It takes the right combination of strategic vision, operational effectiveness, and dedication to client service to grow your assurance and business advisory firm sustainably. Whether you’re looking to expand your client base, improve profitability, or enhance service offerings, you need the right mix of technology, talent, and processes to help you get there.
We’ve worked with large and small firms, and these are some of the strategies we’ve seen, or recommended, to help firms grow without compromising client service standards.
Optimize Your Existing Service Model
Expand Your Offerings
- Financial modeling
- Transaction advisory
- Financial planning and analysis
- SOX compliance
- Data analytics and business intelligence
- Cloud accounting and technology integrations
Collaborating with legal firms, wealth advisors, and business consultants can also create a steady stream of high-quality referrals in specific areas.
Partnering with an outsourced accounting provider can help your firm expand or offer more niche services without the overhead of hiring new full-time staff. Because you gain access to experienced accounting professionals on-demand, your firm can take on larger, more complex, or more specialized engagements without taking on full-time overhead.
Build a Scalable Talent Strategy
The accounting industry continues to face talent shortages, which can make scaling or offering specialist services more difficult and expensive. Many firms are now considering a hybrid staffing model that includes a mix of in-house professionals and outsourced accounting support who play different but complementary roles.
For example, BryMar CPAs and Advisors faced a staffing shortage and partnered with Scrubbed to overcome this challenge. Starting with a single Scrubbed audit staff member, they quickly expanded to two audit staff and two tax accountants. The partnership allowed BryMar’s senior team members to stop helping out on the day-to-day work and focus on high-level strategic tasks, improving efficiency and service quality.
As well as bringing on third-party help as needed, it’s a good idea to invest in professional development, mentorship programs, and flexible work arrangements that can help attract and retain top-tier full-time talent.
Embrace a Strategic Approach to Outsourcing
If you choose to work with outsourced accounting partners, you will get better results if you treat them as a strategic partner. Encourage them to understand your firm’s vision and growth plans so that they can support your long-term objectives. An experienced partner who takes ownership and accountability for your firm’s success will be better able to make suggestions for new opportunities or ways to streamline your processes.
One of Scrubbed’s clients, Kevin O’Connell from Baker Tilly, emphasizes the importance of this approach: “We don’t want to work with a faceless organization; we want to work with a real partner who understands our needs and how we intend to grow so they can help us with that vision and goal.”
Boost Your Marketing and Business Development
Pay Attention to Client Experience and Retention
Happy clients drive referrals and long-term growth. To improve your client satisfaction and strengthen relationships, try more proactive communication, value-added reporting, or add-ons like annual business reviews. Incorporate client feedback loops—such as NPS and satisfaction surveys—into your strategy to continually refine your services. A well-defined client onboarding process can also set the tone for a successful long-term partnership.
BryMar CPAs and Advisors took this approach and found that by delegating routine tasks to Scrubbed, their team had more time to provide the strategic advisory services that their clients valued. Strengthening their relationships with existing clients also positioned BryMar to attract new clients and grow their business.
For more information on how outsourcing can help you put these strategies into practice and scale your firm, check out our Guide to Outsourced Accounting and Finance for CPA Firms.
How Scrubbed Can Help
Scaling an accounting firm requires the right balance of strategy and talent. If you’re looking for a growth partner, our outsourced accounting solutions can help you expand capacity, improve efficiency, and elevate client service without the overhead.
Contact us today to discuss how we can support your firm’s growth journey.
