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BBB The Bridge - November 2003

CPA: "Having An Expert Down the Hall"

(Editor's Note: This article is part of a Bridge series designed to promote customer satisfaction by profiling businesses and organizations with proven customer service programs.)

By Phil Moses
Customer Connection Director

Written nomination for consideration in this space celebrate quality customer service, and one was rather poignant.

It was a letter we received from one of its clients concerning Eckelkamp & Associates, an accounting firm with an attitude.

The writer was a volunteer with a social services agency that finds adoptive homes for infants.

Lawyers in the adoptive business threatened to shut down the agency's activities -- child placements for which they received substantial fees.

Joe Eckelkamp stepped in.

Bringing to bear experience as a chief financial officer and chief executive officer, he devoted many intensive hours on a Saturday and subsequent evenings helping to resolve the dispute and countering the lawyers' position, which made it possible for the agency to focus on the issues important to it.

***********

Ask any owner of a small to medium sized business what it would take to compete with the big guys. In most cases she or he would answer, "Have on call answers to the questions I can't answer."

Joe Eckelkamp, big, burly president of Eckelkamp & Associates, CPAs (E&A), calls this need "having an expert down the hall."

The analogy springs from his many years in corporate America when he was the accounting expert down the hall.

Joe Eckelkamp has served as CFO or V.P. Finance at corporations ranging from banking to data services to high-tech.

The company was formed in 1996, primarily as an accounting and auditing consultancy.

This accounts for the signature products, "Rent-a-CFO"sm, but as the company and its people grew, clients began to ask for additional services.

This broadened demand was no accident.

E&A routinely surveys clients, current and past. The survey results are flattering, encouraging and informative. (Joe Eckelkamp makes it a point to share the good news with all team members.)

This response to the demand required the company to make substantial investment in the various licenses necessary to conduct business in such areas as investment services, stock options, and payroll benefits.

An early example was an accounting client in the venture capital business. Too involved in its core business, the client needed someone to merge two new entities quickly and efficiently. Eckelkamp responded by moving onto the site and managing the process. Thus was born another E&A products: "CEO-As-You-Grow"sm.

E&A's core business remains accounting and auditing, and in order to access diverse skills sets as needed, all but one team member, Diane Boyer, are part time, or as Joe Eckelkamp prefers to identify them, Variable Staff.

This is not to say the staff is not fully committed. All but the interns are long-term employees/friends who establish their own client relationships, but it's the nature of the business to peak in the first third of the year.

This enables them to hold down other flex-time jobs, take advanced courses, or simply care for their families.

An interesting example of that last choice is the receptionist, office manager and general factotum Liz/Mary, or Mary/Liz.

She/they are two ladies with families who have identical responsibilities and duties on different days, one three days a week, the other two.

It is also the nature of the business that the first four months of the year impose severe pressure on the entire staff.

Eckelkamp employs novel means to reinvigorate his people: massages on the job, a Japanese incense ceremony, a quick luck at Chevy's, or gift certificates.

With the tough times behind them, E&A shuts down and everyone spends a "Fun Day" by going to Grant's Farm, playing Demolition Ball in St. Charles, or watching the Cards play ball.

Eckelkamp exhibits consideration for his people and their ideas. Surveys of their needs and interests resulted in a mentoring program, and tailoring the job experience to enhanced learning.

E&A also offers paid leave for attendance at seminars.

But it's the on-going, on-the-job training in serving the customer that creates a model quality service environment.

In an inter-office memo from "Joe" to "The Gang", subject "Compliment," he wrote of a client who, during a phone call, said that no matter whom she talked to, she felt the really wanted to help.

"She mentioned Diane and Laurie by name and mentioned 'those who answer the phone', "(Liz/Mary or Mary/Liz.) Joe added, and noted that the client holds "high standards of service so that is a meaningful compliment!!! CONGRATS!!!"

Eckelkamp & Associates, CPAs, P.C.

