I've been to several CPA Practice Management seminars lately, and they all are saying the same thing:
"If you want to grow your practice, lose the PITA* clients!"
If all the CPAs are being advised to get rid of those clients who cause them pain, then there might come a day when clients like that won't be able to find a decent CPA to help them with their tax and accounting work.
So I decided, as a public service, to help current and potential clients identify what might make them "one of those."
You might be a PITA* client if...
This list was made off the top of my head, so it may be missing some key characteristics.
The point is, we like to work with clients who are courteous, timely and aware of how their actions (or inactions!) affect those around them. Trust me, PITA* clients pay for their bad behavior in higher fees, and may even wake up one day to discover that they are without a CPA.
If your CPA has to spend a lot of time and effort chasing you down to either get the information he/she needs, or to get paid, then YOU are a PITA* client!
You're welcome.
*PITA - Pain In The A$$
"If you want to grow your practice, lose the PITA* clients!"
If all the CPAs are being advised to get rid of those clients who cause them pain, then there might come a day when clients like that won't be able to find a decent CPA to help them with their tax and accounting work.
So I decided, as a public service, to help current and potential clients identify what might make them "one of those."
You might be a PITA* client if...
- You think you're the only client your CPA has...or, at least, act like it.
- You miss appointments, or are late, without a courtesy call.
- You wait until a week before the tax deadline to bring your tax docs to your CPA.
- You bring a shoe box of jumbled receipts, and expect your return finished in a day or two.
- You only bring in a portion of the information necessary for your CPA to do the work.
- You ignore your CPA's requests for additional information, or procrastinate getting it together.
- You make promises you don't keep.
- You deliver the items needed one at a time, calling the CPA after each delivery to "see how it looks so far."
- You don't pay your CPA's invoice when you pick up your work (or prior to your tax return being filed.)
- You take a year to pay for last year's tax return preparation and filing.
This list was made off the top of my head, so it may be missing some key characteristics.
The point is, we like to work with clients who are courteous, timely and aware of how their actions (or inactions!) affect those around them. Trust me, PITA* clients pay for their bad behavior in higher fees, and may even wake up one day to discover that they are without a CPA.
If your CPA has to spend a lot of time and effort chasing you down to either get the information he/she needs, or to get paid, then YOU are a PITA* client!
You're welcome.
*PITA - Pain In The A$$
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