Satisfaction Survey Checklist for Accounting Firms

Join one of the industry’s leading voices on buyer behavior and client experience, ClearlyRated founder Eric Gregg, as he provides a sneak peek into the changing needs of accounting buyers and how firms can best position themselves for growth in 2025 and beyond.

The ClearlyRated buyer survey will share key satisfaction benchmarks and drivers, along with the most impactful trends facing your accounting firm now and in the future.

What you'll learn:

• How buyers of accounting services make decisions about which firms to use, and how your firm can stand out
• How economic uncertainty impacts satisfaction and how best to create client loyalty
• What current clients wish their accounting firm contacts would do differently, and how top firms outperform
• How new and emerging technologies have altered the buying decisions of accounting clients

We'd like to thank our research sponsor:

Speaker

Eric Gregg, Co-Founder & CX Strategist

With two decades of research experience in B2B professional services, Eric Gregg and the team at ClearlyRated have analyzed more than 7.2 million surveys with the goal of determining what drives success for professional services firms.

Eric has served as an adjunct faculty member in Portland State University’s marketing program, and has published numerous articles, business cases, and technical notes in the field of marketing, client loyalty and employee satisfaction. His research and consulting have been featured in articles and as a noted industry speaker.

Join ClearlyRated founder and CX strategist, Eric Gregg for a fast-paced, 30-minute discussion of how Best of Accounting firms leverage the program to outpace the competition.

More than just a survey, learn how ClearlyRated is helping firms unlock growth through better service, stronger social proof, and improved reputation, with the industry's largest database to benchmark your performance.

What you'll learn:

• The role that CX has in accelerating accounting firm growth
• How the Best of Accounting designation is earned, and how the program impacts growth
• Simple tools for improving retention and increasing expansion
• How to turn client testimonials into new opportunities

About our Moderator

Eric Gregg, Founder & CX Strategist

With two decades of research experience in B2B professional services, Eric Gregg and the team at ClearlyRated have analyzed more than 7.2 million surveys with the goal of determining what drives success for professional services firms.

Eric has served as an adjunct faculty member in Portland State University’s marketing program, and has published numerous articles, business cases, and technical notes in the field of marketing, client loyalty and employee satisfaction. His research and consulting have been featured in articles and as a noted industry speaker.

Customer experience (CX) strategist and ClearlyRated co-founder, Eric Gregg recently spoke with two CMOs from top-performing accounting firms. Each has successfully implemented CX initiatives with transformative results. Eric was joined by Sarah Cirelli, CMO at Grassi, and Suzanne Reed, CMO at LBMC. A four-time winner of ClearlyRated’s Best of Accounting Client Satisfaction award, Grassi has earned an overall client rating of 4.8 stars. Newer to using ClearlyRated, LBMC already has 180 verified ratings, 40 client testimonials, and a 4.6-star client rating.

<< Watch the webinar | Peer Insights: Driving Accounting Firm Growth Through CX Excellence >>

Expert Guidance from our Accounting CX Panelists

Their conversation was packed with insights for everyone, from the customer experience beginner to firms with well-oiled CX machines. As always, we won’t gate-keep! ICYMI, here are four key tips from our panelists.

1. Suzanne Reed on how to make a business case for your customer experience program

When selling the idea of investing in a CX initiative within her firm, Suzanne touched on these three points to explain how it would deliver high returns on investment (ROI). Here they are in her words:

✅ It helps drive growth. 

“Retaining and expanding our current client accounts is a hugely important part of our growth strategy. A CX initiative will help us make sure that we've got the right client experience and understand what our clients are looking for from us.”

✅ It helps maintain a consistently positive experience as organizations evolve.

“As a firm, we are going to go through changes, including leadership succession planning. Putting a formal client experience program in place is a proactive step toward maintaining consistency in our CX and provides a channel for open communication with our clients.”

✅ It helps stay ahead of client needs.

“Not only can we pinpoint where we may be falling short and even prevent accounts from moving to our competitors, but we can also ask our clients what they’re worried about or wanting for the future. Their answers help us plan for those needs so we can best help our clients. Now instead of clients having to come to us and ask for things, we can proactively help them and cross-sell by saying: ‘We believe these other services would be beneficial to you.’”

2. Sarah Cirelli on how to prepare and maintain client data

Sarah will be the first to say that cleaning up client data isn’t the most fun experience but she adds, “Thank goodness we did it, because once we were done, we were in a much better place.” 

