Do you provide references?

Just wanted to get insight on how TPT members feel about references...

No. Giving references would be giving people I don't know the names of my clients.

I don't give references. However, I take new clients only by word of mouth referrals from existing clients.

I do not give references. Over several decades, all of my clients have come from existing clients, loan officers, or financial advisors. The good news is the potential client already has an idea of what I'm all about and we meet to see if our personalities and approach to business complement each other.

Most of the time we do but a few times things haven't worked out. I never take on a client that I perceive is angry, abrasive, or overly aggressive and quickly disengage those clients who exhibit that behavior.

I don't like it but business clients want to be assured that they are hiring a competent person. I always talk to my reference before they get a call from a stranger!

I've never been asked to provide a reference but I would do it if asked and my reference approved the request.
If I asked a contractor for a reference and he refused I probably would not hire him.
If I asked a potential employee for a reference and he refused I probably would not hire him.

I've never been asked to provide a reference but I would do it if asked and my reference approved the request.
If I asked a contractor for a reference and he refused I probably would not hire him.
If I asked a potential employee for a reference and he refused I probably would not hire him.

I don’t want to argue that it’s different for us, but it is different for us. And like someone else said, most of clients are referrals anyway.

I have references lined up if needed, but have never been asked for one. Unless a client has had experienced an incompetent CPA (and they do exist since not everyone files complaints), they are going to automatically assume we are competent and can meet their needs. It is our responsibility to indicate if we cannot.