Industry: CPA/Accounting

Client Experience (CX) Management for CPA/Accounting firms is very different—in almost every way.

The partner structure, silos, shifting industry pressures, drive to expand into consulting/advisory offerings, the provinciality or protectionism culture over high-value client relationships and deep skepticism about new ways to create and offer value above and beyond tax/audit—we get it. We’ve lived it.

We are witnessing the profession undergo significant change which is creating increased competitiveness in both the tax/audit as well as the managed services sides of the business. Some firms are just now experimenting with reinvigorating their messaging and positioning to offer adjacent consulting/advisory services in a world where they fear their incumbent clients may not go. It’s a real struggle. We understand that most mid-sized firms are unsure how to best compete in this space. Frankly, we understand that many don’t want to compete. Why mess with a model that feels like it’s working for now, right?

CX Pilots is built for those CPA firms that aren’t willing to accept that status quo is the safest route forward.

There is no other CX (client experience) management consultancy in the world with our depth of CX/leadership expertise in the CPA/Accounting firm space. Book a call with us to discuss how we can help you. You’ll be surprised about our recommendations and industry perspective.

WHAT WE DO FOR FIRMS IN ACCOUNTING

Straight talk Leadership (how to look at change)
Value-driver workshops for partners (where to apply change)
Strategy and Roadmap Development (how to prepare for, visualize and communicate change)
CX Readiness Assessment/Maturity Models (how to find and address blind spots)
Client Feedback Strategy (how to listen to clients, today)
Client Persona and Segmentation (how to divide clients into categories to modernize your service delivery)
Client Lifetime Value (how to set baseline value in relationships to plan service expansion strategies)
Employee Engagement (how to get more partners and client-facing associates to love their work more)
Competitive Service Design Innovation (how to develop, integrate and position service value-adds e.g., advisory)
Internal Change Communications
Integrate CX with Marketing/“Modernizing Engagement”
Measurement/Metrics Strategy
Content/Thought Leadership Strategy

HOW TO GET STARTED WITH CX

Outside-In and Inside-Out Foundations Workshop for Accounting firm Leaders
CX Readiness Assessment
Client Journey Mapping
Employee/Culture Engagement
CX Charter (introduction to CX for staff)

RELEVANT CASE WORK

Accounting Firm Case Study

CHALLENGES:

Help mid-sized CPA firm arrive at consensus among partners on future path into client-centricity
Help firm with proof of value (cost justify) and proof of concept (model the potential change) of CX for Managing Partner and leadership team sign-off
Design and develop CX management program strategy and roadmap
Define firm’s unique approach to Client Success Management, tie it to corporate strategy
Increase differentiated brand by integrating CX into firm marketing and sales
Measurably increase firm competitiveness through new business wins
Measurably improve the client onboarding process
Embed tenets of client-centricity into firm culture
Develop CX governance program staff can use to sustain the effort

SOLUTION:

Worked with firm in one-year CX management and training program
Developed comprehensive firm cost of NOT DOING CX and lost opportunity cost exercise
Designed firm’s CX proof of value and Managed CX proof of concept
Taught firm leadership leading practices in Client Experience (CX) for Accounting firms
Developed the firm’s unique point of view on CX and Client Success along with CX Vision, and Purpose
Developed firm’s CX strategy and roadmap, aligned it to ongoing Digital Transformation initiative
Performed comprehensive CX Readiness Assessment to establish CX maturity baseline and growth objectives
Facilitated firm-wide collaboration on formulation of Ideal Client Profile (ICP) and innovative pursuit/proposal/interview/bid approach to win more ICP business
Facilitated firm-wide Client Empathy Training using CX Pilots’ Client Interaction Checklist methodology
Re-oriented firm’s client segmentation around Client Lifetime Value
Re-oriented firm’s sales and brand marketing around the employee and client experience to affect recruitment and business development (bid/win ratio)
Developed CX Governance to sustain momentum around the client experience that staff could believe in and support
Facilitated deep client journey mapping and interaction mapping to isolate points of friction and service innovation
Using IBM Watson business intelligence tools, helped firm with Win/Develop/Keep/Shed model to improve client pursuits
Redefined firm leadership and employee roles, responsibilities and accountability around CX
Applied CX Pilots’ S.W.I.M. (Staff Workflow Innovation Management) methodology to help firm reallocate human resources around priority areas to improve client experience and employee engagement and performance
Reinvigorated firm’s client feedback approach beyond NPS to more comprehensive systematic ‘closed loop’ approach

OUTCOME:

Successfully developed Proof of Value and Proof of Concept to reallocate 22% of annual marketing budget to CX
Created Client Success Management Position with Firm marketing with annual operations plan
Developed firm Vision, Mission, Unique P.O.V. on CX and Client Success Strategy in alignment with corporate goals
Increased employee engagement by 36%
Increased bid/win ratio by 18%
Repositioned firm’s brand enabling them to compete as an Experience-led business
Decreased annual recruiting costs by 42%
Decreased cost of client acquisition by 27%
Increased overall client empathy capabilities/skillsets for all leadership and client-facing employees