Same People on Same Jobs
Source: Possibilities for CPA Firm Leaders
There is a lot of discussion about having the same people on the same client engagements from year to year. While consistency is good, there are definite dangers.
The arguments for using the same people year after year are:
- The client wants to see the exact same faces.
- It improves realization (less write-offs).
- It makes it easier for the manager and the partner.
- It's comfortable.
- It means no change.
Consider this point. How does it work with your vendors? Telephone system reps, technology support reps, advertising agency reps, business publication reps, software reps – the faces change constantly and yet we deal with it without really much heartburn.
If the vendor truly has processes (systems) in place to guarantee the same quality service no matter who the person is delivering it – there is no real issue.
Does your firm have processes that guarantee the delivery of great client service no matter who the in-charge or staff person is assigned to the job?
This being said, why is it that we are complacent with having a single person maintain the process and/or work for a specific client instead of allowing it to be rotated amongst several team members?
In these times of scarcity of talent, we really do not want our clients hiring our fully trained people. We need to keep those individuals. However, we enable them to stay in a very comfortable environment by allowing the relationship to be so close in some cases that it seems only natural that they might be offered a job opportunity at that same client they serve. We actually set the stage for one of our highly trained people to be hired away.
This article was reprinted with permission from Possibilities for CPA Firm Leaders, (March 13, 2008), the Blog of Rita Keller, shareholder of Brady Ware, a nationally known regional CPA firm. Rita is also a nationally known consultant, speaker and author on CPA firm management. Visit http://cpamanagement.blogspot.com/.
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