Overview
Client: US-Based CPA Practice
Industry: Accounting & Tax Services
Client Size: Small team (4 members), serving ~200 clients
Engagement: Seasonal tax preparation and review support + Sapphire Hub automation integration
Client Background:
This small but fast-growing CPA practice, located in the Midwest United States, offers tax preparation, bookkeeping, and consulting services to individual and business clients. Despite having a lean team, the firm built a reputation for accuracy and personal attention.
Each tax season, however, their small team became overwhelmed—leading to delays, overtime costs, and burnout. They needed on-demand support, accuracy assurance, and a better way to manage increasing client volume without sacrificing service quality.
Challenges Faced:
- Tax Season Overload: Team couldn’t handle rising client demand from Jan–Apr
- Missed Deadlines: Filing delays were starting to affect client retention
- No Automation: Manual review of returns consumed partner bandwidth
- Lack of Scalable Support: No resources to temporarily scale the team
- Compliance Risks: No outsourcing experience—concerned about IRS & data handling
Our Approach:
Sapphire provided a hybrid solution: skilled seasonal staffing + workflow automation.
- Deployed a dedicated US tax team trained in 1040, 1120, and 1065 preparation
- Oversight provided by a licensed US CPA for review and compliance
- Implemented Sapphire Hub Automation for return validation, smart checklists, and email notifications
- Connected securely through VPN and encrypted AWS cloud storage
- Created a standardized tax return review system to reduce errors and improve turnaround time
Results Delivered
Tangible Outcomes:
- Reduced tax return review time by 35%
- Improved on-time filing rate from 68% to 97%
- Saved 50% in costs compared to hiring temporary seasonal staff
- Over 500 tax returns prepared in 10 weeks with <1% error rate
- Increased client retention by 18% after delivering on-time filings
Intangible Benefits:
- Gave partners peace of mind during tax season
- Created confidence in the firm’s ability to handle more clients
- Built a repeatable seasonal engagement model with Sapphire
- Reduced stress for internal staff—leading to higher retention and satisfaction
Client Feedback
“Sapphire’s team made tax season actually manageable. Their CPA-led guidance, combined with automation tools, helped us catch errors early and move faster than we ever could alone. We’re planning to use them every season moving forward.”
— Principal, Midwest-Based CPA Firm
Data Security & Compliance
Data was protected using Sapphire’s enterprise-grade security protocols:
- ISO 27001 & 9001 Certified operations
- Encrypted AWS private cloud servers (US-based)
- Sophos VPN, endpoint antivirus, and limited-access accounts
- US CPA oversight to ensure 100% IRS compliance standards
- All files and communications logged for traceability and audits
Key Takeaways & Best Practices
- CPA-led outsourcing builds instant trust and compliance assurance
- Workflow automation (Sapphire Hub) multiplies productivity during busy seasons
- Even small firms can scale effectively with the right outsourcing partner
- Data security and process visibility are key to a successful outsourcing experience
Conclusion
This small CPA practice turned to Sapphire Outsourcing to conquer tax season chaos. Through strategic staffing and technology integration, they boosted performance, reduced pressure, and delivered on client promises—all without hiring in-house. The result? A leaner, faster, and more profitable firm.
