" It’s a New Era of Integrated Firm Management! "

Presented by Michael Giardina, CEOOffice Tools Professional

We must change our firm critical methods and processes in order to easily

Track a greater depth of information

Increase our awareness & knowledge

Inform our management decisions

To realize these goals firms need to change!.

.

• From a compliance and due diligence approach• For improved client service• For increased firm efficiencies• To take our firms to greater heights• For a better work-life balance

Why do we need to track, be informed & manage better?

• The last time our firm meet or talked with a client, who spoke to them and what was said

• The last time we spoke to a Government Agency on behalf of a client

• The last client email sent or received • Call, to-do and appointment details• Details and notes regarding returns and client work preformed• Delivery of other important documents• Staff efforts and time

Firms need to easily track the following:

• When we received an IRS notice • What is the due date of their return• What the current status and who is working on a clients tax

return• The clients next appointment• Our next appointment• Pertinent information from stored documents• How much we should charge for work

Firms need to easily know things like:

• Client complaints• Client expectations• Have we received a signed engagement and/or retainer from

our client• Staff availability• Have all items been completed?• Are we over budget?• How much are we owed?

Firms need to easily manage things like:

To realize these goals firms need to accomplish Three key things.

•Begin by picking a technology that integrates your internal processes.

•Be sure your application provides integration with others easily.

•Your technology should combine CRM, phone message tracking, scheduling, workflow, project due dates, staff budgeting, document management, email, portals and time billing into one fluid system.

How do we realize these goals totrack, know & manage better?

Nothing is insurmountable!

• Consider redefining your firm processes• Investigate new technologies• Discuss with your staff• Eliminate disconnected applications• Invest your time and resources into doing it right

How to institute a way to track, know & manage better?

How to institute a way to track, know & manage better?

• Don’t fear new technologies and ideas, embrace them • Pick a good time to implement, don’t wait until late January• Implement in phases if staff or resources are limited• Implement what is available now that can help your firm

today. Don’t keep waiting for the “perfect time”

Pitfalls when trying to track, know and manage better?

Don’t try to do this alone!

• Don’t try to do this with manual systems or excel spreadsheets• Avoid using separate firm processes• Spending too little time investigating new technology• Be leery of using multiple applications & databases• Be sure your staff are on board with increased tracking

Pitfalls when trying to track, know and manage better?

How Practice Management 2013 changes a Firm

• Meets or exceeds our compliance requirements• Improves firm productivity and profitability• Identifies for staff a clear sense of what to do• Integrates all aspects of the firm together• Simplifies how we work and what we do• Relieves stress through due diligence• Reduces long hours• Allows our firms to get more while doing less• Improves management decision making

Included Integrations

Add-On Integrations

The Future of Integration

In Progress In Pursuit

Seamlessly Integrated

• Don’t try to continue to use the old and new methods side by side…commit to the new

• Don’t be cheap. Technology is the single most important piece of software in firms today

• Require management oversight to ensure new systems are adhered to

• Look for continued ways a vendor can help your firm utilize their product - Don’t do it alone!

Planning for Success