When I was talking with an accountant years ago because I was thinking of switching to working with a new firm, they asked me flat out – Is your current accountant not being responsive enough?
At the time that’s exactly what I felt and that’s what encouraged me to search for a new one. I wanted someone who was going to be more proactive.
The funny thing is, I ended up having the same issue with my new accountant.
Despite being aware of why most people switch, it was all too easy to fall back into the same routine of being reactive.
I’ve found that most accountants are reactive in nature – they wait to get your call.
I’ve also found that most clients want their accountant to be more proactive. They want to get calls or have regular meetings to monitor progress and stay on top of things.
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The industry is trending towards advisory services. We’re seeing mergers and acquisitions left and right of firms scrambling to adapt to the new demands from the market. However, most firms are still playing a reactive role.
There’s a huge opportunity to both provide a more attractive service to the market AND differentiate yourself from the competition with minimal change – be more proactive.
Consider design your clients engagements to be a trusted advisor that’s proactive instead of reactive. Observe how your clients (and the market) respond.
Talk soon,
Sean