| 1. We consistently research and find new services and financial products to stay ahead of the competition. |
Y
M
N |
2. I easily hire good CPAs, production support staff and office staff when I
need them. |
Y
M
N |
| 3. Too many of our clients submit last-minute info or incomplete data. |
Y
M
N |
| 4. We almost never write-down accounts. |
Y
M
N |
| 5. Our quality of service and products is better than competitors in the area. |
Y
M
N |
| 6. We do our own customer or client satisfaction surveys and we fine-tune services and products according to what we find. |
Y
M
N |
7. We have good relationships with our clients' front office staff and can easily get appointments for sales purposes.
|
Y
M
N |
| 8. There are things in my life that are beyond my ability to cope. |
Y
M
N |
| 9. Owners have the right to require basic levels of production from their staff. |
Y
M
N |
| 10. It's ok with me if I don't meet objectives I've set. |
Y
M
N |
| 11. Our profit margin is less this quarter than last. |
Y
M
N |
| 12. Some of my employees don't understand how their positions affect other staff in the business. |
Y
M
N |
| 13. The needs and wants of my referral sources
are continually clarified, understood and fulfilled. |
Y
M
N |
| 14. Clients sometimes complain about their accounts. |
Y
M
N |
| 15. We have a consistent level of business, not tax season “feast” and then offseason “famine”. |
Y
M
N |
| 16. Customer complaints are addressed, handled and used as an opportunity to improve service and staff. |
Y
M
N |
| 17. We have too few “Class A” clients who submit info early and complete and pay their bills on time. |
Y
M
N |
| 18. I lose at least some sleep each week worrying. |
Y
M
N |
| 19. Even if I disagree, I will change my mind to avoid conflict. |
Y
M
N |
| 20. My objectives are clear and I'm going to achieve
them. |
Y
M
N |
| 21. We are experiencing cash flow problems. |
Y
M
N |
| 22. We get new staff producing quickly at a viable level. |
Y
M
N |
| 23. I comfortably sell a client the full services and products he needs. |
Y
M
N |
| 24. I regularly review accounts for aging and collections problems. |
Y
M
N |
| 25. The lack of certain equipment or software really holds us back. |
Y
M
N |
| 26. Staff reviews always raise morale and productivity. |
Y
M
N |
| 27. Customer surveys are done to direct our marketing. |
Y
M
N |
| 28. I “roller coaster” (go up and down) emotionally. |
Y
M
N |
| 29. I find it uncomfortable correcting staff or clients when they break agreements. |
Y
M
N |
| 30. I usually resent offers of help. |
Y
M
N |
| 31. Major debts or legal situations are looming and worry me. |
Y
M
N |
| 32. I'm asked for solutions that should be handled by my staff. |
Y
M
N |
| 33. We routinely send out newsletters or other promotion. |
Y
M
N |
| 34. Our credit rating is excellent. |
Y
M
N |
| 35. We sometimes get complaints from clients or
referral sources. |
Y
M
N |
| 36. I have a staff member who craves “stroking” or reassurances. |
Y
M
N |
| 37. There is someone in the practice whose main
job it is to ensure we have a consistent flow of new clients. |
Y
M
N |
| 38. There is someone in my life who holds me back. |
Y
M
N |
| 39. If a staff member isn't productive, it might
help to raise his/her salary. |
Y
M
N |
| 40. Anything an “expert” could tell me about my business, I probably already know. |
Y
M
N |
| 41. I might have to let staff go to balance the
budget. |
Y
M
N |
| 42. We'd be more productive if there were fewer
interruptions. |
Y
M
N |
| 43. We have an organized program to educate clients and other professionals, bankers, attorneys, etc. to stimulate referrals. |
Y
M
N |
| 44. Payroll is both accurate and on time. |
Y
M
N |
| 45. No one in the practice can handle clients as well as I can. |
Y
M
N |
| 46. We have gotten complaints from people who refer clients to us. |
Y
M
N |
| 47. Prospective clients and referral sources may not understand why we are different from competitors. |
Y
M
N |
| 48. There is someone I have to be careful not to upset. |
Y
M
N |
| 49. My decisions are based on the good of the business rather than an individual's feelings. |
Y
M
N |
| 50. Most people who offer help actually have a hidden agenda. |
Y
M
N |
| 51. The political and economic situation in this country may put me out of business. |
Y
M
N |
| 52. My staff follow my orders without grumbling. |
Y
M
N |
| 53. We are able to get clients to secure financing of the cost of their services with credit card or by using a retainer. |
