Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Firm.
Issue link: https://cpapracticeadvisor.epubxp.com/i/123770
PRODUCTIVITY IN PRACTICE BY ISAAC M. O'BANNON, EDITOR How Building a Firm of the Future is Paying Off for Baldwin CPAs Alan Long may have been in practice for 35 years, but he's so far removed from the stereotype of a stodgy old accountant that he has helped steer his frm towards technologies that have helped them more than double their client work volume in the past several years, as well as moving into new ofce locations. Te CPA, who also holds the CITP and CGMA credentials, is managing partner of Richmond, Kentucky-based Baldwin CPAs (www.BaldwinCPAs. com), which also has ofces in Louisville, Lexington and Maysville. Tose four ofces, up from just one a decade ago, shows the determination that he and the other partner members of the frm have towards growth: Tey want more, and they're investing in the technology and workfow processes in order to handle it, as well as actively seeking frms to acquire. In 2004, when Long and three others merged the frm from prior practices known as Baldwin, Upchurch and Foley, and Long & Fisher, P.S.C., their goal was to build a practice for the future. One of the starting points was retaining the Baldwin name, which allowed them to have continued name recognition in the region and a name that wouldn't' change over the years, even though there were no partners of that name. Teir largest initial step toward achieving their frm of the future, however, was being an early adopter of cloud technologies. Tat frst year, they implemented an online professional accounting suite that "tied everything together," and heightened data security and also relieved them of many IT responsibilities and costs. Since then, they've also helped move many of their clients to web-based business management and accounting systems that integrate directly with the frm's systems, and use online client collaboration systems. And, of course, they use portals that allow fle sharing and client access to programs and other tools … but the frm doesn't call them portals. "Te word portal is overused and clients really don't know what it means," Long said. "Almost everybody's using them, but banks and brokerages don't call them that, or retailers and other ecommerce websites, so why should accounting frms? We use the term that most people seem accustomed to: Secure Online Access." Tese technologies have allowed the frm to grow throughout the state and also to atract clients around the country. In total, the frm's staf of 28 serves more than 700 business clients and 1250 individuals, with services including business valuation, governmental accounting, audit & atestation, reviews, compilations, taxation, payroll and litigation support. Firm members use Skype and other technologies for interacting with clients, and everyone has multiple monitors: Alan with three (plus his iPad and Microsof Surface), and partner Bill Upchurch sporting a four- monitor display. For working on their laptops, staf members have add-on monitors from Mobile Monitor Technologies (www.mmt2.com). Tat's a lot of tech, to be sure, but Long says the frm is also focusing on best practices for workfow. "Our practice is beter because of technology and because we're willing to try new things," he said. "We also bring in outside consultants to help us discover and implement beter strategies, because otherwise, a frm's workfow can become stagnant and somewhat inbred." Baldwin CPAs is a part of the Boomer Circles, and Gary Boomer has visited to do strategic planning, while other top consultants have included Gale Crosley, Allan Koltin and Ron Baker. G. Alan Long, CPA.CITP, CGMA - Managing Member Firm Name: Baldwin CPAs, PLLC LOCATION: Richmond, Louisville, Lexington and Maysville, Kentucky WEBSITE: www.BaldwinCPAs.com PRACTICE SPECIALTIES: Audit, Business Valuation, Banks, NFP, Contractors, Governmental, EDUCATION: BAs in Accounting and Finance, Univ. of Connecticut; MBA, NYU Stern College of Business. FAVORITE VACATION SPOT: Sturgis, S.D. SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter.com/BaldwinCPAs Facebook.com/BaldwinCPAs Linkedin.com/company/baldwin-cpas-pllc 52 May 2013 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com KENTUCKY This CPA can handle the IRS.