How leading tax firms actually make advisory work

Q Why do some larger tax firms talk about advisory but struggle to deliver the service to clients at scale?

A Because at scale, advisory isn’t a service you “add”; it’s a shift in how the firm operates. Many firms underestimate that. They align on the idea but not on execution. Without a defined operating model with clear processes, ownership, and delivery standards, advisory stays siloed, driven by a few individuals instead of becoming part of how the firm runs.

Q Where do larger tax firms break down when trying to create capacity?

AThey assume capacity comes from working faster. However, it actually comes from working consistently. In most firms, tax work is executed differently across partners, teams, and offices. That variability creates rework and bottlenecks. Until execution is standardized, and unless firms continuously assess and improve their overall operations, time savings stay isolated and never translate into real, firmwide capacity.

Q From your perspective, why are firms still doing work in their tax workflows that doesn’t add meaningful value?

A Firms are still doing work that doesn’t add meaningful value because they aren’t consistently stepping back to inspect their processes, evaluate them, and eliminate unnecessary work. Instead of simplifying the work itself, firms try to move faster within existing processes, allowing nonvalue tasks to persist. Firms that create capacity standardize workflows; align systems; and connect bookkeeping, tax, and planning to reduce manual work and free up time for higher-value client conversations.

Q What separates tax firms that successfully scale advisory across the organization?

A They don’t treat compliance as the end goal; they treat it as the foundation for advisory. Leading firms embed advisory into the core tax workflow, using tax return data to consistently generate insights and recommendations. That shift is what makes advisory scalable. Solutions such as Intuit® ProConnect™ Tax support this by connecting workflows and surfacing insights within the process — turning compliance work into ongoing advisory opportunities. That’s what makes advisory scalable.

Sponsored by:

Intuit Accountants empowers tax and accounting professionals to serve clients more effectively and grow their practices. Our innovative solutions automate workflows, boost accuracy, and enhance efficiency, aligning with Intuit’s mission to power global prosperity. This allows professionals to focus on higher-value work, client relationships, and advisory services.

Learn how to create capacity and deliver advisory at scale at Intuit Tax Accountants.

Get ahead of the competition: Ready to make advisory a successful part of your practice? Download the New Tax Practice Playbook today to discover efficiency, advisory, and growth.