The Ultimate Practice Manager – Best Practice Guide to Workflow, Clients, Teams and Business

Course Outline

Is your accounting or advisory firm up to date with management techniques and best practice? 

The accounting and financial advisory industry is changing rapidly.

• Workflow is increasingly automated and streamlined to create capacity for growth.
• Clients want holistic and strategic financial support from their external advisors.
• Team structures are leveraged to ensure responsibilities are aligned with skills
• Staff at all levels are trained to take on responsibility for clients and workflow
• Business development increasingly focuses on value beyond tax compliance

Is your firm in a strong position to take advantage of opportunities and deal effectively with these challenges?

How will this course help you to take control of your firm?

This course is designed to provide practice managers, principals and partners with the opportunity to critically review firm health at an operational and strategic level.

This course will help you to:

• Challenge your current approach to practice management
• Explore industry best practice in relation to technology
• Plan effectively for the future growth and profit of your firm
• Engage key stakeholders in your firm in strategic planning
• Develop your personal practice management plan

As you progress, you will develop and implement a SMART action plan focusing on specific areas of practice performance including workflow, clients and teams.

Who should enrol in this course?

• Both new and experienced practice and operations managers will benefit from the opportunity to critically review firm health at an operational and strategic level.
• This course is also suitable for principals, directors and partners directly involved in strategic planning and operational management.

TO VIEW AND DOWNLOAD THE COURSE BROCHURE, CLICK ‘BROCHURE – DOWNLOAD’ UNDER NAVIGATION OPTIONS TO THE RIGHT. YOU CAN ALSO VIEW THE COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES.

Course Content

This course consists of 8 modules:

Module 1 – Planning for your firm’s future

1. Business role and responsibilities
2. Relationship with partners and colleagues
3. Your professional development plan
4. Key current areas for business focus

Module 2 – Leveraging technology for workflow

1. Develop a workflow plan for your business
2. A focus on throughput of work
3. Workflow management and tracking
4. IT systems to improve efficiency

Module 3 – Collaborating effectively with clients

1. Develop a client management plan for your business
2. Client engagement – scope and fee for service
3. A service quality program for your firm
4. Effective management of client issues

Module 4-  Creating real power with people 

1. Develop a people plan for your business
2. Structure, capacity and leverage issues
3. Learning and professional development
4. Recruitment and retention strategies

Module 5 – Implementing strategies for growth

1. Develop a marketing plan for your business
2. Firm branding and positioning
3. Online marketing strategies
4. Referral and networking strategies

Module 6 – Achieving Financial health and security

1. Develop a financial plan for your firm
2. Profit and cashflow management
3. WIP and debtor management
4. Expense management

 Module 7 – Developing better business strategies

1. Develop a business plan for your firm
2. Fast track growth strategies
3. KPIs for your firm and employees
4. Getting buy-in for key projects

Module 8 – Managing risk through better governance

1. Management and board meetings
2. QC and risk management strategies
3. Business financial reporting
4. Succession and career development

Course Structure

• Learners can complete courses at a place that suits them, within and outside work hours
• Each learner will have a dedicated login to give them personal access to their course
• Module material includes online presentations, workbooks, PowerPoint Slides, templates, scripts and articles
• All modules also incorporate formal qualitative assessment tasks that encourage learners to develop practical actions demonstrating understanding of the concepts
• All assessment tasks are scored, with directed feedback to learners on their response
• As the learner progresses, they develop their personal SMART action list to drive change
• Managers are able to see at a glance how their staff are progressing
• All learners have access to course content for 12 months following their enrolment

Learning Process

Our self-paced eLearning courses follow a 4-step process in relation to learning objectives:

All modules are structured with specific learning objectives and assessment tasks. Learners are expected to demonstrate that they understand learning objectives and can apply concepts through completion of the assessment tasks. A SMART action planning template is used to consolidate specific actions and to ensure that a timeframe for completion is established and followed. Regular review of progress is ensured through commitment to completing the course.