All too often accountants tend to consider the job well done when they deliver the services that their clients ask for without stepping back to analyze what I call the "whole client". Servicing the “whole client” requires asking strategic questions and truly listening to their responses prior to making recommendations that may not consider all that needs to be considered.
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This level of service elevates you from an "order taker" to a trusted advisor. On a regular basis, entrepreneurs get caught up in the day to day challenges of working “IN” their business. It's our charge to help them work “ON” their business. Let’s slow down long enough to focus on their personal, business and professional goals. Let’s get back to focusing on the future and those dreams that began their journey.
The rewards are immeasurable. I ask you, have you ever identified and solved a challenge that your client never even knew they had? Have you ever gathered your team to create a plan to help your client realize a goal that had seemed to slip away? Has your client ever hugged you at their grandchild's wedding and thanked you for helping them create a legacy for their family? If any of these events has happened to you, you're on the right path to reaching the pinnacle of our profession.
Dare to be more. You’ll never become a trusted advisor by doing only what the client asks. Additionally, you alone will never be able to deliver everything they need. What you must do is be able to mobilize ideas, resources and solutions from inside your firm as well as from other professionals to work for the benefit of the “whole client”. You will only get there by becoming a strategic partner with your client and truly understanding where they want to go. Once you understand their desired destination, you can provide the map, resources and route to get there.
Our journey together with our clients will always lead to many opportunities and challenges. To deliver exceptional value and avoid costly pitfalls, we must understand where the client wants to be. If you haven't spent some time understanding your client's hopes and dreams, chances are you'll never realize your own.
Respectfully,
Christopher M. Allegretti, CPA
Managing Principal/Chief Executive Officer
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