ACADEMIA

The Proactive Accountants Network - a hugely successful operation from Australia now launching into the US market. Different to traditional CPA and other accounting associations CEO Rob Nixon said the network "was designed to recognize and continually raise standards among small and medium sized firms, ensuring they were offering the best possible service to offer a genuine, cost effective alternative to the 'Big Four' without compromising on service delivery."

The move will see struggling small to medium sized businesses (SMB) being offered more than just the usual 'compliance tick-box' services by their accountants.

"Many firms say they are proactive where in actual fact they are not," he said. "They are typically reactive 'history writers' acting as the Government's hand maiden. These guys provide their SMB clients with the bare minimum - compliance services.

Most firms do not visit or proactively call their clients without charging, they do not make an effort to build lasting relationships with their clients, they do not offer a fixed price up front and they want to charge for every 6 minutes of time.

It's about time this sort of behaviour stopped - quite simply it's ripping small to medium sized businesses off. Clients deserve a better service and they should ask their current Accountant to be more proactive, if they won't, then they should change Accountants."

Now with the entry into international markets, the Network is looking for representatives to set up Chapters across the country. Proactive Accountants Network chapter owners will teach their members to offer more than the standard 'tax and compliance' service. They build lasting relationships and act as a trusted business advisor, not just as run of the mill accountants. The overarching network provides the content, tools, technology and support to chapter owners to educate and coach member firms to greater success.

Existing members of Proactive Accountants Network have banned charging 'by the hour' and now offer full business advisory services. Member Charles Sondergaard, from Sondergaard Accountants, summed it up "Joining the Proactive Accountants Network gives us the power of a national organisation to vastly improve our goal of ensuring clients achieve their business and financial goals while still retaining the personal service of a smaller accounting business."