special

don’t make firm profitability a goal

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an example from outside the accounting profession.

by marc rosenberg
the rosenberg practice management library

it has been said that organizations should never have profitability as a goal. why? because profitability should be the result of an organization’s efforts, not its goal.

more: core values: why your firm needs them | five keys in compensating new managing partners | what partners do and don’t deserve | five steps to transition to partnership | disturb the present to improve the future
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profitability is a measure of success in accomplishing core business goals. the disney corporation probably says it best in their mission statement, which is short and sweet, but very powerful: “our mission is to make millions happy.”
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get clients to understand firm processes … or say goodbye

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woman in a business suit waving a red flag

with just a little advanced marketing, you can get paid year-round and have more satisfied clients.

by frank stitely
the relentless cpa

when i’m frustrated, here’s how i explain the importance to clients of letting us work our process:

“when you get your car repaired, you don’t look over the mechanic’s shoulder and tell him which wrench to use. the same principle applies to us. if you knew the best ways to prepare tax returns, you should become our competitor.”

more: 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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let’s be perfectly honest with each other.

there’s a reason you aren’t actively training clients to allow you to work efficiently. you’re afraid that you’ll lose clients.

i guarantee that you will.
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cas challenge: no staff, no services

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bar chart

demand isn’t a problem, but supply might be.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 outlook 2024: emerging issues, opportunities and trends survey asks 23 questions about client accounting services. early results clearly reveal certain emerging issues:

more cas survey: cas ‘one-stop shop’ means steady clientele | accountants cozy up to clients with cas
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  • a majority of cpa firms (59 percent) now offer cas, and a lot more (21 percent) may soon join them.
  • a sizable portion of clients want these services.
  • staff shortages and training are the biggest challenge (for 30 percent) and biggest obstacle (for 44 percent) to offering cas.

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use timesheets for productivity, not billing

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back office support calls for flat rates. here’s why.

by penny breslin
it’s not just the numbers

let’s get to the big questions that confound professional service providers of all types in today’s tech environment:

  • how do i charge my client for these services?
  • how do i continue to get paid?
  • how do i charge hourly for processes that will be taking less and less time because of the application of technology?

more: best practices for source doc permissions and handling | sixteen guidelines for naming conventions | you have to manage three kinds of procedures | tech tips for back office support | decoding accounting tech (and all those acronyms) | digital marketing strategies level the playing field | eight tasks to delegate today | advisory services done your way
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

fixed pricing

flat-rate billing is the logical choice for back office support (bos) services. this fixed pricing is typically used for monthly recurring work. we can do this by knowing how long it takes to create any given transaction. there will be swings in time, but the idea is that the fixed monthly rate considers the busiest season or months for the business. that way, on less heavy months, you receive the same rate and it makes up for the times when the workload increases.
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who are you more committed to, your firm or your clients?

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sometimes silence is the best approach.

by martin bissett
passport to partnership

ask yourself and answer these questions when considering the current and future “commitment” behaviors that you’ll employ.

more: two steps toward mastering selling | rate your personal purpose | five ways to make selling easier | six keys to getting a proposal accepted | tell the world your worth | four surprising keys to communication | culture can’t be ignored | three questions about your competence | 10 can’t-skip steps for business development | attract clients, don’t chase them
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

1 – what is my first reaction to being asked to work outside of my normal hours?
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windows is now an app for pcs, apple products

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the most widely used office software is now more convenient.

by rick richardson
technology this week

microsoft has created a windows app for ios, ipados, macos, windows and web browsers. the application effectively transforms the old windows 365 app into a central location for accessing microsoft desktop services, azure virtual desktop, windows 365, microsoft dev box and streaming a copy of windows from a distant pc.

more: study: solar will lead global energy by 2050 | fcc approves superfast wi-fi tethering | major websites blocking content from ai crawlers | printer ink: not just expensive, but a blatant scam? | generative ai coming to microsoft 365 | electronic skin that can sense touch will transform robotics | chatgpt passes cpa exam on second try
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

microsoft supports device redirection for peripherals such as webcams, storage devices and printers, as well as configurable display resolutions and scaling. these features are accessible through its windows app. the preview version of the windows app isn’t currently available for android, though.

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will unclogging the accounting pro pipeline kill mobility?

