The difference between firms that focus on their processes vs. those that don’t
As an accounting firm leader, you know how much of your day-to-day is dictated by processes. The very nature of the work you do is process-reliant because, ultimately, it’s complicated.
This is why I find it concerning that so many firms don’t invest enough in standardizing and documenting their processes. Of course, running a firm is busy work—you rarely have a spare moment to sip your coffee, let alone rethink how your firm onboards clients.
But the benefits of tackling your firm’s processes are too transformational to ignore. The way many firms do this is by focusing on one process at a time, slowly working their way through every single process their team performs.
As a result, they’re incrementally making big changes to their operations without letting work or clients fall through the cracks.
These are the firms that move through their processes efficiently and consistently, helping them to scale without increasing overheads.
These firms are well-oiled machines. Their owners rarely miss deadlines. They sleep well at night because they’re confident nothing will fall through the cracks. They have complete visibility across each process and, importantly, each process is optimized and easily repeatable. These firms are leading the way in efficiency. They’re working smarter, not harder.
On the other hand, firms that haven’t standardized or documented their processes carry risk. Every time an employee logs in, they expose themselves to lost time and money, limit their ability to scale, provide inconsistent client experiences and reinvent the wheel with each engagement.
The key difference between two firms that complete the same work for the same number of clients lies in their processes.
Becoming a firm that is truly process-driven can be overwhelming if you don’t have an action plan. It doesn’t have to be complicated, nor does it need to divert resources away from your clients.
Get started with The Process Playbook. It’s your blueprint for standardizing, optimizing and documenting your accounting firm’s critical processes. Step-by-step, you’ll discover how to transform your processes, boost profitability and unlock scalability—in a simple, digestible, and human way.
