Transition is top of mind for most CPA firms today. The topic emerges in almost every conversation we have with clients, at conferences and in our everyday interactions with firm leaders. Whether we’re talking to firm leaders or emerging leaders, client loss is one of the biggest fears commonly shared by BOTH transitioners and their [...]
“The foundation of the client relationship is in jeopardy.” “How can I build rapport with someone if I’m never face-to-face with them?” “I need to shake someone’s hand to feel related to them.” When we talk about moving toward a more remote service and staffing model and embracing Anytime, Anywhere Work™, we often hear objections [...]
Most of us, if asked, would say that we are committed to delivering exceptional client service. However, when asked what exceptional client service looks like, we hear things like “delivering the engagement on time (or early) and within (or under) budget” and “being available and responsive to client requests and questions.” I assert those represent [...]
Wow! It is hard to believe that on April 1, our ConvergenceCoaching team celebrated our 16th anniversary. What a wonderful and blessed journey we’ve enjoyed so far! Since co-founding our firm with my dear friend, Jim Metzler to growing to an 11-member team focused on making life-changing differences for our clients, I am so grateful [...]
There’s a lot of talk these days about the need for a new public accounting business model. In fact, we’re spending a lot of time ourselves driving change to many fundamental business model elements including pushing for not-to-exceed pricing, unlimited paid time off and uber-flexibility, and turning over the reins to younger leaders earlier. And [...]
The succession of Baby Boomer professionals is a topic on the minds of most firm leaders today. A significant component of the succession process for many is the transition of clients. There are many best practices when transitioning clients, including those covered by my colleague in this CPA Insider blog. What I find, however, is [...]
As firms focus on growth, referral sources continue to rank at the top of the list for developing new client opportunities. Referral relationships take time to develop and nurture and are built on a foundation of trust that we tend to protect like a parent protects their children. Because we hold referral relationships so dear [...]
Here in Nebraska, it’s easy to see the signs of summer transitioning into fall. It’s a wonderful time of year filled with many sunny crisp days and red, orange and yellow foliage. This time of year signals the transition toward the holidays and the time to usher in a new year is right around the [...]
Your personal brand is your “professional reputation.” It’s affected by the way that you present yourself – your skills, knowledge and technical expertise – and how others (colleagues, clients, prospects and even personal connections) perceive you in return. We recently held a web seminar on the topic of “Personal Marketing Strategies for Summer” where we [...]
