Sample Report
What a Compass™ Report looks like.
This is an anonymised example based on a real engagement with a small South African professional services firm. Names, figures and identifying details have been changed.
Compass™ Report
Nexus Advisory Partners
Accounting & Business Advisory · Gauteng, South Africa
01 — Business Snapshot
Nexus Advisory Partners is a well-established accounting and business advisory firm with a loyal client base built almost entirely through referrals. The business has operated profitably for 12 years, providing compliance services — tax returns, audits and bookkeeping — to roughly 140 active clients across Gauteng.
Revenue is stable but growth has plateaued. New client acquisition has slowed over the past three years, and the principals recognise they have been operating reactively rather than strategically. Advisory and consulting work, which commands significantly higher margins, represents less than 5% of revenue despite clear demand from the existing client base.
Revenue mix
95% compliance / 5% advisory
New clients (last 12 months)
11 — all referrals
Onboarding time per client
3–4 hours (manual)
02 — Key Findings
What we identified during the discovery session and assessment.
Digital presence is effectively invisible
PriorityThe firm's website was last updated in 2018. It is not mobile-optimised, loads slowly, has no working contact form, and ranks for almost no search terms. There is no Google Business Profile, meaning the firm does not appear in local map searches — the primary way prospective clients search for accounting firms in their area.
Client onboarding is entirely manual
PriorityEvery new client relationship begins with a series of emails back and forth to collect information, set expectations, and agree on scope. This takes 3–4 hours of principal time per client. No templates, no intake forms, no workflow. At 11 new clients per year this is manageable, but it is a ceiling on growth.
Advisory services are undermarketed and underpriced
ImportantThe firm has deep expertise in business advisory work that their existing clients regularly request informally. This work is currently billed reactively at ad hoc rates, not packaged or proactively offered. Advisory engagements carry 4–5x the margin of compliance work and are exactly what the market is willing to pay for.
Referrals are captured informally with no follow-up system
ImportantThe principals receive regular referrals via WhatsApp and email. These are tracked in memory or a shared email inbox, with no structured follow-up process. Approximately 30% of referrals are estimated to go unconverted due to slow or inconsistent response.
The team is using six disconnected tools
NotedEmail, Excel, WhatsApp, Word, Dropbox and the accounting platform are used with no integration between them. Information is duplicated, version control is unreliable, and institutional knowledge lives in individual inboxes rather than a shared system.
03 — Opportunity Map
Prioritised by impact and effort. Highest-value opportunities first.
Google Business Profile
Low effortHigh impactFree to set up. Puts the firm on the map — literally — for local searches. Most accounting clients search 'accountant near me' or 'accounting firm Johannesburg'. Currently invisible for all of these.
Structured client intake process
Low effortHigh impactA simple intake form and email template sequence can reduce onboarding time from 3–4 hours to under 45 minutes. Immediate time saving; better first impression for new clients.
New website with clear service pages
Medium effortVery high impactA professional site with a working contact form, clear service descriptions and basic local SEO. The single biggest lever for new client acquisition outside referrals.
Repackaged advisory offering
Medium effortHigh impactDefine two or three advisory packages with clear scope and fixed pricing. Offer proactively to the existing 140-client base. Conservative estimate: 15–20% uptake at 4x the margin of compliance work.
Referral follow-up workflow
Medium effortMedium impactA simple CRM or structured inbox process to ensure every referral gets a response within 4 hours and a follow-up within 48 hours. Estimated 30% improvement in conversion.
AI-assisted proposals and compliance notes
Higher effortHigh impactUse AI tools to draft client proposals, summarise meetings and generate first-draft compliance summaries. Estimated 5–7 hours saved per week per senior staff member.
04 — Recommended Roadmap
A phased plan that builds on each stage without overwhelming the team.
Phase 1 · Months 1–2
Foundation
- Set up Google Business Profile
- Build new website with service pages and contact form
- Create client intake form and onboarding email sequence
- Define and price two advisory packages
Phase 2 · Months 2–6
Systems
- CRM setup for referral and lead tracking
- Automate the onboarding workflow end-to-end
- Email campaign to existing clients for advisory offer
- Google Business Profile review campaign
Phase 3 · Months 6–18
Growth
- AI tools for proposals, meeting notes and compliance drafts
- LinkedIn content presence for the principals
- SEO and content to rank for advisory-related searches
- Ongoing strategic partnership and quarterly review
05 — Suggested Next Steps
Based on the findings above, the recommended starting point for Nexus Advisory Partners.
Priority 1
Launch™New website and digital foundation
A professionally built website with clear service pages, SEO basics and a working contact form. This is the single highest-leverage action for new client acquisition.
Estimated: 4–6 weeks
Priority 2
Flow™Client onboarding automation
A structured intake form, automated email sequence and CRM setup to halve onboarding time and ensure no referral falls through.
Estimated: 2–3 weeks (after Launch™)
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