Providing Clients With the Best—Not All—Services

By David F. Veyna, CPA

From the inception of our two-partner practice, my partner and I determined that we could not be a jack-of-all-trades. There were certain things we were not proficient at performing. Therefore, if the need for these services came up for our clients, we agreed that in their best interest, we would refer them elsewhere. Financial planning is one of those services.

Not surprisingly, one of the biggest things on our clients’ minds right now is the economy and security over their financial investments. Many of my clients ask for financial advice. I can give them the basics, but I also recommend that they sit down with a certified personal financial planner and make sure that they have a proper financial plan in place.

For example, when my parents passed away, certain realities were driven home that reinforced to me the importance of financial planning. The most significant of those realities was the difference between a nursing home versus 24-hour home care. There is no comparison as far as quality of life when considering the ability for someone to continue living in the dignity and comfort of their own home. But this benefit comes at a large cost and requires that you plan properly. As I explain to my clients, this planning is for their own piece of mind and for their children and others who care about them.

As CPAs and our clients’ trusted advisers, we have a responsibility to provide the best service possible. If we are not proficient in a certain type of service, then we have the responsibility to refer our clients to someone who is proficient. I don’t think our clients want or expect us to know everything. What they do want and expect from us is someone who cares about them as individuals and, if the situation arises, someone who feels their pain and will help guide them through tough times.

— David F. Veyna, CPA

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 30th, 2008 at 9:58 am and is filed under President's Message. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.