Y
M
N |
| 54. Our hourly rate is exactly where it should be, not lower than I'd like. |
Y
M
N |
| 55. When I'm absent from the practice, the quality of services and products suffers. |
Y
M
N |
| 56. All staff continually upgrade their level of understanding and education with regard to their positions. |
Y
M
N |
| 57. When I approach prospective clients or referral sources, I feel uncomfortable and concerned about overcoming their objections. |
Y
M
N |
| 58. I rarely see my family during tax season. |
Y
M
N |
| 59. I can agonize for days or weeks when I have to fire someone. |
Y
M
N |
| 60. I want my practice to remain pretty much the same size. |
Y
M
N |
| 61. Gross Income is trending upwards over the last year. |
Y
M
N |
| 62. There is too much income lost through write-offs and unfinished work that can't be billed. |
Y
M
N |
| 63. The dollars-per-client are increasing. |
Y
M
N |
| 64. I review financial reports monthly and use them to fine-tune my operations. |
Y
M
N |
| 65. Accounting and service staff really care for the customers and our clients comment favorably about it. |
Y
M
N |
| 66. I train and apprentice staff into senior positions systematically. |
Y
M
N |
| 67. The quality of our service or products should speak for itself, so I shouldn't have to ask people to send me business. |
Y
M
N |
| 68. There is a major problem in my life or business. |
Y
M
N |
| 69. I find it difficult to “tackle” staff on some subjects. |
Y
M
N |
| 70. “Outside help” might improve some areas of the business. |
Y
M
N |
| 71. I supplement my business cash flow or my salary with outside funding. |
Y
M
N |
| 72. CPAs, support staff and administrative staff get into conflicts. |
Y
M
N |
| 73. Our position in the community is so firm, I have no worry about competition. |
Y
M
N |
| 74. Even though I am an accountant, there are things about the operation of the practice that I could use some help in doing better. |
Y
M
N |
| 75. One or more staff have poor rapport with clients. |
Y
M
N |
| 76. Every client is interviewed prior to discharge
to ensure he/she has achieved his/her goals and is satisfied. |
Y
M
N |
| 77. We have poor success with direct mail and advertising. |
Y
M
N |
| 78. Whether or not it's a struggle, private practice is rewarding. |
Y
M
N |
| 79. One shouldn't really “invade a staff member's privacy” even if his/her problems are adversely affecting the business. |
Y
M
N |
| 80. I learned all I need to know about business management and marketing in my formal schooling. |
Y
M
N |
| 81. I always pay myself a regular salary or draw. |
Y
M
N |
| 82. I manage subjectively more than objectively. |
Y
M
N |
| 83. Too few of our clients come to us for both individual and business services and products. |
Y
M
N |
| 84. I control spending so there is never a surprise bill. |
Y
M
N |
| 85. Scheduling problems, missing deadlines or other poor coordination sometimes affect good service in the practice. |
Y
M
N |
| 86. We formally assess quality of front office, sales, production and customer service staff. |
Y
M
N |
| 87. We have a completely organized and effective program to contact and stimulate repeat work from past clients. |
Y
M
N |
| 88. This practice is not as much fun as it once was. |
Y
M
N |
| 89. I keep objective, graphed statistics on the vital functions of the practice, and I know how to “read” these to locate problem areas as well as good areas. |
Y
M
N |
| 90. I've reached the point in my practice where I'm demanding improvement, i.e., the situation must improve. |
Y
M
N |
| 91. I worry about the debt load of the business. |
Y
M
N |
| 92. I'm aware of, or have observed, back-stabbing in this business. |
Y
M
N |
| 93. We'd be in severe trouble if a few key clients or referral sources decided to stop working with us. |
Y
M
N |
| 94. I'm tied down to high base wages for staff, rather than a low base with incentives/bonuses that reward productivity. |
Y
M
N |
| 95. I give business clients specific marketing and management advice to improve their production and income. |
Y
M
N |
| 96. I know how to objectively monitor quality of service, and I do so. |
Y
M
N |
| 97. When I visit potential referral sources, I consistently get new client referrals. |
Y
M
N |
| 98. I'm concerned illness or accidents may affect me. |
Y
M
N |
| 99. My staff would rebel if I measured their production by statistics. |
Y
M
N |
| 100. The solutions I already have will handle my problems in the practice. |
Y
M
N |