After Grassi’s very first survey, her team learned what many do: The majority of the client contact information they had was for billing contacts, not the people who interacted with their services and should get the survey. 

Their solution: After pulling the list of clients they wanted to survey, Cirelli’s team segmented them by partner and, over the course of three days, they ran what they called a “data clinic.”

“We cycled partners in and out the door,” she explains. “Sitting with them hip to hip, we went through their list. I don't even want to tell you a scary percentage of client contacts we identified who had never received any information or thought leadership from the firm.”

Despite the potential tedium of a project like this, Sarah says that it ended up being a wholesome experience between her team and the partners: “It was actually a great project for us—we bonded over it.” She continues:

Her ultimate advice, echoed by Eric: Just do it. The first time is the hardest, but it’s a simple matter of regular data hygiene to maintain it from there.

3. Suzanne Reed on identifying and winning over unhappy clients

“It can be hard to say something to somebody’s face. That's why it’s helpful to have a third party asking the questions. People feel they can be more honest,” Suzanne says. She goes on:

We all make mistakes, she notes, but when we recover well we create a memorable positive experience. Not only do we have a better chance of retaining those clients, but even creating more vocal brand ambassadors. 

“I’ve actually seen some detractors – clients who were initially dissatisfied – end up becoming more loyal to us after a service recovery than some of our promoters,” Suzanne says. “So, I like to jump on those detractors immediately when they come up in our survey responses.”

4. Sarah Cirelli on how to use surveys for account expansion

Sarah shared one of the most impactful questions her team has asked in their customer satisfaction survey: Is there any service that Grassi doesn’t currently provide that you wish we did? 

“Maybe they’re already getting those services from another firm and would like to move them to us, or maybe it would just help them if they could tack something new onto their services with us,” Sarah says. Either way, she didn't expect to generate such obvious new business from their survey—but they did.

“We ended up getting about 30 new opportunities the first time we asked, and that was just from our current clients. It was mind blowing. Our managing partner, of course, loved it.”

Watch the full webinar for more insights

Learn how Sarah nurtures top-to-bottom positivity around Grassi’s CX surveys. Hear Eric’s advice on how to make the most of “shout outs.” And get the goods on how and why Suzanne’s team at LBMC has begun surveying multiple times a year.

In the ever-competitive world of accounting, standing out requires more than just exceptional technical expertise—it demands an unparalleled client experience (CX). For marketers, partners, and business development leaders at accounting firms, this challenge is an opportunity to innovate and drive growth. That’s why our upcoming webinar is the perfect chance to dive into best practices from those leading the charge in CX excellence.

Join us for an in-depth discussion featuring a panel of industry leaders from top-performing accounting firms who have successfully implemented CX initiatives and seen transformative results.

Our expert panelists, Sarah Cirelli, Chief Marketing Officer at Grassi Advisors & Accountants, and Suzanne Reed, Chief Marketing Officer at LBMC, are seasoned professionals from leading accounting firms who have been in the trenches of client experience initiatives. Moderated by ClearlyRated Founder and CX Strategist, Eric Gregg, this conversation will delve into the practices, strategies, and mindsets that have propelled their firms to the forefront of client experience excellence.

What you'll gain: peer wisdom and proven strategies.

• Roadmap to Successful CX Initiatives: Discover the essential steps to effectively launch and manage a client experience initiative in your firm.
• Avoid Common Pitfalls: Learn from the missteps and challenges our panelists have faced, so you can navigate your own CX journey more smoothly.
• Actionable Client Feedback: Uncover the most effective techniques for collecting, analyzing, and acting on client feedback to drive tangible improvements.
• Calculating and Proving ROI: Gain insights into how to measure the return on investment for your CX efforts, convincing stakeholders of its critical value.
• Interactive Q&A: Engage directly with our panelists to ask questions and share your experiences, ensuring personalized learning and the fostering of industry connections.

Whether you’re spearheading a new CX initiative or looking to refine your existing strategy, this webinar offers invaluable insights from those who’ve successfully navigated the path to CX excellence.

About our Moderator

Eric Gregg, Founder & CX Strategist

With two decades of research experience in B2B professional services, Eric Gregg and the team at ClearlyRated have analyzed more than 7.2 million surveys with the goal of determining what drives success for professional services firms.

Eric has served as an adjunct faculty member in Portland State University’s marketing program, and has published numerous articles, business cases, and technical notes in the field of marketing, client loyalty and employee satisfaction. His research and consulting have been featured in articles and as a noted industry speaker.

