Updated 10/14/2026
We’d love to work with everyone, but we know that it’s not so simple. By limiting ourselves to our ideal type of client, we can keep our efficiency maximized and costs minimized. It's a win-win for us and for our clients.
So, who is our ideal client? It depends on whether you're interested in monthly accounting or payroll, so we'll break it all down for you here.
Keep reading to learn about the technical components, values, & beliefs that it takes for us to be a good match... both on the accounting side and the payroll side.
Technical Components of a Client
Let's start by breaking down the technical components of the businesses we work with:
Business Size & Number of Employees
You need to be a small or medium-sized business that isn’t large enough to warrant having an internal accounting or payroll department. Essentially, this means your business is more than a hobby... it generates profits.
Note for accounting clients: There are no restrictions on the number of employees you can have.
Note for payroll clients: We generally suggest having 1-50+ employees like the average client, but we will consider taking on new clients with up to 500 employees.
Location
For both accounting and payroll, you need to be based and operate in the United States. We cannot service businesses in other countries due to variations in different countries' laws.
Owners
We prefer that all clients have the business owner located in the United States. This helps us avoid language barriers and avoid needing to explain U.S. accounting and payroll laws.
Note for accounting clients: We prefer to have only one regular point of contact with your company, who is typically the owner.
Note for payroll clients: We prefer to keep it to a maximum of two points of contact with your company. This is often a manager and/or the owner.
Industry
CSI has had 60 years to work with a variety of industries!
Note for accounting clients: We can provide monthly accounting for any industry except manufacturing and non-profits, as they don't fit our business structure.
Note for payroll clients: There are no industry restrictions. We can work with everyone.
Financial Position & Budget
Note for accounting clients: You must be in the position to grow, not struggling to pay your bills. For established businesses, we generally suggest having revenues of $500,000-$5 million+. However, we can still be a good fit if you have an annual accounting budget of $7,000-$25,000+.
Note for payroll clients: There are no revenue requirements; You just need good cash flow! You must be able to pay your payroll taxes and have the funds to run payroll. You should have an annual payroll budget of $1,500-$25,000+.
Values of a Client
To justify the purchase of a service, you need to understand and appreciate the value. To ensure CSI’s services are right for you, you should value the following ideas and benefits:
Accounting Client Values
Accounting clients should value:
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Outsourcing.
- Staying compliant.
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Accuracy, timeliness, customer service, & communication.
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Monthly financial statements to gain financial analysis and advice.
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Regular meetings with your accountant to review your prior month & plan for the future.
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Tax planning, preparation, & filing to keep you in the tax loop year-round.
- Improving profitability.
Payroll Client Values
Payroll clients should value:
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Outsourcing.
- Staying compliant.
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Accuracy, timeliness, customer service, & communication.
- Improving employee satisfaction.
Agreements
You also need to have a certain mindset when thinking of partnering with a service. To ensure a good working relationship, it’s critical that you agree on these points:
Not All Services Are Equal
Note for accounting clients: Some accounting services offer lower quality and less detail, and others offer higher quality and a more complete service package. It is up to you to decide which service level is the best match for your business.
Note for payroll clients: Many large, national payroll services offer poor customer service and have frequent employee turnover, whereas smaller firms focus on retaining employees who will offer great customer service.
You Get What You Pay For
Rather than moving away from a quality service in favor of a lower-priced one, consider what you can do to minimize your fees with a quality service first.
To do this with CSI, check out the factors that go into an accounting service fee and a payroll service fee.
Professional Experience Is Invaluable
Note for accounting clients: An experienced accounting service will have a background of working with and offering professional advice on:
- Profitability.
- Operating budgets.
- Buying and selling businesses.
- Your industry.
Note for payroll clients: An experienced payroll provider will have experience with working with:
- Various payroll taxes.
- Garnishments.
- Additional payroll features, such as time clocks & reports.
A Match Made in Heaven?
We acknowledge that our services are not the best solution for every business, and not every business is an ideal client for us.
Based on the criteria above, do you think you sound like a good fit to work with us at CSI Accounting & Payroll? If so, let's confirm by having a conversation!
If not, we understand! Now is a good time to either walk away or learn what your investment may look like by trying our Pricing Calculator.
