Collaboration strategies for business success were the focus of a recent Optima Partners seminar with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA and Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand.
Business leaders and accountants heard from Optima Partners Directors Phil Carulli, Enrico De Pietro and Ross Stagno on the relationships between business owners and accountants, common challenges and actionable approaches for successful collaboration.
Phil opened the seminar, stating the need for collaboration between business owners and accountants in decision-making, compliance and achieving business goals.
Relationship building and clear communication
Enrico discussed key factors in the relationship between accountants and business owners.
He stressed the importance of clear communication and aligned priorities, citing these as common challenges for businesses and financial professionals.
Enrico believes that basic miscommunication accounts for many problems in the relationship and urged accountants to simplify their approach.
“Don’t think that clients are impressed by technical jargon. They’ll be impressed if they can understand you,” he said.
Enrico outlined several strategies to address these challenges, placing emphasis on education, shared understanding and relationship building. He concluded with case studies of these strategies in action to enhance the collaborative partnership.
Role of technology
Ross highlighted the role of technology in the collaborative process. He outlined the use of software such as Xero and MYOB to streamline reporting tasks, budgeting and data analysis to ensure clear communication between accountants and clients.
“Cloud-based software has changed the landscape massively, everything’s more efficient,” he said.
Ross also touched on the growing artificial intelligence landscape, and the cutting-edge software which can be utilised for enhanced collaboration.
The presentation concluded with an action plan for business owners and accountants, summarising their roles and responsibilities in good collaborative practice for business success.
Robust networking discussions followed, with attendees given the opportunity to engage and collaborate with each other.
For more information on how Optima Partners’ services can help your business, contact the team at info@optimapartners.com.au or click here.