Join us for a panel discussion tailored specifically for accounting firms with a merger or acquisition in the near future. Hosted by Eric Gregg, CEO & Founder of ClearlyRated, this webinar will provide you with practical tools and rich insights, drawn from key communication techniques and survey data applications.

You'll benefit from the unique knowledge of three accomplished industry veterans - Katie Tolin of Growth Partners, Alyson Fieldman of Rockit Results, and Jade Reichling of EisnerAmper, each with a successful track record in skillfully handling and assisting with mergers and acquisitions.

What you'll learn:

• How to leverage the power of timely communication to keep your clients, staff, and stakeholders confident and informed during the transition.
• Insights on how to extract and apply imperative data from client surveys before, during, and after the deal.
• The impact of starting your surveys early in the M&A process and how this critical step can shape the success of the transaction.
• Real-life scenarios where client experience tipped the balance in M&A outcomes.

Presenter

Eric Gregg, Co-Founder
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Stay Ahead in Accounting: Anticipate and Adapt to Client Needs

In the rapidly changing world of accounting, it’s essential for firms to stay current on how client expectations and needs are evolving. ‍With this data-driven report ClearlyRated aims to equip accounting firms with essential insights that can help them position to attract and retain clients, enhance client relationships and drive success.

‍After surveying nearly 500 accounting buyers, analysts reviewed the data and identified eight key trends that can guide accounting firm leaders.

What’s in the report?

• 2025 Survey Findings: 8 Accounting Buyer Trends
• Data-Driven Takeaways: Understand the numbers behind each trend and learn the essential takeaways your firm needs to succeed
• Strategic Guidance for 2025: Equip your firm with actionable strategies to thrive in a competitive landscape

Download your copy today and thrive in today’s competitive landscape.

‍

Many thanks to our sponsor

Never before has it been so clear that providing a positive customer experience (CX) will boost your accounting firm’s bottom line. And since we know how much you like numbers, we have the data to prove that CX-centric accounting firms grow faster.

ClearlyRated partners with nearly 100 accounting firms, helping them measure their customer satisfaction through Net Promoter® Score (NPS®) surveys. Of the top 100 accounting firms, 24 work with us, and 63 of the top 500 firms call us their CX partner. As we’ve worked with these firms on improving their CX, we’ve seen their efforts yield the following benefits: 

• Faster growth: Accounting firms that use ClearlyRated to measure their CX have grown 18.9% faster than firms that haven’t.* This accelerated growth translates to an additional $303,000 in annual revenue. When you focus on top 50 firms, that number equals an additional $4.27 million in annual revenue.
• Improved client retention: 82% of accounting firms have identified one or more at-risk clients through their ClearlyRated survey program. Why does that matter? This proactive approach to gathering client feedback helps you quickly identify and reach out to dissatisfied clients, ultimately preventing account churn and lost revenue.
• Impactful differentiation: 92% of our accounting firm clients say the ClearlyRated survey program helps them differentiate their firm from the competition, legitimizing their positive customer service for better marketing materials. Our built-in testimonials feature, paired with a verified NPS, star ratings, and the potential to earn industry awards all provide credible proof of a positive CX.

The numbers don’t lie: Genuine CX efforts are a lever for growth. When you consider the above benefits, it’s no surprise that 98% of accounting firms that use ClearlyRated to survey their clients report a positive ROI.

*This average was found by comparing compound annual growth rates (CAGR). Overall analysis was done using data from the Inside Public Accounting Fastest Growing Firms List.

Real-world stories of accounting firms that improved their CX with ClearlyRated

While data offers compelling proof, we’ve always been a fan of telling the stories behind the numbers. Learn about two accounting firms that have used ClearlyRated’s NPS survey program to improve their CX.

1. A U.S.-Based Firm with Domestic and International Clientele

Who they are: An accounting and advisory firm that offers tax, assurance and advisory services. Established in 1951 and headquartered in New York City, this firm serves clients across the country and in select international markets.

How they use ClearlyRated’s client satisfaction surveys: Since partnering with ClearlyRated in 2019, this firm moved from annual to quarterly client surveys. Surveying more frequently has allowed the firm to ask key questions at various points in each client relationship. While acquiring another firm and during the subsequent rebrand, getting timely and objective client feedback was especially important. ClearlyRated surveys helped ensure clients still felt they were receiving the support and service they’d grown accustomed to expect. Firm leaders have made good use of ClearlyRated program features to differentiate between internal projects and capture data at different levels. They now run a full client survey, a second client survey focused on specialized services, and will soon launch a referral survey.

