I’m going to start a new category/series here at BSP for learning purposes and to facilitate discussion. It’s called ‘ Case Studies‘. It will primarily focus on ‘how one gets and loses clients’ which is foundational to marketing – the whole (potential) client experience. I believe this will be especially useful for solos when they have to start focusing their energies and resources. (I also welcome others to contribute their stories through guest posts so we can all discuss and learn together.) I’ll highlight the various discussion starters I’ve identified by noting – Point #1,# 2, etc. and then in a follow up post I will discuss the various points from my perspective. So, let’s try this out!
Case Study #1 – How I Found An Accountant and Didn’t ‘Hire’ Him
I recently decided it was time to hire an accountant. Why? I’m spreading myself too thin and just wanted to allocate my time more effectively. I did not know any accountants. And I certainly was not going to go the Yellow Pages or do an arbitrary Google search. My brother and my parents,who are now retired, had businesses so I called them and asked who they used. (Point #1)
When I asked my brother who he used he offered no name and simply said, ‘he’s not for you.’
When I asked my parents they said, “We used (insert name) but he is too expensive and he’ll be the first one to tell you he is too expensive. But call him and I know he’ll give you a referral. Also, call (a good family friend) and find out who he uses because he’s very sharp and you can trust whoever he uses.
I opted to call our family friend who ‘is very sharp’ to find out who he uses because I trust him having known him for more than 30 years. He is a shrewd businessman, too. When I got the name of the accountant, I immediately ‘googled’ to find out something ‘more’ about him. He had no web presence and there were two people in the town with the same last name but different first names. My friend’s wife actually gave me the WRONG first name but the right street address. I had to keep digging to get the right phone number. (Point #2)
I called to make an appointment, left my name and who referred me. The receptionist asked where I could be reached and I would receive a return phone call shortly. (Point #3)
When I was called back, however, I got the accountant himself and had a ‘pre-screening’ phone call. He was at the computer as we spoke, checking out various information I gave him. We chatted about the referral and he let me know he actually knew my dad, was now working with the referrer’s kids and was pleased he was bringing on the ‘next generation’. We set up an appointment to meet. He told me what paperwork I should bring with me and it was a very nice, comfortable conversation. (Point #4)
On the day of the appointment I brought everything I needed, was greeted, offered something to drink and we sat down. For some strange reason, the whole potential client experience prior was in my head because two things struck me, no web presence and how the accountant called me directly to set up the appointment, his demeanor and tone of the conversation. I told him so.
He was very pleased when I mentioned personal phone call, a little frustrated by my bringing up the web presence because he said, ‘have you been talking to my partner? He is insisting we are losing business by not having a web presence.’ I explained my feelings on this point and he just said, ‘I know, I know. I’m just not going to maintain it. Someone else will have to.’ (Point #5)
Then we got to discussing business. The first thing I said is, ‘is this a paid consultation or is it preliminary discussion to see whether we want to work together.’ (Point #6)
He told me very clearly, ‘how could I charge you for a consultation when we’ve never met?” He also told me they do not do hourly billing at his firm. They do it by the project and the various rates. (Point #7)
We continued to discuss my situation and he gave me different pieces of advice. While he was talking I was checking out his office, filled with family photos and professional reference books. (Point #8)
By the time the consultation concluded, he had told me the most cost-effective ways to handle what needed handling, most of them legitimately not requiring his services but keeping the door open to freely call him during the year before tax time and he would be happy to answer questions free of charge. (Point #9)
I did not hire him. (Point #10)
I’ll post what I believe are lessons from each highlighted point in my next two posts and how they are relevant to you. Please let me know what your reactions are to the various elements.
(Again, this post is an experiment in facilitating an educational discussion based upon real life experiences. Not a trick question. If this works we’ll continue to do it. 
)
Susan,
I look forward to the case studies. I think I have a few thoughts, but haven’t gotten them together yet on this one.
