Meaningful and authentic relationships are what set CPAs apart from other advisers. And empathy, for sure, is part of the equation. AI-first firms are now doubling down on making every client interaction count, and they’re doing that by infusing empathy into the everyday of professional services.
Firms are leveraging AI to help understand clients on a micro level, supporting highly personalized touch points and communications. Top AI tools quickly assess client interactions (meeting and call transcripts, emails, etc.) and then produce a comprehensive score card with detailed suggestions for improvement.
What does all this mean? It means you can now offer empathy at scale.
AI is your ticket to fostering wide-spread ride-or-die relationships rather than just among a few select clients. AI’s ability to analyze client communication data, coupled with your expertise, takes client interactions to the next level quickly and painlessly.
Empathy is the name of the game in professional services.
Accounting firm leaders pride themselves on building strong, long-lasting client relationships. But these deep connections take a lot of time to nurture, and that’s limiting.
Partners, on average, serve maybe three or four clients at that ride-or-die level. Why? Because relationships at this level can take years to develop, and there are only so many hours in the day to build out more than a few. But that was the past.
AI has changed all that.
AI platforms, especially those built specifically for the accounting profession, can accelerate relationship-building. Technology like Navi, XcelLabs’ AI-first platform built for accountants, turns once intangible soft skills into measurable, revenue-driving assets.
AI gets you to a place of deeper client knowledge far more quickly. It’s elevated insight that enables leaders to easily layer empathy onto their well-honed expertise and technical knowledge. It’s relationship-building at scale.
So how can an expression like empathy become measurable?
In the case of Navi, it works by analyzing client meetings and call transcripts and scoring advisers. Empathy is one of the categories, as are coaching, strategic insight, and tone. Instead of relying on sporadic feedback or generalized soft skills assessments, teams can access solid, structured data.
Did the adviser listen and relate? Was there real coaching? Was honesty balanced with encouragement? The analysis offers actionable and unbiased feedback on every client touch point. But AI doesn’t inject opinion; it’s neutral. It plays the part of a coach, helping everyone better understand the ins and outs of each client relationship.
When client experience is scored and tracked, it becomes something firms can genuinely price and value.
Consider outcome-based pricing. With automation, many tasks are done in seconds, making time-based billing meaningless. The real worth, what clients actually pay for, is the feeling they’re understood and supported – the guidance, wisdom, and empathy they get from their CPA. This extends advisory possibilities and, by default, new revenue stream opportunities.
Advisers who excel in client conversations can now be identified through AI and recognized and rewarded for this skill rather than docked for not churning through hours.
The result is a fairer, smarter business model where the best communicators and empathizers drive real, quantifiable revenue.
It used to be that only the best partners were masters at client conversations, and getting new hires up to speed took years of mentorship.
With AI tools like Navi, firms can effectively multiply their best communicators and build deeper client relationships firmwide. AI advances the process beyond a few gifted orators via structured learning, actionable data, and targeted coaching that everyone can access.
This isn’t limited to external business development. Some AI platforms are flexible enough to support internal meetings, mentoring, change management, and even one-on-one coaching for personal development.
Tools like XcelLabs’ Navi go beyond basic AI functions to provide a comprehensive toolkit to elevate a firm's emotional intelligence to foster client relationships above and beyond traditional services and communications.
Competition isn’t just from the firm down the street. It also comes from nimble fintech startups, embedded finance in banking apps, and whatever next-gen disruptor only cares about volume and speed.
If firms want to stay relevant through 2030 and beyond, empathy needs to be their edge.
Empathy at scale isn’t some buzzword: it’s a full-on advantage for firms willing to make technology do more than automate tasks. Tools like Navi can help turn every team member into a relationship-building powerhouse, multiplying the firm’s best communicators.
With the support of AI, the client experience can transform into a revenue engine that you can track, improve, and get paid for. In a world that’s getting more automated, the human touch becomes the next competitive edge. Thanks to smart tools, it’s finally scalable.
See Navi in action and give it a try. You’ll see how AI can help you better lead with clarity, connection and empathy.
Jody Padar, CPA, also known as “The Radical CPA,” is the co-founder of XcelLabs, a training and technology platform that offers solutions to help accountants use AI to build fluency and strategic thinking. Visit XcelLabs for more information.
Backed by the PICPA, XcelLabs is helping CPAs leverage AI to expand advisory capabilities, strengthen firms, and keep the profession future-ready.
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Statements of fact and opinion are the author's responsibility alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of the PICPA's officers or members. The information contained herein does not constitute accounting, legal, or professional advice. For actionable advice, you must engage or consult with a qualified professional.