Building Mana Through Business
Dan and Tui recently participated in The Gap Master Class held in Auckland. This leadership team development is part of our ongoing strategy to build Yorke Stone's Mana and reputation in the business world.
The Gap is a collaborative network of forward-thinking accounting and bookkeeping firms hailing from New Zealand, Australia, UK, and Canada. This community strives to continually learn, grow and support one another and to expand our services, and provide added value to our clients.
One key lesson was that in the wake of Covid, many industries, including the accounting sector, have shifted towards less in-person interaction with clients. The emphasis now is on increasing client engagement, which is a goal that Yorke Stone is actively working towards.
It is important for clients to have more face-to-face meetings with their accountants to give clients an opportunity to benefit from our expertise. These meetings help to resolve issues, plan, and strategize. Also it’s not all about the numbers, sometimes we just talk about life and family. With The Gap process any member of our team can conduct these meaningful meetings, just like the leadership team.
The Gap emphasizes the importance of not fitting the stereotype of a standard accountant who only reviews last year's financial data during client meetings, instead focusing on understanding the narratives behind the numbers. Asking thought-provoking questions like, "Were you happy with these results?" "What were your goals last year? What are your goals for this year?" "Is there anything in the financials that particularly stood out for you?” These questions encourage more insightful conversations. It is also valuable to reflect on when you last updated your pricing and whether you have assessed your client base recently. When did you last take a break? We all should put this in our plans too.