Is Your CPA a Quiet Quitter?
Susan Bryant, CPA, CTS
Unboxed CPA propelling business owners towards their dreams. | 2021 Top 50 Women in Accounting | 2022 Enterprising Women of the Year Honoree | 2023 GS10KSB | Tax + Accounting + Business Strategist
Viral TikTok videos, podcasts, blog headlines and professional conversations have been filled over the last month with the concept of “quiet quitting” and it’s been primarily geared toward addressing concerns about employees who are doing just the bare minimum to meet job requirements and expectations.??After listening to many podcasts and reading countless articles on this subject, I would also assert that most business owners are beginning to wonder if their CPA has also become a quiet quitter. More importantly, they are wondering how to spot this kind of CPA....so here are my thoughts:
1.?????You initiate all communication.
CPA’s are non-stop busy and our world has become more complex over the last couple of years due to the pandemic, legislative changes and talent shortages which has led to many CPA’s just ignoring their clients.?The quiet quitters in the CPA profession aren’t responding to emails timely and sometimes flat-out ghost clients…and while, it’s good to set healthy work/life priorities, clients still need a response…even if it’s a quick email that you have received their request and will get back to them with an answer.??
2.?????Your CPA seems burned out.
Does your CPA look frazzled and sleep deprived??Unprepared for meetings??Complaining non-stop about their work hours and clients??This is likely a CPA on the verge of being a quiet quitter.?And, what’s common in our industry is seeing a CPA slack-off instead of doing the hard work of scaling back their client-load (and revenue) to something more manageable.?Excellent CPA’s have cracked the code on aligning their fees with the value they provide...and clients want more value!
3.?????You aren’t sure where you stand.
If after an inquiry or phone call, you still wondering “When am I going to get my tax return?” or “What is the status of my accounting?” and there is no follow-up to let you know where you stand, you’re probably dealing with a quiet quitter.?These CPA’s are just going through the motions and they’re not finding solutions in their businesses to ensure your work gets handled.?
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4.?????You can’t remember the last time they gave you a great idea.
Finding it hard to remember why you are working with your CPA??When was the last time they presented you with an idea to save on taxes??I see the byproduct of the work of quiet quitters rather frequently and it saddens me deeply…it’s just like they stopped really caring and it shows up in messy accounting records and error-rich tax returns.?When you meet with a CPA who is engaged in their work, they will be filled with ideas to help make your business or tax situation better.?They will be thinking about books, articles, networking connections, referrals, etc. that will streamline how they serve you, identify ways to save you money and make it their missing to amplify your financial success.
5.?????They are nowhere.
It’s like the quiet quitter CPA’s are trying to hide.?They aren’t on LinkedIn, don’t have a social media presence, don’t attend conferences, are never at networking events…they are literally nowhere.?This isolation translates into “I don’t care about anything other than just what I do for the customer.”?Clients don’t operate in a vacuum and CPA’s should cultivate relationships with other professionals so that they can be a true resource and advisor.
On the Flipside
I would be remiss if I didn’t also point out that sometimes clients are the quiet quitters in the CPA-Client relationship.?Many times this type of client will miss meetings, fail to send documents, won’t respond or just ignores their accountant altogether.??The relationship is reciprocal so if you are reading this and you’ve neglected an exceptional CPA, do the work to repair the relationship and set up regular meetings to keep the lines of communication open.
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2 年Raising prices A LOT solves this problem for BOTH parties. #CPAs need to take the lead and have the courage to make this adjustment in their practice. CPAs and clients *both* deserve better; it’s up to the CPA to initiate the change.
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2 年Susan Bryant, if I'm understanding this correctly, you're referring to those clients who sense their CPA or accounting advisor is quiet quitting. Unavailability, lack of response, lack of proactive advice, lower levels of curiosity and care about the client's affairs all might be symptoms. There are many reasons for QQ in the era of The Great Resignation but ultimately we're all recalibrating our commitments, our level of 'discretionary effort' and the degree to which we will hustle for the cause, the career and the kudos. Any client experience less than acceptable in today's competitive world will ultimately result in the client quitting, complaining or commenting negatively. Challenging times!
I believe that entrepreneurs continue the work of creation and that human flourishing is the purpose of business.
2 年Brilliant insight! Sadly, the answer for many is "Yes!" This is why I am now advocating using the word Member, instead of client or customer!
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2 年Many CPAs have been struggling to keep up in the last few months. The MB Group, LLC knows how to scale customer service!
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2 年Great topic! A lot of CPAs are burnout and totally overworked. I love that you also flipped the topic on its head and said sometimes the client is the quiet quitter... This is absolutely true!