What they’ve achieved: Consistently earning an NPS well above the 50% benchmark for excellence, this firm earned a 2023 Best of Accounting award for client satisfaction. They also received 1,000+ verified client ratings, earning 4.5/5 stars and gathering 150+ public client testimonials within the past year alone.

2. A Business-Focused Accounting and Advisory Firm

Who they are: This firm offers accounting and business advisory services to growth-focused organizations at every stage. Founded in 2011, they have offices in eight major U.S. cities and offer virtual consulting.

How they use ClearlyRated’s client satisfaction surveys: When this firm began working with ClearlyRated in 2022, they launched a quarterly client satisfaction survey to measure and track their B2B CX. This allowed them to hear from their clients more regularly, getting fresh testimonials and star ratings, without creating survey fatigue. As they began to understand how their employee experience affects both internal morale and client satisfaction, they also decided to launch weekly employee surveys and a unique leadership survey that helps them better understand the working relationship between managers and their direct reports.

What they’ve achieved: Thanks to concerted efforts with guidance from their ClearlyRated team, this firm has improved their survey response rate by 64% while earning a 4.6 star rating and gathering verified client testimonials. Their most recent client NPS is 77%, well above accounting industry benchmarks and higher even than world-class scores.

Learn More

More accounting firms grasp the importance of CX, and the fastest growing firms are embracing a CX-centric culture. Stay competitive by measuring, tracking and improving your client satisfaction. Every day, more accounting firms are recognizing the critical role of CX. Don’t fall behind—start measuring, tracking, and enhancing your client satisfaction today.

Join ClearlyRated’s CEO Eric Gregg for this quick-hit 30-minute webinar as he reveals brand new research, including the latest NPS® benchmarks for the accounting industry and highlights from our Industry Benchmark Study. Get a sneak preview of our upcoming report, and gain insight into the minds of accounting buyers. 

What you'll learn:

• The latest research on NPS benchmarks for accounting firms
• Key factors influencing accounting buyer decisions
• The drivers of satisfaction for accounting buyers
• Strategies to elevate client experiences from satisfaction to loyalty
• The evolution of CX to always-on experience management

Empower your firm with actionable insights into client expectations and learn how to craft exceptional client experiences that not only prevent churn but also pave the way for organic growth within your existing accounts.

Presenter

Eric Gregg, CEO & Founder

With two decades of research experience in B2B professional services, Eric Gregg and his team at ClearlyRated have analyzed more than 6.7 million surveys with the goal of determining what drives success for professional services firms. Eric has served as an adjunct faculty member in Portland State University’s marketing program, and has published numerous articles, business cases, and technical notes in the field of marketing, client loyalty and employee satisfaction. His research and consulting have been featured in articles and as a noted industry speaker.

Who is this guide for?

• Have you heard about the Net Promoter® Score and want to learn more?
• Perhaps you have a different survey program in place and are considering a switch to NPS...
• Or maybe you're already using NPS and want to learn how to best leverage it...

What's inside?

ClearlyRated's NPS Guide for Accounting Firms can help you better understand the Net Promoter Score and its unique value in the accounting industry. This document offers a guide for deploying your NPS survey initiative, as well as how to understand your results and leverage feedback in a way that maximizes long-term ROI, client satisfaction, and revenue. Inside you'll find:

• An overview of the Net Promoter Score - what it is and how it's calculated.
• A look at NPS trends in the accounting industry - how clients have ranked their accounting firms year-over-year.
• The multi-faceted benefits that accounting firms and other professional service providers gain from utilizing NPS.
• Common mistakes to avoid when utilizing NPS at your firm.
• Field-tested practices for maximizing the value of your NPS initiative.

Download your free copy now by completing the form to your right!

A world-class experience awaits

Get the recognition you deserve and grow your business with ClearlyRated.

Accounting firms – like other professional service providers – rely heavily on client satisfaction and service quality to retain accounts and differentiate from the competition. Service quality and client satisfaction grow even more essential to business success during economic lulls and industry challenges. This may partially explain why business leaders across sectors prioritized customer experience (CX) in 2023. To understand how your service measures up year over year, you need a feedback tool that gathers insights and simplifies tracking—and gives you a metric that you can easily compare to your competition’s performance. Enter the Net Promoter Score® (NPS®), a service quality and customer satisfaction metric that serves as a leading indicator of revenue retention and growth, not to mention brand differentiation.

