The Greatest SALT Consultant (GSC) sells knowledge and solutions to improve cash flow and profit margin, and reduce the costs of doing business. The GSC does not sell time.
How you might ask? Through the identification of SALT issues and opportunities applicable to a client’s business, the GSC can:
- Mitigate exposure to assessments of back taxes, penalties or interest;
- Reduce audit assessments of taxes, penalties and interests;
- Obtain refunds of overpaid taxes;
- Stop payment of taxes not legally owed;
Example:
Scenario (a): GSC conducts 8 hours of research to answer your question.
Scenario (b): GSC conducts 1 hour of research to answer your question.
Which scenario is worth more to the client?
Answer: several factors determine the value of what GSC is providing in both scenarios, but the value is not based on how long it took GSC.
Would you want to buy a house that was built in six weeks or six months?
Or do you just want a house built to your specifications by a builder that keeps you informed and stays on schedule and on-budget? (note: the schedule and budget was agreed to upfront)
P.S.
I know some arrangements call for an hourly-billing arrangement due to an open-scope project, retainer agreement, etc. The point is, the value of what the GSC provides is not based on time, but based on the knowledge, guidance, solutions the GSC provides.
(this is PART 2 in a 7 part series) - Part 1 was last week.