do this — a flash mob in the middle of New
York City — and it’s such testimony to the
people we have here,” Cirelli said. “[For the
“I Gotta Feeling” video], we invited everyone
and some were a little wary, but after they saw
the final product, they tripled. The group that
we got to participate were not just 90 young
guys, but a true representation of everyone in
this firm, every department, every office — a
little bit of everybody.”
Viral
3. Get support from the top. “Everybody”
not only included managing partner and CEO
Hagaman, but featured him in a starring role
for both videos. “Party Rock Anthem” begins
with him boarding a New York-bound train
in Secaucus, N.J. When he eventually reaches
fees, so screen potential clients to make sure
there’s a good fit. It’s important to balance
risk versus reward. If the client or the indus-
try is risky, it may not be a good fit. A good
number of our hotline calls relate to client
screening and retention.”
Holl sees a trend in larger client expecta-
tion gaps: “For example, when they feel they
trusted you to warn them of a potential prob-
lem. When clients feel they’ve been damaged,
they’ll look to any and all deep pockets.”
The way to mitigate this is through defen-
sive documentation, she said. “You can do
wonderful work, but if the client down the
road, and in hindsight, alleges that you failed
to warn or advise them, the fact that the work
you did was great doesn’t mitigate your po-
tential for exposure. No level of service is risk-
free — the only risk-free environment is if you
have no clients.”
Defensive documentation should clarify
the midtown destination of the impromptu
dance, he alone initiates it in the middle of
a crowded New York City sidewalk. “Not too
many managing partners are comfortable
enough with themselves, and would think the
industry is forming some kind of opinion,”
said Maraziti. “[But] he has a comfort with
who he is, our firm and our culture.”
Hagaman called the video shoot and six
weeks of practice leading up to it “a huge
team-building exercise. You can see the en-
ergy and the excitement.”
While little encouragement was necessary
to get Hagaman on board, the video’s creative
team still had to be organized. “Sarah had
to answer the right questions, since this is
people’s time, and that of a responsible CEO,”
Maraziti explained.
Overall, the video cost a little more than
$10,000, including payments for permits,
camera people and editing. Luckily, the firm
ducked paying up to $100,000 in license fees
for the song when Universal Music Group approved its use (with minor restrictions).
Cirelli, certified in the Latin-dance fitness
program Zumba, choreographed the dance
and posted instructional videos to the firm’s
You Tube channel.
4. Take advantage of Web success. After
the firm posted the “I Gotta Feeling” video, it
reached 5,000 hits on the first day.
“Even overnight, the clicks on the Web site
were so much fun to watch,” said Cirelli. “After
that, we kept an eye out on Twitter, ran key-
word searches, posted on Facebook, sharing
it any way we could.”
The firm was not content to just track the
climbing numbers, however. The video has
limits, and specify potential issues.
CAN’T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS
Conflict-of-interest cases hold especially
grave potential for risk, said Thompson: “For
example, in a divorce situation, the CPA has
a natural tendency to want to keep one of the
divorcees as a client. Although it may be pos-
sible to represent both sides, it’s not gener-
ally a good idea. The parties should sign a
waiver stating they are comfortable with the
CPA representing both sides. States vary on
issues with waivers, so the CPA should con-
sult a local attorney.”
since hit the road to be screened at numerous
recruiting events, where Bourke said reaction
has been good. “Nowhere they go will they
see that,” he said. “Kids say: I want to work
with you.”
Retention is also a goal — WS+B has a 7. 17
percent turnover rate in staff.
Divorces are normally not an amicable sit-
uation, added Thompson. “Normally, some-
one will feel they were shortchanged, and this
may not happen right away. It might be three
years later when a spouse who kept the busi-
ness sells it, say, at three times what the CPA
valued it,” he explained. “At this point, they
usually can’t go after the other spouse, but
the CPA is still there and makes a pretty good
target. Divorcing clients are rarely pleased
with the terms of their divorce — engage-
ment letters are helpful, and they may aid
in limiting damages, but they won’t keep the
accountant from being sued. Standards for
client retention and acceptance may keep the
accountant out of a lawsuit altogether.”
Rickard Jorgensen, president of Jorgensen
& Co., an insurance broker and managing
general underwriter specializing in profes-
sional liability insurance, noted that it’s not
only important to get an engagement letter
or some agreement from the client about the
work to be performed, but it is vital to watch
out for engagement letter drift. “Do not per-
Because of that, the staff is happy.”
Staff-generated improvements were on
display at WS+B’s state of the firm event in
January 2012, when awards were bestowed
on progressive-minded employees in such
categories as client relations and community
service. When Cirelli and Park won the newly
created “Withum Way” Award for their coor-
dinated social media strategy, they received
a standing ovation.
