Everyone likes to be recognized for their work. And awards ceremonies are a constant in our Bay Area because we have some of the best professionals in the world right here. Award winners are usually judged by specific criteria in their field, such as expertise and the results they produce.
Recognition doesn’t only come from a wall plaque or a mention in the San Francisco Business Times. Those things are nice, but to us, the best recognition comes directly from our customers! It’s in the positive reviews they write and the friends they recommend to us. It’s their consistency in returning to our Safe Harbor CPA team every tax season and throughout the year, seeking financial consulting or consulting support.
But what is the ‘secret sauce’ that makes a customer believe they’ve found the best accountant in San Francisco? Is it the variety of services, such as audited financials, IRS audit defense, and top-tier tax advice? That is absolutely part of it, but there is more. Wilmington College posted about the twenty traits that make a great accountant, and here are a few of those.
Detail-oriented – One of the main traits of a great CPA is to locate the details others can’t. Catching a valuable bit of financial minutiae others miss could be the key to maximizing a tax return next year.
Very Organized – This goes along with managing the details. If files are disorganized, everything else can fall apart. A great accountant has pristine filing skills. In addition, they are sticklers for meeting tax deadlines and experts at filling out forms. All this contributes to their ability to keep time-sensitive documents on hand at a moment’s notice.
Tech Savvy – Accountants who are comfortable with tech and willing to learn new financial software programs can deliver better, quicker results to their clients.
Trustworthy and Consistent – These traits go hand-in-hand. When you trust an accountant to provide their best every time, it can be a significant relief. The worries about managing taxes alone will fade away.
A Pro-Active Problem-Solving CPA is Key to Successful Tax Results
Another important trait is a CPA’s passion for problem-solving. When a great accountant faces a financial dilemma, they don’t walk away; they dig in! And they don’t stop until they’ve solved it. There is one caveat to this: an aggressive CPA may seem reasonable, but what are they focused on? Sometimes, a detail-oriented tax accountant gets lost in the wrong specifics, and the result could be trouble. If their goal is only to minimize a tax return, their drive to perform might overcome good sense. A smart, proactive CPA focuses on the facts and considers the possible consequences. They know how to manage the details and remain compliant while achieving the best results.
