when to start building your cas tech stack | stop derailing cas | show your priciest cas package first | your firm needs a cas champion
exclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

are client accounting services processes different than what you have been doing until now? yes, and no.
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your firm’s processes can set you apart.

by hitendra patil
the definitive success guide to client accounting services

if you were to define in three sentences how your firm is different, what would those three sentences be? write them down.

more: is it time to outsource? | your firm’s cas team: who and how many | two tech approaches to cas | when to start building your cas tech stack | stop derailing cas | show your priciest cas package first | your firm needs a cas champion
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read those the next day and judge for yourself if your competitors can say the exact same three sentences to differentiate their firms. if yes, you will see why this is a significant challenge for your firm’s growth aspirations.
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twelve signs to watch for.

by hitendra patil
client accounting services: the definitive success guide

when you are the key person to make things happen at your firm, you want to invest as much time in “business development” (not just marketing and sales) as humanly possible. your firm’s growth will make you feel that producing and delivering your services is an essential core business function for you, but some of it is not.

more: your firm’s cas team: who and how many | two tech approaches to cas | show your priciest cas package first | how cas drives virtual cfo billings | the roi on identifying clients for cas
exclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

freeing up yourself to spend more time focusing on the things that add value to your practice and help set it apart from the competition is the most essential differentiating growth strategy you will ever deploy. the same principle applies to your experienced, talented staff.
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you may need to boost their human skillsets.

by hitendra patil
accountaneur: the entrepreneurial accountant

“we do not have the staffing for client accounting services.”

non-cas firms cite this as the topmost reason for not being able to offer cas. nothing could be further from the truth.

more: two tech approaches to cas | when to start building your cas tech stack | your firm needs a cas champion | your top six cas questions
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experience of firms that offer cas, including that of small firms with fewer than five staff members, proves beyond doubt that you do not need more staff to start offering cas. even solo practitioners provide cas. the only thing you need to begin your cas journey is to be ruthless, relentless and fearless to leverage newer and cloud technologies. automation, integration and even artificial intelligence make it easier, faster and cheaper to perform some repetitive, time-consuming work of accounting firms.
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and one fundamental requirement.

by hitendra patil
the definitive success guide to client accounting services

client accounting services essentially requires an ability for your firm to be able to best serve the needs of all your clients.

more: when to start building your cas tech stack | stop derailing cas | lower your costs by 75% with cas | cas drives up demand for virtual cfos | turn client wants into needs | a job description for client accounting services
exclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

in other words, your firm’s technology stack, services, processes and pricing packages need to cater to businesses of different sizes, turnovers, as well as various levels of tech-savviness of the business owners and their employees. in yet other words, your firm should have the ability to do part of the accounting work or all the work your clients offload to your firm.
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it doesn’t have to be that hard.

by hitendra patil
client accounting services: the definitive success guide

your firm’s current processes and procedures are adapted to your current technology stack, or vice versa.

more: stop derailing cas | show your priciest cas package first | how cas drives virtual cfo billings | the roi on identifying clients for cas | what clients need now, more than ever | how to launch cas in eight steps
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trying to fit client accounting services into your existing technology stack may become a challenge for you – not just from a procedural point of view but also from a profitability point of view.

if your current technology stack is still mostly desktop software, it could be nearly impossible for you to offer cas as profitably as potentially possible with non-desktop solutions.

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how many of these five lies are you telling yourself?

by hitendra patil
the definitive success guide to client accounting services

why fall in the same trap that other firms have fallen into during their client accounting services journey? if you know what those traps are, you will save significant money and time in establishing your cas practice.

more: show your priciest cas package first | your firm needs a cas champion | your top six cas questions | financial statements are like masks | the 15 absolutely necessary services for cas clients | romeo, juliet, google and client accounting services | how cas makes firms better
exclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

fortunately, the cpatrendlines cas survey identified which are the top five cas killers, for firms of different sizes, that the accounting profession has experienced.
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how to identify the right clients.

by hitendra patil
client accounting services: the definitive success guide

will your existing clients or prospects buy higher-priced and more services from you? if you ask them to, will they feel put off?

more: your firm needs a cas champion | lower your costs by 75% with cas | cas drives up demand for virtual cfos | turn client wants into needs | a job description for client accounting services | why cas is great for revenue growth | cas: finding the why behind the why
exclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

if you do not ask, will you leave real money on the table? if you do not tell them about more services your firm is capable of providing, will they switch to another accounting firm simply because they were not aware of your other services?
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