Profile
Three Peaks Advisors is an accounting firm providing bookkeeping, payroll, advisory, and tax services to clients in all fifty states. While the firm itself is new, the team is highly experienced, with 35 professionals spread across different offices and time zones.
Problem
Being a newly established firm presented several challenges for the team at Three Peaks Advisors.
The firm wanted to avoid juggling multiple tools that would only serve to complicate operations. Three Peaks Advisors needed a single system that would easily handle both internal workflows and client interactions.
“Our biggest priority was avoiding having to use so many different programs, with so many different logins, in so many different places. Prior to Canopy we were using Practice CS, we were using Go File Room, Ultra Tax, Tax Caddy, you know four or five different programs.
There were too many things needed to get information out the door, and that was confusing to our clients. So we really wanted to focus on minimizing the programs needed and get a system that was easier on our clients.”
– Susan Kumpe, Operations Director
As they onboarded clients and sought new ones, they wanted visibility into how long tasks took and ways to improve task efficiency so they could achieve profitability.
Prior to adopting Canopy, Three Peaks Advisors had a bloated tech stack, including Practice CS and UltraTax from Thomson Reuters, as well as GoFile Room and TaxCaddy. All these products were a headache for both their employees and clients. Processes required navigating between siloed tools, and clients were incredibly frustrated with their experience sending documents and communicating with the firm.
Ultimately, Three Peaks Advisors was looking for a solution that could simplify their processes, balance workloads across employees, use data insights to make smarter business decisions, and provide an easy-to-use portal for their clients.
Solution
Canopy provided Three Peaks Advisors with the all-in-one practice management solution they needed to maximize efficiency and keep clients happy.
Client Portal
Canopy’s intuitive client portal created a seamless experience for their clients. In the portal, clients easily and securely upload documents, communicate with their point of contact, complete and submit forms, and track project status.
“Before Canopy a lot of our clients were super frustrated. The old system was very hard for them to navigate, but with Canopy, our clients have made so many comments that it is so much easier and so much better.”
– Susan Kumpe, Operations Director
Email Integration
Canopy’s email integration streamlined communication by centralizing multiple inboxes.
Now, everyone working with a client can see all related messages within the client profile, eliminating the need to search through separate inboxes or chase down missing information.
Workflow
Advanced workflow tools gave firm-wide visibility into how work was being completed, improving processes, boosting efficiency, and enhancing accuracy.
Insights
The data collected in Canopy’s insights allowed managers to gain clarity about time management across the firm.
Understanding where time was being spent across their 35 employees and how that time could be optimized was vital to their success. Managers could now identify how much time employees were investing into certain tasks, and decide if it was consistent with overall company goals.
With Canopy, Three Peaks Advisors reduced management complexity while enhancing overall efficiency.
Results
The impact of Canopy on Three Peaks Advisors was immediate. This new firm was officially launched in November – right before tax season craziness kicked in.
“We really dove into Canopy at the first of the year. It was a pretty rough time to try and incorporate it, since that’s when everything really gets moving on taxes. But we love Canopy. The best thing is getting everything in one place, not having document management somewhere and the CRM somewhere else.”
– Susan Kumpe, Operations Director
Despite launching during a hectic season, Three Peaks Advisors saw success with Canopy early. Even after the eight week implementation process ended, Three Peaks Advisors have continued to work with the Canopy team to find new ways to optimize their firm.
Client Engagement
They saw a significant decrease in the client frustration they had dealt with at previous Canopy-less firms. Clients found it easier to work with the firm, liking the improved communication, which resulted in strengthening trust with new and old clients.
“Canopy is easier access for the clients, and everybody in our system can see that communication. That has made a big impact on how well we hit our deadlines.”
– Susan Kumpe, Operations Director
Employee Productivity
Three Peaks Advisors team members benefitted from automated workflows, as they no longer had to switch between multiple tools to complete tasks. With more time to focus on high-value work, the team operated more efficiently than ever.
Additionally, managers could use Canopy to recognize top performers and show extra appreciation for their hard work.
Data-Driven Decision Making
Canopy’s real-time insights had a huge impact on the way Three Peaks Advisors managed their practice. Susan Kumpe, Director of Operations, gained a clear understanding of task duration and employee workloads.
Easy access to this data meant Susan could ensure that the team operated at peak proficiency. With data-driven decision-making at the core of operations, Three Peaks Advisors was able to maximize both client satisfaction and business growth.
Strategic Focus on Clients
Canopy’s insights helped the firm focus on building their portfolio of ideal clients.
The improved client portal, insights, and streamlined workflows significantly enhanced client satisfaction and reduced friction in client interactions.
With time that was previously spent smoothing over fracturing relationships or chasing down communications no longer an issue, the team at Three Peaks Advisors gets to focus on their real goal: building high advisory relationships that help clients build and sustain their businesses.
Three Peaks Advisors’ commitment to client success remains at the heart of their practice, and with Canopy, they can continue to scale without sacrificing personalized service.
“I think Canopy is only going to make us better. The more we get to know Canopy, the more I’m able to really dive into different areas and maximize what we can do with it.”
-Susan Kumpe, Director of Operations
As they look to the future, Three Peaks Advisors is ready to expand their impact and grow their firm with confidence.
