Episode 50

full
Published on:

28th Feb 2023

Say (YES to saying) No to new clients**

We're trying to keep it positive here at Strategy & the Virtual Controller, and today we're discussing saying no to new clients at this time of the year. Of course there's new business to be won at this time of year, but are you set up to onboard clients and get the work done successfully?

If not, then just say no. Most firms will fall into this category. Saying yes, just puts unnecessary stress on the team, on the systems and on you (and likely your loves ones). So just say no. Your team will appreciate you all the more for it.

If saying no to new business is such a foreign concept, then go ahead and say yes, but yes with caveats**. We will take you on, but you're going on extension and we'll schedule your work for June. How does that sound?

It's a stressful time of year for you, your team and your clients. Don't put undue pressure on the team, and manage your clients expectations. Open and honest communication is what it's all about. With plenty of advanced notice your clients will understand, and hopefully with plenty of advanced notice, won't put you in the sticky situation in the first place🤞🤞🤞.

To ask us any questions or share any feedback, please connect with us on LinkedIn or Twitter. And remember to rate us, like us and share us, so we can spread the word.

Penny Breslin - LinkedIn | @PennyB57

Damien Greathead - LinkedIn | @Damien_GH

Show artwork for Strategy and the Virtual Controller

About the Podcast

Strategy and the Virtual Controller
Helping accounts and bookkeepers build the firm they want, their way
Your hosts Penny Breslin and Damien Greathead have more than 30 years of combined experience in the accounting industry. This podcast is to share their experiences of working in, and consulting to accounting and bookkeeping firms of all sizes, helping them grow.

Nothing discussed will be rocket science, instead they'll be discussing 'how' firms have successfully, and not so successfully, pursued growth. Penny and Damien will be sharing their insights on how firms can be successful by focusing on their people (clients included), their technology, and their processes and systems.

Ultimately how successful an accounting business will be depends largely on how the owners manage change, which alongside taxes appears to be the only constant.

We do want to acknowledge David Maister's great read Strategy and the Fat Smoker: Doing what's obvious but not easy as the inspiration for our title. Buy it on Amazon - https://amzn.to/3dhcUFC

Subscribe today for an upbeat and practical conversation about what's working and what's not in accounting businesses around the world.

About your hosts

Penny Breslin

Profile picture for Penny Breslin
Penny Breslin is the founder of MoneyPenny, a consulting firm specializing in helping accounting firms and other businesses embrace the power of technology to simplify their operations and increase their profit margins.

Drawing on her years of experience and her knowledge of what it takes to run a successful business, Penny oversees the development of back office processes for her client firms. From the initial evaluation of the firm’s workflow, to technology selection, and assisting in the on-boarding of the firm’s clients, Penny works with her clients to maximize the benefits of a paperless and cloud-based firm.

Damien Greathead

Profile picture for Damien Greathead
Damien has been working in the accounting industry for more than 15 years. In addition to getting his hands dirty preparing tax returns and doing bookkeeping, but the bulk of his experience comes from consulting to both accounting firms and the technology companies that serve the industry.

He set up 2020 Group USA which was a membership group for small and medium sized accounting firms and then went on to set up Receipt Bank (now Dext) in North America.

He regularly speaks to industry bodies on technology, marketing and change management.