@TheCPACA By: Dustin Hostetler, Flowtivity Sarah Johnson, Inovautus Consulting

@TheCPACA Polling Question: What size firm do you represent?

@TheCPACA The mission of the CPA Consultants’ Alliance is to explore leadership issues facing the profession and develop and share solutions that benefit practitioners. CPA Consultants' Alliance members support each member’s growth and collaborate to make a difference in the communities we serve.

@TheCPACA 78 Billion Baby Boomers Retiring over the next 15 years Less than 50 billion Gen Xers Unemployment within the CPA profession ~3% -- nearly “full employment” and growth in jobs is projected at 18% by 2016 Younger CPAs with talent can find employment anywhere or start their own practices with so many retirees willing to transition their books

@TheCPACA In spring 2012, conducted an online survey of 788 CPAs and CPA firm administrators in public accounting 3.3% of respondents were sole practioners and 2.2% represented the big 4. The balance were CPA firms with between partners. * *full response data can be found in the whitepaper

@TheCPACA 46% of respondents represented owners, shareholders and partners 15% senior managers and directors 7.8% manager level accountants* *full response data can be found in the whitepaper

@TheCPACA Top 3 Most Important Characteristics Integrity Ability to develop a strong team and delegate to them Be visionary

@TheCPACA Top 3 Missing Characteristics from the partner, owner and shareholder perspective. Motivate others The ability to develop a strong team and delegate to them Being Visionary

@TheCPACA Top 3 Missing Characteristics Communicates at the right time, to the right audience The ability to develop a strong team and delegate to them Being Visionary

@TheCPACA Photo Credit

@TheCPACA

NOT a policy, memo or NOT a one time event IS a consistent process to get people on the same page

@TheCPACA We retain approximately 10 percent of what we see; 30 to 40 percent of what we see and hear; and 90 percent of what we see, hear, and do.

@TheCPACA Excellent Client Service requires excellence in internal communications Communication of client knowledge, information, engagement status, expectations, future needs

@TheCPACA Teamwork requires timely communication Be on the same page for your clients Internal Customer Dynamic

@TheCPACA Polling Question: What channels do you currently use to communicate to your employees?

@TheCPACA Marketing & Business Development HR Leadership Training Building a culture Client Service

@TheCPACA Marketing & Business Development Expectations for new business Roles/Activities in marketing Ties to promotion and compensation HR Firm policies and procedures Performance feedback Recruiting Career path opportunities

@TheCPACA Leadership/Culture Mission Vision Core Values

@TheCPACA Polling Question: What communication methods does your firm use to communicate review points on engagements?

@TheCPACA Client Service Audit ◦ Scheduling ◦ Interim and Planning ◦ Pre-Fieldwork and Fieldwork ◦ Wrap-Up

@TheCPACA Client Service Tax ◦ Request Lists to clients ◦ Readiness to start Preparing Return ◦ Collaborative Review ◦ Assembly and Delivery Instructions

@TheCPACA Frequently and Often

@TheCPACA

Director of Internal Communication Owns internal communication function Develops and crafts messages and key points Preps and arms your mid-level managers to field questions

@TheCPACA Polling Question: Do you believe “collaborative review” can benefit your firm and client engagements?

@TheCPACA Client Engagements: Voice and Real-Time vs. Text and Delayed ◦ Benefits:  Timelier completion and better service  Improved Training and Development Remote Options ◦ Video Conferences ◦ IM ◦ Pick up the old-fashioned phone… Proactive, timely, real-time communication strategies are a must for managing and reviewing engagements effectively

@TheCPACA

Gary Thomson, Regional Managing Partner, Dixon Hughes Goodman Mike Sibley, Audit Partner,

@TheCPACA 1. Describe the improvement that you have seen from more effective internal communication in your processes?

@TheCPACA 2. What are unique approaches or non traditional channels you are using to communicate internally? What has been the impact of this approach?

@TheCPACA 3. What is the process you went through to implement and get the buy-in for the new processes?

@TheCPACA 4. What are 1 or 2 things you wish you had done differently as you implemented these changes?

@TheCPACA 5. What types of things are you communicating and how frequently?

@TheCPACA Questions

@TheCPACA Connect with the CPACAConnect with Your Speakers Visit our website to: Download the Whitepaper Subscribe to our newsletter Next Webinar: September 24, 2013, The Quest to Build a Learning Culture CPACONSULTANTSALLIANCE.com Dustin Hostetler, Flowtivity Sarah Johnson, Inovautus