quietAccountant1 wrote:
Weren't you the guy who inherited all of his clients from his father's practice?
Some. I worked with him and a nearly all of his clients, went to work as full-time employee for a client after he died, and a nice number of former clients then returned after I went out on my own. Trying to figure out what that has to do with anything, I could have bought a practice to arrive at same point. They were not handed to me on a silver platter, if that is your implication.
makbo wrote:So you are saying it is better to start with clients who want to do everything in person, and then convert them to remote/virtual?
It worked for me, and I know it works for others, but you are adding words to what I said. Keep in mind my clients did not originally have the virtual option because the technology just did not exist like it does today, so yes, it was originally ingrained in them that in-person was the only way to work with CPAs. Even as recently as 5-8 years ago, the technology was clunky, cumbersome, and unreliable...at least everything I use today for virtualization actually works, and WELL. Clients are not closed-minded; they just need to be shown that what they have grown used to will not be negatively changed by leveraging technology. I live in a wealthy retirement area; many of them still work with their lawyers, CPAs, financial advisors, etc., from where they originally lived. Others decide to switch to someone local, and they are already used to the virtual ways.
I still believe in the value of meeting new clients and staying in regular contact, but it cannot be denied that there is a shift occurring within the industry because of client expectations and needs. I have gained new clients that while I met them through networking, all of the work will be virtual.
The method of obtaining new clients is not changing--referrals, or gaining their trust through in-person encounters. I have no desire, nor should any other CPA, to compete with the dirt cheap virtual companies providing bookkeeping and tax services (many of which are based in or outsource to India). The value of a CPA can still be readily communicated, but you are focusing on your ability to be accessible regardless of where anyone is currently located, and not be inconvenienced by working around standard business hours since e-mail, video/phone conferencing, work itself, and file exchange can be done any time.
I know most of the local CPAs and their habits. It is not typically the clients that need to learn to embrace change--it is the CPAs. Very few firms in my area are making much effort to move toward virtualization, and it has little or nothing to do with client opposition.