Posted: 28 June 2021

Business Advisory Services Implementation - It’s Time!

Accountant's Minute 276

It’s the end of 2020/21 and the beginning of 2021/22. The CommBank Accounting Market Pulse Report has identified that most accountancy firms will be implementing a broader range of services. This is the resolution but now it’s time for action!

Preparation is vital for effective delivery of business advisory services. Within the ESS BIZTOOLS’ Business Advisory Services Starter Product Package the first product package to utilise should be the Business Advisory Services Training Package.

This 13 module package takes you right through the required steps to be able to implement business advisory services as part of the core culture of an accounting firm. Business advisory services is not just something that is added on to compliance work – it should be recognised as a major product in its own right and attract ‘product respect’.

Some firms are aspiring that their product mix, over the next couple of years, will be at least 50% of revenue generated from non-compliance activities, primarily business advisory services. Other firms already have targets with a higher component than that from the non-compliance activities.

The training package includes:

Introduction to Business Advisory Services
Hints on Getting Organised
A suggested process to offer business advisory services to your clients and prospects
Team training to encourage a different approach to business advisory services’ work – everyone in the firm needs to visualise themselves as the internal accountant or chief financial officer for the client
Developing leadership strategies to assist your firm to produce ‘product champions’
Suggestions on marketing/communications because you will have to ‘sell’ your ability to deliver a different range of products and services to your clients. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to say this but successful accountants will communicate, promote and market this new range of services to their clients and prospects.
The SME Needs’ Analysis is the tool to assist you to convince a client that you understand more than taxation issues and that you can deliver a range of commercial services and advice to assist your client to add value to their business.

The SME Needs’ Analysis is a vital tool to achieve client ‘buy in’.

The getting ready process also suggests that you prepare a client analysis so that you have a clear understanding of the different types of industries that are represented by your clients so that you can give some thought to the types of services that individual industry groups might require e.g. if they are all offering credit perhaps a debtors’ review.

If your firm has tradie clients (and most firms do), familiarising yourself with the Tradie Charge Out Rate Calculator to determine charge out rates which fit the circumstances of that tradie’s business to help them achieve a targeted profit should be a priority. (One ESS BIZTOOLS’ client uses this package with more than 100 clients a year, on sold them monthly or quarterly financial accounts and then a business review meeting monthly or quarterly, to review how the business is performing against the targets that were incorporated within the calculations for the charge out rates. If changes need to be made they can then be implemented).

This is an example of the role that accountants can play to provide a Chief Financial Officer position whilst the company is in the “scaling up” process – not large enough yet to justify employing a full-time Chief Financial Officer, but the CEO acknowledges that he/she needs more top-level financial input into their leadership team’s deliberations. We aim to produce material to assist you to be able to deliver this type of service to your clients.

Why not join us on this journey of implementing the resolution to diversify services by offering business advisory services – it’s definitely the time to do so now!

ESS BIZTOOLS’ Business Advisory Services Implementation Training Programme

Our first free “Business Advisory Services Training - Getting Ready” webinar is being presented on Wednesday 7th July at 12-noon AEST. You are invited to participate – to register click here.

We are then presenting a weekly webinar on a key components of the ESS BIZTOOLS’ Business Advisory Services Starter Package to give you an insight into the material which you could utilise, if you were a member, which will definitely assist in the implementation of business advisory services for your clients:

Business Advisory Services Implementation Training - Debtors’ Management - Tuesday 13th July 2021 at 12-noon AEST – register click here.
Business Advisory Services Implementation Training - Tradies’ Charge Out Rates Calculator - Tuesday 20th July 2021 at 12-noon AEST - register click here.
Business Advisory Services Implementation Training - Client Mentoring & Coaching - Purchasing or Commencing a Business – Wednesday 28th July 2021 at 12-noon AEST - to register click here.
Business Advisory Services Implementation Training - Survival in Difficult Times - Tuesday 3rd August 2021 at 12-noon AEST - to register click here.
Business Advisory Services Implementation Training - SME Debtors’ System Manual - Thursday 12th August 2021 at 12-noon AEST - to register click here.
Business Advisory Services Implementation Training - Pre-prepared Client Seminars/Webinars – Characteristics of a Well-Run Business - Tuesday 17th August 2021 at 12-noon AEST - to register click here.
Business Advisory Services Implementation Training - Retail Pricing Calculator - Aligning Product Mixes and Mark Ups to Earn Targeted Profits - Wednesday 25th August 2021 at 12-noon AEST - to register click here.
Business Advisory Services Implementation Training - Business Health Checks - Pharmacy and Supermarkets - Tuesday 31st August 2021 at 12-noon AEST - to register click here.

Special Celebration - End Of Financial Year/Start Of A New Financial Year!

ESS BIZTOOLS’ Business Advisory Services Starter Package

50% discount until 30th July 2021

Upfront discount price $999 (incl GST) for the 12 months

$197 (incl GST) per month ($2,364 incl GST for the year)

Would you like to view the ESS BIZTOOLS’ Business Advisory Services Starter Package Product Brochure? If so, please click here.

If you wish to subscribe now, you can do so by completing the Order Confirmation Form (click here) and return the form to

Communicating With Your Clients Is Very Important!

Our theme for promotional videos over the last week has been identification of business advisory services which you could offer to your clients and prospects:

Accounting Market Pulse has highlighted the demand for business advisory services in their latest report.
- Business Advisory Services Starter Package Will Help You Implement - click here
- Video recording - click here
Accountants who are wanting to promote diversified services to SMEs will find the “SME Needs’ Analysis” is a vital tool to achieve “client buy in” to the commercial services being offered.
- SME Needs’ Analysis – Helps Deliver - click here
- Video recording - click here

Advance Notice Of Special Webinar

Predictive Accounting – three-way financial forecasts presented by PlanGuru, Predictive Accounting Technologies and ESS BIZTOOLS – find out how this exciting joint-venture can deliver a great financial forecasting package for you to use with up to 10 clients as part of your initial subscription – Friday 9th July 2021 at 12-noon AEST – to register click here.

It’s Time for Business Advisory Services!

Want To Know More?

You are invited to “Book A Demo” on ESS BIZTOOLS with Peter Towers, Managing Director, ESS BIZTOOLS to gain a better understanding of the services that are available within ESS BIZTOOLS and ESS BIZGRANTS?

You can book a demo at www.essbiztools.com.au or contact Peter Towers: