Turn Routine Touchpoints Into Consultative Conversations
- Deanna Perkins
- Oct 13
- 3 min read
Client contact tends to follow a predictable pattern in many accounting firms: tax season meetings, audit check-ins and perhaps an annual planning conversation. These are necessary touchpoints, but they’re often transactional. Stand-out firms intentionally transform these routine interactions into consultative conversations—discussions that deepen relationships, uncover opportunities and build trust year-round.
From check-ins to conversations that matter
Many firms believe they’re maintaining client relationships simply by checking in once a year. But occasional touchpoints rarely generate meaningful insights. When you begin connecting with clients more frequently—not to sell, but to ask questions—the dynamic shifts entirely.
Simple, open-ended questions like “How are things going?”, “What’s working in your business right now?” and “What’s been keeping you up at night?” open the door to deeper dialogue. These conversations often reveal pain points clients have tried to solve on their own or don’t even recognize as solvable.
The goal isn’t to push more services, but to understand what clients truly need and position your firm as the trusted partner that helps them get there.
The power of curiosity
This approach aligns with the Sandler Pain Funnel, a conversational model built on curiosity and empathy. Rather than diving into solutions, advisors ask layered questions that help clients articulate their challenges clearly.
According to Asking Questions the Sandler Way by Antonio Garrido, asking the right questions in the right sequence creates clarity for both parties and allows the client to own their problem. In professional services, this shift from explaining to exploring is critical. It’s not about proving expertise, but helping clients discover the value of your expertise for themselves.
When done well, consultative conversations help clients see you as an extension of their business rather than just their accountant. They start coming to you earlier in their decision-making process, before problems escalate or opportunities pass by.
Use data to stay connected year-round
Of course, meaningful conversations don’t happen by accident. They’re intentional and they require structure.
High-performing firms leverage their customer relationship management (CRM) systems as relationship management tools. By logging key details from client interactions and setting recurring check-in reminders, firm leaders can ensure regular, proactive outreach.
For example, scheduling follow-ups every six months by phone, video or in person keeps the relationship alive between compliance deadlines. Even brief conversations can uncover insights that guide your next engagement proposal or advisory recommendation.
Expanding value beyond compliance
Tax and audit services will always be essential, but they’re also inherently reactive. Clients rarely see them as strategic. The true opportunity lies in expanding your firm’s value beyond compliance into advisory and CAAS (Client Accounting & Advisory Services).
Every client interaction is an opportunity to discover how your firm can support clients in managing cash flow, optimizing technology, refining processes or planning for growth. These are conversations that deliver more value to clients and expand your firm’s “share of wallet” with them.
Firms that make this shift build stickier, longer-term relationships. They become indispensable.
Building a culture of consultative curiosity
Transforming touchpoints into consultative conversations requires a cultural mindset shift. Here are three practical steps to start:
Train your team to ask better questions. Incorporate resources like Asking Questions the Sandler Way into your firm’s professional development plan. Teach people to listen more than they talk and to let silence do the work.
Systematize relationship-building. Use your CRM to track every meaningful client interaction. Create follow-up tasks to prevent relationships from going cold.
Empower your teams to connect outside the busy season. Schedule “client curiosity calls” that aren’t tied to deliverables. These informal touchpoints often lead to the most valuable discoveries.
When firms embed curiosity and empathy into their client engagement model, the results include stronger retention, higher satisfaction and more advisory opportunities that feel natural, not forced.
Growth is about listening better. By turning routine touchpoints into consultative conversations, you create the foundation for relationships that endure through change, complexity and competition.
Could you benefit from a peer network of other advisory service leaders?
The Boomer CAAS Circle is a peer group of advisory service leaders from top accounting firms who benefit from sharing knowledge, best practices and lessons learned. Apply now to get plugged into the Circle and start transforming your firm.
As the Solutions Manager for Boomer Consulting, Inc., Deanna Perkins works to help clients and prospective clients identify their dangers, opportunities and strengths. Once these are identified, she works to develop a personalized game plan for their firm to focus on the area, or areas, they need to improve on most. These areas are critical to a firm’s success and future-readiness; Leadership, Talent, Technology, Process and Growth.