After getting his start in a public accounting firm, CPA Brian Davis found that he wasn’t continuing to learn new things quickly enough to future-proof his career. “For example, we were still using paper-based 941-S documents,” Brian recalls. “And all the while, I’m thinking: I know there’s a better way to do this. But [the firm] didn’t want to implement the type of software and other tools that I knew could move us into the future.” For Davis, all signs pointed online. So, he left to set up his own shop, with the goal of creating a technology-forward firm to streamline his workload, deliver on client needs, and pave the way to sustained growth.
Tech at every turn
Today Davis’s firm, One Stop CPA, reflects that career-transforming vision of a truly technology-centric firm. For starters, many of the firm’s new clients originate online. “My best leads come from people who have watched a video of mine or who have found me through some other online channel,” says Davis. “By the time they reach me, they already believe in me and trust in me. Those are the smoothest new-client transaction you’ll ever see.”
Once Davis engages with a new prospect, he relies heavily on technology at every turn. In the early stages of the firm, even when he met prospects in-person, he would bring along his computer to show them how the relationship would work, which tools they would each be expected to use, what reports and other deliverables they would receive, and more. When the pandemic hit, all meetings went remote—and Davis never looked back. While he still meets prospects and clients in person depending on their preferences, remote meetings are the default.
“Whenever I’m establishing a relationship or delivering a quote to a new client, the first step is for them to sign into my firm’s portal,” says Davis. Once in the portal, prospective clients can see all the tools One Stop CPA provides to them as paying clients—for free. It’s the same portal clients use to upload documents, e-sign documents, communicate with Davis and his team, review and discuss reports, pay bills, and conduct virtually every other aspect of the relationship.
For prospective clients, this can be a powerful brand experience that deepens their trust of One Stop CPA. Once they’re inside the portal and see the depth and range of resources available to them as clients, they’re more likely to engage with the firm. For Davis, much of the sales process that would have been conducted through a more formal presentation is replaced by a practical, hands-on demonstration of the firm’s value using the portal as the foundation. “They see all that we can offer, and they’re already bought in at that point, without me having to sell myself,” says Davis.
Security at the center
From generating new leads to managing long-term client engagements, Davis has built One Stop CPA around the firm’s website. It is the most important single-entry point to the firm, replacing the physical office he jettisoned during the pandemic. And when the .cpa domain became available, he leapt at the chance to adopt it as the basis of the firm’s online presence. While Davis kept the urls and domains he activated when he launched the firm, today they all point to one place: OneStop.cpa
Some of the benefits are obvious. “It’s just a cool name,” says Davis, “and it’s easy for prospects and clients to remember from the moment they first hear it.” But for Davis, the benefits go far beyond brand recognition.
After a client experienced a serious financial hit as a result of a phishing scam several years ago, Davis took careful stock of the risk exposure for One Stop CPA and its clients. “That moment really underscored the fact that I’m handling sensitive client data every day,” says Davis. “I don’t want the firm to be the weak link when it comes to anything that would expose me or my clients to that type of risk.” All of which made the enhanced security features of the .cpa domain a key reason Davis moved to adopt it as soon as it became available.
“I start every engagement with a welcome email for clients,” says Davis. “It tells them ‘these are the only email addresses we’ll ever use with you—everything else is done through our portal. So, if you ever get an email from an address asking for a copy of your tax return, that’s not us.’ It’s an extra level of security for our clients, and it helps reinforce their trust in the firm. Everything starts with my website, and everything ends with .cpa.”
“Less time working in the business, more time working on the business”
Davis’s technology-enabled strategy has worked according to his original plan. Like so many other CPAs, Davis tracks his time in minute detail—every 15 minutes is accounted for. By using his website as the hub for everything from new business consultations to ongoing service delivery, Davis and his growing team have significantly streamlined their workloads, while continuing to deliver the high level of quality clients expect. “Clients don’t really care whether we spent 30 hours doing their books, or if we did it by clicking one button on a computer—they just want to know that it was done right,” says Davis. “That’s where technology makes a huge difference to us in terms of scale and profitability. As a result, I’m able to work less in the business and more on the business.”
One Stop CPA continues to land bigger clients, moving from individual 1040s to more S-Corps. And while the firm is still small, with 5 employees, Davis anticipates it will double in size soon given the firm’s current trajectory.
The .cpa domain is only one part of One Stop CPA’s larger technology strategy—but it’s an important one and has been a key enabler for many other aspects of the strategy, generating brand, security, and relationship benefits along the way. It can play an important role in your firm’s strategy, too. Visit www.cpa.com/dotcpa to learn more and get started today.
Chris Cromer is a tech expert focused on the support and operation of CPA.com’s products and services and leads product management of the .cpa top-level domain. He has a broad range of knowledge in all IT disciplines and leads projects related to internet security, dev/ops, cloud infrastructure, and IT audit and compliance.
