3 strategies to grow your accounting firm through operations
Looking to grow and scale your accounting business?
Have you considered how focusing on operations could help you achieve that growth?
Growing your accounting firm through operations is, in our opinion, one of the most efficient ways to skyrocket your growth. At Mastermind Business Services, we’ve got you covered in this area. If you’re ready to scale your business with ease, keep on reading!
Here are our top 3 tips that can help you grow your accounting firm through operations.
Operational Processes
Get yourself some processes! Seriously, this is one of our biggest “must-do’s”. It may seem like an exhausting prospect to think about. Especially if creating processes in your business is a new strategy for you. You may think you don’t know where or even how to start, but take it one step at a time. Don’t rush and focus on creating processes that will support your business and growth.
Think of processes as a way to streamline day-to-day tasks and provide support for your team. Once you’ve got these in place, the heavy lifting is done. Now, you get to reap the rewards of streamlined workflows that help your business run efficiently.
Processes to implement:
Onboarding process:
- What happens when you onboard a new client? Are you still manually entering everything into your system?
- Ensure that your new & current clients have a streamlined and automated process upon entering your business.
Internal project management
- How do you know who is responsible for what clients & tasks?
- Utilize an internal project management system to help you ensure that nothing falls through the cracks.
Standard Operating Procedures
- Getting SOP’s in place in your business is a crucial step to helping your business be able to operate without you.
- Document your procedures in-depth. This gives your current or new team members a documented outline to follow when completing tasks.
Systems & tools to look at implementing:
Setting up systems that will work hand-in-hand with your new or existing processes is an important consideration. Here are a few alternatives that you can consider implementing into your structure.
Software
Dubsado
Dubsado is a favorite around here. Dubsado integrates with your payment systems and can help to manage onboarding, customer relationships and so much more. Not sure where to start with Dubsado? Check out our Quickstart Guide.
Honeybook
Honeybook is a great alternative to Dubsado. Honeybook allows you to manage workflows, automation, contracting, and more. It does come with some restrictions but seems to be rolling out new features regularly.
Our go-to project management tool
ClickUp
Our favorite project management tool hands down is ClickUp. It is a great tool for all-around project management. ClickUp features the ability to track time, input deadlines, and create full-service client programs while assigning tasks to different people in your organization.
Strategic planning
We looove strategic planning here at Mastermind Business Services — I mean, it’s kinda our thing (alright, we may be a tad biased).
Strategic planning is a crucial part of ensuring your business is set up for success both in the short and long term. Strategic planning will require you to sit down and do a thorough review of your business and goals for the upcoming and previous year. Make sure you give yourself an adequate amount of time to conduct a strategic review.
Strategic planning starts by taking a step back and assessing your business, from an unbiased and goal-focused standpoint. Give yourself permission to evaluate what is and isn’t working and where you feel there may be opportunities for improvement.
Hire the right team
The backbone of a successful business is ensuring you are hiring the right people, for the right roles. Equally as important here is making sure you are bringing on a team that can help you grow and support you and your business, internally.
Roles to consider bringing into your business to help scale:
Virtual Assistant – this is generally where most people will start. Getting a VA that can help to take time-sucking tasks off your hands is a great way to allow yourself more time to focus on building your business.
Project Manager: Got a VA but now you’re finding that more projects and people need to be managed? Your project manager is the one who oversees team members, tasks and progress making sure that every project stays on track.
Online Business Manager: Your OBM is your right-hand team member. They can assist you in managing the day-to-day of your business. They also work with you to help make strategic plans and steps to achieve those goals.
Things to look for when hiring your internal team:
Experience: You want to ensure you are bringing in team members who have adequate experience for the role.
Dependability: This one may seem hard to spot. Asking specific questions during the interview phase can really help to pull info out from candidates to gain a better understanding of their demeanor.
Genuine connection: Regardless of how many AH-MAZING skills someone may have, make sure that they actually fit within your organization. Focus on building a team that can grow with you, for the long term. There are plenty of people who will have the skills and a personality you connect with, don’t just settle for someone you know doesn’t feel right.
Operations may not sound sexy, exciting, or like the trendy next step to take when growing your business but we promise, it’s where the magic happens baby! It’s within your operations that you can implement strategies and tactics that will help your business grow, without requiring more work from you. Take the time to get to know your business on a deeper level and map out strategies that you can begin to implement to help your business. A little planning and inward reflection can do a long way!
Not sure where to start? The team at MBS is here to support you in the best way that works for your business. Reach out to us to see how we can help you transform your business.