Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Firm.
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VOLUME 21, NUMBER 6 MY PERSPECTIVE 800-456-0864 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com Publisher: Jim Baker Executive Editor: M. Darren Root, CPA.CITP Associate Publisher/Managing Editor: Melody Steelman Technical Editor: Brian Tankersley, CPA.CITP Technology Editor: Isaac M. O'Bannon Editorial & Events Coordinator: Jill Burnett Columnists: David McClure Doug Sleeter Jason Blumer, CPA.CITP Kristy Short Randy Johnston Rene Lacerte Roman H. Kepczyk, CPA.CITP Scott Cytron Art Director: Rhonda Cousin National Sales Manager: Robert Akert Site Manager: Rhonda Dennis Media Production Representative: Barb Evenson Audience Development Manager: Angela Kelty Editorial Advisory Board: Bob Cedergren, CPA.CITP, CISA, CISM, CISSP, CGEIT Chris Fraser, CPA.CITP, CISA, MCP Jason Lawhorn, CPA.CITP Gary A. Masino, CPA Ryan McCowan, CPA.CITP Linda O'Neal Troy Patton, CPA David Primes, CPA.CITP Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP Doug Sleeter Sandra L. Wiley CYGNUS BUSINESS MEDIA CEO: John French CFO: Paul Bonaiuto EVP, Digital: Tom Kohn VP, Human Resources: Ed Wood VP, Audience Development: Julie Nachtigal VP, Technology: Eric Kammerzelt CYGNUS PUBLISHING Executive Vice President: Gloria Cosby Vice President of Production Operations: Curt Pordes W Reprints - To purchase article reprints, please contact Foster Printing, Attn: Rhonda Brown, 4295 Ohio Street, Michigan City, IN 46360, 1-800-875-3251 or email sales@fosterprinting.com The opinions given by contributing authors are their own and are not the opinions of our staff. All trademarks used are the property of their respective owner. —————————————————— —————————————————— ———————— Practice Advisor, (ISSN #2160-8725; USPS #017-576) is published eight times a year (April/May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December) by Cygnus Business Media, Inc., incorporating two editions known as CPA Practice Advisor and NSA Practice Advisor, 1233 Janesville Avenue, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin 53538. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 and at additional mailing offi ces. Printed in the U.S.A. Send all subscription inquiries or change of address to: Practice Advisor, PO Box 3258, Northbrook, IL 60065-3258. Phone: (877) 382-9187 (toll free); 847-559-7598 (local) Fax: (847) 564-9453 Email: Circ.CPA@omeda.com Subscription Rates: The basic annual rate is $3, based on qualifying associations of 10,000 or more public accountants that may also subscribe for all their public accountant members (certain restrictive covenants apply) for a basic subscription rate of $9 per member for a three-year subscription. One year subscription for all others: USA - $48; CAN $70 GST; INT'L $99 GST #131910168. POSTMASTER, please send address changes to: Practice Advisor, P.O. Box 3258, Northbrook, IL 60065-3258. Canadian address changes to: Canada Post PM40612608. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Practice Advisor, PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. Online vs. Face Time: Which Reigns Supreme? With all the talk surrounding portals these days, sometimes we can forget about the importance of real-life, one- on-one face time with our clients. Portals and digital processes have cer- tainly propelled fi rms in terms of effi - ciency — there's no denying the necessity of technology. But in the same breath, I ask you, "Are we losing touch with our clients?" If you've read the majority of my past columns or heard me speak, I'm sure you might be thinking, "What is this guy smoking?" I write a lot about (and believe in) creating a collabora- tive, real-time working env i ronment by building streamlined, technology-driven systems. I acknowl- edge this. But I feel just as strongly about not losing touch with clients. A discussion Of course, the purpose behind this I WOULD SUGGEST THAT CLIENT SERVICE IS NOT CATEGORIZED UNDER ONE UMBRELLA OR THE OTHER (ONLINE OR FACE TIME), BUT around online vs. face time always makes me recall my days working for the Covey Leader- ship Group and facili- tating "Seven Habits of Highly Eff ective People" courses. One exercise in particular comes to mind, where the class viewed a sketch of a woman. It never failed that half the class saw an old woman in the sketch while the other half saw a young woman. And both groups only saw one or the other — they could not see the image in a diff erent way. When I brought the two groups together to discuss and explain what they saw in the sketch, the level of surprise among at endees was amazing. Until it was pointed out to them, they could not see the alterna- tive image. RATHER IS DEFINED AS THE MANNER IN WHICH THE CLIENT WISHES TO BE SERVED. activity was to help people understand that there is more than one way to approach and view a situation. Applying this to the profession, many firms cannot see "client service" in a diff erent way. Several practitioners whom I talk to view face-to-face client service as an infrequent necessity, relying on tech- nology the majority of the time to communicate and deliver services. I want to challenge this view. I would suggest that client service is not categorized under one umbrella or the other (online or face time), but rather is defi ned as the manner in which the client wishes to be served. For some cli- ents, that may be all- digital-all-the-time (though, let's not kid ourselves … if we don't ever see the client, we do lose touch). For other cli- ents, it may require more personal at en- tion. Consider how you can possibly maintain and enhance relation- ships with clients you never see. To stay at uned and in touch, I suggest a strategy that encompasses a multi-prong approach: • Create an environment that off ers clients 24/7 access to their fi nancial information using advanced tech- nologies. • Develop a system that enables you to be highly responsive to your clients' requests and needs. • Make sure your clients know that you are always "there" and available October 2011 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com 3 to meet with them if needed. • Spend time each month reaching out to and checking in with clients; it's these lit le communications that create loyalty. T e key is to build an internal system that accommodates the full spectrum of individuals — from the "all-digitals" to the "needs-more-personal-at ention" clients. Ultimately, you want to be able to provide services that support the way the client wishes to be served. It's a balancing act — one in which neither online nor face time reign supreme. But instead, it's one where they share the stage as equals. M. Darren Root, CPA.CITP Executive Editor Darren is the Executive Editor of CPA Practice Advisor. He remains in public practice as the principal of Root & Associates, LLC, in Blooming- ton, Indiana, and is president of his consulting practice, RootWorks. He formerly served on the Board of the AICPA's CITP Credentials Committee and is a former member of the Board of Directors for the Indiana CPA Society. He speaks at dozens of professional organizations each year and frequently serves as a guest lecturer at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business.