You’ve likely been a part of or at least heard of conversations around identifying your firm’s target clients and filtering out clients who don’t fit the profile in the past few months. Talent shortage, capacity challenges, and a growing shift to advisory services mean firms must look hard at who they can serve and streamline operations to best serve a more narrowly defined list of target clients.
But is client filtering a one-time, months-long project in your firm? Or is it part of every team member’s daily workflow?
Proactive processes—those that anticipate needs and issues before they arise—can make client filtering a strategic differentiator for your firm.
Proactive processes: lessons from my time in education
Before joining BCI, I worked in education, where rules and procedures were in place for handling student behavior after problems occurred. We had clear guidelines on what students couldn’t do—no cheating, respect school property, keep your hands to yourself—but we lacked defined processes for managing day-to-day classroom behavior.
Much of it was left to the professional judgment of educators, which, while valuable, often led to inconsistencies and missed opportunities for early intervention.
Imagine if there had been a process for proactively contacting parents to discuss a child’s behavior before it escalated, or for systematically tracking data on student behavior to identify patterns. Such proactive measures could have prevented many issues from arising in the first place.
The value of proactive processes in other settings
I’ve seen the difference a proactive approach can make in my work at BCI.
For example, our consultants regularly present at accounting conferences and Boomer Circle meetings. We don’t leave it up to the consultants’ professional judgment to decide what and how to present it. We’ve established a well-defined process for preparing these presentations, so the work leading to each engagement is seamlessly integrated into our workday.
This proactive planning ensures we use our time productively, allowing us to focus on meaningful discussions that drive our company forward rather than reinventing the wheel with each new engagement.
However, the benefits of proactive processes extend beyond internal operations. They’re equally essential in client management, particularly in the increasingly important practice of client filtering.
Proactive client filtering
Client filtering—identifying and prioritizing clients who align with your firm's values and goals—is a hot topic among accounting firms. Many firms recognize the need to focus on their ideal clients, but few implement a proactive process to make client filtering part of their everyday work.
Client filtering can be a daunting, months-long project without a proactive process—if the firm does it at all. However, by embedding client filtering into your team’s daily workflow, you can continuously gather data on clients, making the process far more manageable.
For example, consider implementing a process for documenting client behavior. When clients complain about fees, miss deadlines, or are dishonest or rude to your staff, your team should have a clear procedure for recording these incidents. This reduces ambiguity and empowers employees to take appropriate actions without hesitation.
Proactive client filtering doesn’t necessarily mean severing ties with every client who falls short of expectations. Instead, it allows for a measured approach, where clients who are not an immediate fit can be coached into becoming better aligned with your firm’s goals through improved communication and managing expectations.
By consistently gathering and analyzing client data, ranking and filtering clients becomes an ongoing activity rather than an occasional, burdensome task. This supports working with clients who contribute positively to the business and improve the employee experience.
From internal workflows to client management, proactive processes allow your firm to anticipate challenges, respond effectively and make progress toward goals. It requires an upfront investment of time and resources, but the long-term benefits—consistency, improved client relationships and increased operational efficiency—are well worth the effort.
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As a Client Service Coordinator for Boomer Consulting, Inc., Amelia Brewster is focused on supporting and growing the Boomer Knowledge Network and working with our consultants and sponsors to organize trainings and speaking events. Amelia is excellent in situations that require strategic organization of information. She sets priorities and puts them into appropriate sequences. Her talent with both strategies and tactics makes her essential to any massive effort.
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