What is NPS?

Your NPS starts with a single survey question that asks clients how likely they are to recommend your firm to a friend or colleague. The most forward-thinking firms are also asking their employees, hoping to boost their employee experience (EX) too. Responses land on a scale of 0–10, ten being extremely likely and zero being not at all likely. From there, people have the option to offer more specific feedback.To calculate NPS, we subtract the % of detractors (those who respond with a 6 or lower) from the % of promoters (those who respond with 9 or 10).

Why is NPS Uniquely Useful?

NPS offers a standardized measurement to track and report on client satisfaction and service quality—one that can be applied across every level, from the industry as a whole to the brand level. Each company can also drill down within their organization, including by lines of business, department, or account manager. This means that you can compare your firm to others while also pinpointing the shining stars and any areas to improve within your organization. Learn more about how NPS can help drive business growth.

Accounting Industry NPS in 2023

ClearlyRated’s annual NPS Benchmark Study includes an industry focus on accounting firm NPS—and it’s good news. The 2023 accounting industry NPS has bumped up 2 points from 2022, landing at 41%. This NPS is the highest level recorded in the accounting industry going back to 2011, the first year that ClearlyRated measured industry satisfaction. Many drivers of accounting client satisfaction, such as responsiveness to calls/emails and delivering results within established timelines, are also at record highs in the industry. After a low point in the late 2010s, the industry’s average NPS picked up significantly, increasing by 15% in just one year, from 2020 to 2021. After a 1% increase in 2022, this year’s 2% increase marks the accounting industry’s third straight NPS rise, suggesting a trending improvement in the industry’s service levels.

Accounting Client Satisfaction – measured as NPS

Year-Over-Year Accounting Industry NPS (Client Ratings)

Insights on 2023 Ratings

We’re glad to see our accounting clients increase their NPS for the third consecutive year, especially within an industry that lags compared to global NPS standards. For reference those wider standards only classify organizations as excellent once they’ve earned a 50% NPS. A 70% NPS would classify them as world-class. What does it look like to have a 70%+ NPS? Consider Starbucks and USAA, recognizable service leaders with an NPS of 77% and 75%, respectively. Then compare them to Comcast, a notorious service laggard, whose clients give them a -25% NPS. While the accounting industry seems to be improving overall, it is still ripe for further progress. And as firms achieve better service levels, clients’ expectations will rightfully get higher, meaning any firms that don’t keep are likely to flounder. Click here to learn more about the NPS methodology.On the other hand, this presents a huge opportunity for accounting firms that capitalize on their NPS momentum, continuing to improve their customer satisfaction and service. Firms that manage to deliver an outstanding CX and earn a high NPS as a result will more easily outshine their competition. Get tips on how to improve your CX based on customer feedback.

A Note on EX in the Accounting Industry

Our NPS survey programs can help our clients in every industry measure both their CX and their employee experience (EX). In fact, we believe so much in the importance of EX that we use NPS surveys for our own employees and have even shared what we learned. Unfortunately, in our experience accounting firms are typically more hesitant than other types of organizations to measure and improve their EX.Thankfully, we’ve already seen some wise accounting firms like Perkins & Co use their NPS survey program to not only improve their CX but also boost their EX by celebrating their wins. When employees receive recognition for providing good service, they are happier and more likely to continue providing high levels of customer care. Keep in mind that a better EX helps you retain your employees and builds a foundation for an improved CX.

How does your firm stack up?

If you’re not already leveraging NPS at your firm, we hope you consider this article a call-to-action. Not only do client satisfaction and service quality represent opportunities to differentiate in an increasingly commodified service industry, they are fuel for firm growth. Remember the adage: “You can’t manage what you don’t measure” – and you certainly won’t be able to improve it either. Up against a reluctant firm culture? Get some tips on how to overcome common objections to survey programs to help build buy-in and get started.

Next Steps

• Ready to get started with NPS? Contact the ClearlyRated team for insights, best practices, and a tour of our survey platform (designed specifically to support professional services firms).
• Considering a survey program? Our veteran team of survey experts has compiled a Satisfaction Survey Checklist for accounting Firms to help you avoid common pitfalls and build a road map for a successful client survey initiative.