How to survive busy seasonYou did it! You made it through another busy season (mostly) unscathed. As you slowly wean yourself off coffee/chocolate, this is a great time to sit down and think about what you want to do differently next time around.

What were your biggest challenges during Busy Season?

What bumps in the road (or major potholes) did you encounter? Make a list– everything from the behavior of your soon-to-be-ex-client to that major panic at 10pm on April 18 trying to figure out if you filed your client’s state taxes. Write them down now- before the memories are pleasantly blurred by time. Is there a pattern? I’m guessing there is. Of course, if you sailed through busy season without a single hitch– congratulations, you’re obviously an Aero user!

Identify what you want to change

Use your list of disasters and near misses to identify areas that could use some improvement. Did most of your problems come from poor communication with clients? Was it tasks slipping through the cracks? Missing resources? A major case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand was up to? Identify one or two major things you want to change that will make next year even better.

Make a plan

Now that you’ve identified what you’re going to do differently next year, what is your plan for making that happen? Obviously the way you’re doing things now isn’t working in certain areas, so how are you going to do things differently? Different apps, different systems, different clients – research your options, make a plan, and implement it.

Maybe a new Workflow System can help

If you think a new workflow system could help – or if you’re wondering why it might, feel free to contact us. We love to talk about how a workflow system like Aero can help you better run your firm!

About the Author: Victoria Cameron

Victoria Cameron is the principal of VRC Consulting, LLC, providing financial consulting to small business, as well as QuickBooks support and training. She particularly enjoys helping small businesses unleash the power of QuickBooks and integrated third-party solutions to run their business more effectively. She holds Advanced Certification in QuickBooks desktop and Online from Intuit, as well as certifications in Point of Sale and Enterprise Solutions, and is an Advanced Certified Method:CRM Solution provider. In 2013, she joined forces with industry colleagues to co-found Cloud Consultancy LLC to launch Aero Workflow, an app for accounting firms to manage multiple recurring activities, clients and staff. Her background includes working as a CPA and Small Business Consultant with KPMG Peat Marwick, as well as CFO in start-up companies. She graduated from Stanford with a degree in Economics.