2001 SBA Accountant Advocate--Region 7

Joseph Eckelkamp is dedicated to helping small businesses grow and thrive.

Since starting Eckelkamp & Associates, CPAs, P.C. (E&A) in 1996, Eckelkamp has been actively involved in helping small enterprises grow and prosper. He created the firm with the specific objective of providing entrepreneurs and small-business owners access to the sophisticated skills and experiences available to those working in "large corporate America."

"Our roots are founded in running businesses ourselves, with all of us having worked on the other side of the desk before joining the firm," Eckelkamp said of his staff.

Eckelkamp & Associates has developed a strong reputation with its Rent-A-CFO^SM service in the corporate executive, entrepreneurial, and minority markets. The firm is also experienced in turnaround situations and rapid growth companies. E&A also offers CEO-As-You-Grow^SM services to those clients.

The firm's clients include several of the area's larger minority-owned businesses, high-tech companies, medical practices, financial services companies and many traditional small businesses.

"We distinguish ourselves by bringing passion and commitment to every engagement," Eckelkamp said. "We seek to add value through deep client relationships."

Eckelkamp says the firm's smaller size is a benefit to clients. "The diverse backgrounds of our professional staff offers a breadth of experience suited to most client needs," he said. "Yet we remain small enough to offer clients the passion, commitment, personal service and long-term relationships they deserve."

Eckelkamp also serves as an advocate in other ways. He is chairman of the Business Consulting Services Committee of the Missouri Society of CPAs with the objective of encouraging more CPAs to actively participate in advising their clients with value-added services. Eckelkamp is also involved in many civic and charitable activities that further the development of small businesses.

© St. Louis Small Business Monthly, The Source for Business Owners May 2001.

Focus: Accounting for Your Business

Eckelkamp provides CPAs to fill financial officer role

Eckelkamp & Associates has created a niche by providing nontraditional services to businesses that need more than just consulting.

Clients are entrepreneurs and smaller companies that cannot afford a full-time chief financial officer.

"We will come in and serve as a member of the management team on an interim or part-time basis," said Joe Eckelkamp, owner and president. "But we go above and beyond, because we collaborate with management to implement the ideas we come up with."

The 10-person firm typically helps companies with sales of $25 million or less that are growing explosively, undergoing an acquisition or merger or going through a turnaround or distress.

"In each of these cases, the company usually has a strong owner, founder or president," he said. "But the company has outpaced its in-house financial operation."

Eckelkamp started the business in 1996 after working in various finance capacities (chief financial officer, vice president of finance and controller) at Credit Systems Inc., Germania Bank, MBI Operations and CyberTel Cellular Management Co. He said he decided to pursue a job where he could see the impact of his work.

Eckelkamp said his earlier corporate background now helps provide better service for his clients. His company provides traditional CPA as well as customized services.

Jefferson Wells International Inc., based in Milwaukee, also provides interim staffing, said Chris Menz, managing director of the St. Louis office, which has a staff of 60. The company, previously known as Auditforce, has 20 offices nationwide and one in Canada.

The solutions-oriented firm provides accounting, internal and technology audit, tax and process improvement services. It can outsource a specific function for a client.

"We also provide support and management for specific projects within those areas," Menz said. For example, Jefferson Wells might help a new company write a business plan, select and implement a software system, then run it until the client wants to hire full-time accounting support, Menz said.

University Bindery Inc. hired Eckelkamp to help shift from traditional services to other types of binding, said Don Huntze, president of the bindery. Eckelkamp helped determine the issues, laid out a strategy and is helping implement the plan. Eckelkamp also helped locate and is working with a market researcher to see if expanding outside St. Louis would be wise.

"In a business this size, you often don't have the time to review your operations as completely as you should," Huntze said. "Joe's company provides a service that really takes the weight off your shoulders."

Contact Rachael Kornblum at rkornblum@bizjournals.com

Copyright 2000 American City Business Journals Inc.