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man placing box on desk to move into new job, with to coworkers in background

changing the 150-hour requirement could have unintended consequences.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

the day-to-day of the cpa may be grueling at times, but one thing makes the day a little easier – the facility of mobility.

not only can a cpa with a driver’s license in one state drive in other states, but in most cases, they can practice their profession in other states, too. if you’re licensed to practice in one state, you’re good to go in every other state except, coincidentally, the one you can’t drive to.

more: accountants cozy up to clients with cas | accountants torn over 2024 economy, offer advice | are you offering the right services? | 42% of accountants turn away work over staff shortages | talent gap widening: be very scared | looking for recent grads? good luck
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

practice mobility is crucial in a business system that often as not transcends state borders, and it’s even more important as professionals work remotely, sitting in one state while practicing in another.
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measure knowledge gaps (then close them)

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four people on lower stairs, one on upper stairs, gap between

six questions to ask, plus a real-world example.

by ed mendlowitz
202 questions and answers: managing an accounting practice

question: i suspect that my partner has “maxed out” and cannot grow further, which will retard our growth. what can i do or how can i deal with this?

more: 47 types of business valuation to provide | referral fee? forget it | how much is your tax practice worth? | merge in lower-priced work without losing out
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response: this is a frequent question, and sometimes it is the person asking it who has “maxed out.” but sometimes it is the partner or a key staff who wants to be made a partner.
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see your client to a graceful exit

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man in glasses looking at document held by woman

it takes a few years, so get started.

by anthony glomski

research from the family firm institute shows that only three in 10 (30%) closely held family businesses survive into the second generation. just one in eight (12%) are still viable into the third generation, and a mere 3 percent operate into the fourth generation or beyond. those statistics are even more disturbing because the same research shows that the vast majority of business families are overly optimistic – they believe they will be in control of their companies five years hence.

more: is your client’s wealth truly protected? | eight questions for estate planning | clients who don’t listen | how to outline your client’s big picture | target the family ceo
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given this gloomy success record for family business transitions, it is no wonder that 60 to 70 percent of family wealth is lost by the second generation and that 90 percent is lost by the third generation. it does not have to be this way.
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ai brings opportunities for accountants

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the profession will reap some of the greatest impact.

by hitendra patil
client accounting services: the definitive success guide

openai, the creator of the wildly popular artificial intelligence (ai) tool chatgpt, conducted a research study with the university of pennsylvania. it identified the occupations with the most significant impact potential because of large language models (llms, like chatgpt). among the occupations with the highest exposure to ai are accountants, auditors and tax preparers!

more: seven things you must know about ai
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what does it mean?

1. to quote some (edited somewhat for more straightforward reading) of the essential notes from the research:
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six ways to market your technology consulting practice

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hands on keyboard, network illustrated with connected dots

plus how to decide what services to offer.

by august j. aquila
price it right: how to value accounting services

computer consulting has evolved over the last 30 years and there are more choices than ever before. in fact, it is much more than just a computer and is now rebranded as technology consulting. recent changes in technology will force us to learn a new type of technology consulting. despite your current level of technology consulting sophistication, you will still need to market your services.

more: five reasons to implement change orders | why you need progress billing | five tips for cross-selling and upselling | five keys to successful marketing | twelve fundamentals of planning | one question to guide your growth plans | four ways to prepare for new business development
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

get started by asking yourself (your team) the following three questions:
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reader to irs: stop whining and get to work

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frustrated woman typing on laptop

an accountant has had enough of broken promises.

editor’s note: a reader shared with us an open letter sent to the irs. we removed some capitalization, bold/italic type and extra punctuation, but every word is just as written.

open letter via priority mail; delivery signature required

the honorable daniel werfel, commissioner
internal revenue service
1111 constitution ave, nw
washington, dc 20224

goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

re: aicpa presentation 11-14-23. please stop complaining about budgets. focus on setting priorities, allocating resources, taxpayer bill of rights and the strategic operating plan like the rest of us out here; stop whining and just do your job.
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eleven ways to serve clients even better

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businessman standing outside the office on the phone with coffee

improve your relationships and your revenue.

by sandi leyva
the complete guide to marketing for tax & accounting firms

as you build your relationships with your clients, it’s always a good thing to see how you can serve them even better.

here are 11 ways you can add value to your existing services that will enable you to stand out from the competition, serve the client better and put more green in your bank account.

more: give to receive, and eight more ways to boost sales | five ways to target the low-hanging fruit | are your revenue projections realistic? | six strategies to make more without working more | the art of prompt engineering for accountants | calculate your business relationship ratios
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

as you go through the list, check them off to see which ones you are doing, and which ones sound good to add to your business.
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