I look forward to it. As I answer them myself for the follow up, very interesting conscious and unconscious issues present themselves, impressions, prejudices which surface. The interesting thing about our business is we are consumers of our own services so we can use ourselves as a focus group. Makes it more real then just being told ‘what to do’, right?
It should. I learn better through discussion than through listening alone so this should be great.
I’m not sure that I get how gaining/losing a client is the foundation to marketing – I’d think that it would be the other way round. Then again, I see that the whole client experience is marketing, so I may just be having trouble visualizing which components are which. This is sure to be an interesting exercise.
Some thoughts
Point #1 – a pretty standard way to find a professional. I’d much rather get a reference than play “Go Fish” in the Yellow Pages or see what Google dredges up.
Point #2 – would not be a big deal for me, after all you’re not getting the information from the horse’s mouth so to speak. A lack of a web presence is no big deal.
Point #3 – not a big warning flag (yet). While I’d always like my calls returned promptly, I’ll usually let the first fumble slide, but if this becomes a pattern I’m going to drop the guy like a hot rock.
Point #4 – I like it when the professional answers his own phone
Point #5 – Man knows his limitations (good) and knows enough about web sites to know that they require an investment that he is not willing to make or can’t justify based on how he perceives the ROI. I know that many will consider this heresy, but a web site is the digital equivalent of your appendix – nice to have, wonderful when everything is maintained and healthy, but dangerous when its not. I’m fully aware that a web site has the potential to put your business information in front of 1,000,000′s of people but it takes work to make sure that the site puts your information in front of the right people at the right time.
Point #6 – You should have know this going in. Poor communication on his part.
Point #7 – Again, would have been nice to know this going in, but not a deal breaker. Flat fees make it easier to shop around and compare rates
Point #8 & #9 – sounds like the last accountant I talked to (I’ve not hired him either … yet). This could be his “sales pitch” – gives you the advice you need to handle the little stuff (things you can do cheaper than he can) and hopes that if/when you find that this advise works, you’ll remember who gave it to you and when the hard stuff inevitably comes around he’ll be the first one you call.
I am curious – did you hire someone else or did you file this guy’s number away in your rolodex for later?
The accountant should have offered to do all the work; he could have mentioned you could do some smaller items if you wished. After all, you did not indicate that you couldn’t do the small things, just that you were too busy to put the time into it. That’s why you wanted to pay him to do some of the work, regardless of whether or not you could do it yourself.
You could have walked away feeling that you he didn’t want to take the small things and that you would have to go to another accountant to have the small things done for you.
I do believe that one really must have a web presence. An older professional may be able to get by without one, but if you have a future you need a site and a blog or some combination of both. You won’t garner much respect from the younger generation if you don’t. Having all the components of a business means that you have thought out your goals and objectives, rather than throwing out a shingle.
There is a fishing term for just throwing out a shingle, its called snagging. You throw out a triple edged hook in the hopes a snagging a fish. Its all about luck. Whereas, you could plan out a fishing trip to determine where the fish are and decide which bait to use. Less about luck. More about getting the fish to come to your bait.
There are things that my accountant does for me which I could do myself, like the quarterly payroll report, but when I ask myself whether I have the time, I always decide to let him do it.
Ray
#6 – My own take-away on advising whether consultation is paid or unpaid upfront: Sometimes I charge and sometimes I don’t for initial consults as it depends on purpose/nature of the consultation/meeting. However, I realize in reading this post that I often fail to state when meeting is free of charge, but am always certain to mention if it is for a charge.
I look forward to your post re: why you didn’t hire this accountant.
I just had a client survey done for myself and am anxious to review results. I’ll keep your points in mind when doing so.
Brenda, regarding your consultation practices, I’m resurrecting a previous post on this:
http://susancartierliebel.typepad.com/build_a_solo_practice/2007/06/should_you_char.html
It explains my take on whether consults should be free or not, but does not discuss the communication to the client as noted in point #6
I hope you’ll share the results of your survey, too. This is something solos fail to do, client surveys, and it’s something they NEED to do, whether formal or informal, to know how they can improve upon the client experience.