Your firm’s ability to recruit and retain the right people for your team, as well as to acquire and retain the right clients, is fundamental to the success of your accounting firm.
It was therefore a real pleasure to welcome Andrew Jordan of Connect 4 onto a podcast discussion where we unpacked, thanks to Andrew's experiences at BDO, his experience of establishing the KPI reporting tool, Fathom, in the UK, as well as his experience in founding and growing Connect 4.
Andrew shares some brilliant insights into building client relationships and thereby building client loyalty – their willingness to stay, to buy additional services and to recommend you and your firm. He also discusses how your approach to client relationships has a serious impact on your ability to recruit and retain high-quality team members.
So why not join Andrew and I on this humanisethenumbers.online podcast and see how what you learn can be applied to your firm, so that you can help transform and grow its success.Please scroll down this episode page for Andrew's contact information, as well as for an additional resource mentioned in the podcast.
The Solution:
I think accounting firms, and I'm using that term generically, think that they have proposal software and they have practice management software. Those are the two categories, and I know those two areas quite well. I’m very much informed by them, we have investors who are CEOs or founders of companies in those spheres. And they think that, you've done an engagement letter, that’s sorted, and then sent them into internal workflows, which is done in practice management solution, and that's you done.
And yes, you have to do your KYC AML client checks and handover, but that's, it is just compliance listing. I think the step that's missed, let's say someone comes to you for accounts prep, this is your opportunity to give them a meeting where you explain what other things you do, what other areas you are involved in, what other businesses come to you for.
It's your chance to explain who you have in your team who are specialists in certain areas, your processes, your expectations, and that you want to talk to them quarterly, as this is the way you do business.
You can also explain that you will keep their numbers up to date on a weekly, monthly basis, whatever your KPI is. This is a massive opportunity to deal with more than just the accounts prep.
I think a lot of people go straight from proposal software to practice management software and they think they've solved that customer onboarding piece, and I know that a lot of software companies are looking at this space because they realise that's not the case.
SHOW NOTES
Connect with Andrew
Connect with Paul
Resources relating to this podcast:
Listen to Paul and Andrew talk about the importance of leading your firm well and understanding that your biggest asset is your team.
They talk about empowering your team, getting them involved with the clients and allowing them to build relationships with your clients so that it is them, not you, who are talking to the clients regularly.
If you want to recruit and retain your best people, Andrew believes you have to show them the path and your firm's core purpose.
Paul and Andrew also both agree that the 'Why' trumps everything - your reason for doing everything is your core purpose.
Put simply, Andrew believes that when you lead with purpose you engage your team and build a better firm. Otherwise, you risk losing good people.
This Bitesize Business Breakthrough will show you that being a successful firm isn’t just about delivering your products or services to your clients for a profit - it’s about having a deeper meaning that connects with your clients, your employees and other stakeholders.
Click the link on the button to discover why a clear sense of purpose brings clarity and alignment to everyone in your firm.
