Client Upscaling
Upscaling
The Great CPA Liberation
Labor shortages forced firms to make difficult changes on how they price and who to service. Progressive firms are expanding capacity, offshoring, adding advisory services, and being less dependent on CPAs for growth. Upscaling clients is part of the liberation process.
Are You This Firm?
This graph reflects an ideal high-performing firm.
- The black dots in the upper right side are high-revenue, high-profit clients.
- It takes effort to build networks that gain access to higher-end clients.
Selling skills and additional services are essential to provide additional value.
Which Clients Do You Keep?
Decisions. There is no one way to determine which clients to eliminate. Raising fees across the board may jeopardize “black dot” clients. A solution is to break clients into A, B, C, and D from a fee and profit level. Focus on the type of clients you want moving forward and consider letting go of less profitable and smaller fee clients.
Client Upscaling
Two Ways. Raise fees for clients who think the fees are too high and let them make the decision to leave. The other method is harder. Mail the clients you do not want to retain because they do not fit your forward client profile telling them you no longer can support their needs due to staffing shortages. It is a hard, but vital step.
A Continual Process
Evaluating, repricing, and shedding clients should occur every six-months. Labor will continue to shrink. Do not let emotional ties or lack of time impede the process. Most firms who do this find they get the same revenue or more for less effort.