Increasing Efficiency and Client Engagement: Alpine Mar CPA and Advisors' Success with Canopy (2024)

Profile

Alpine Mar CPA and Advisors, founded by Pablo Martell, is a full-service CPA firm based in South Florida. The firm provides comprehensive tax services, accounting and bookkeeping, fractional CFO services, and transaction advisory services. They cater to a diverse clientele, including small business owners, high-net-worth individuals, and corporations. Alpine Mar specializes in tax planning, preparation, compliance, and helping business owners with acquisitions and exits. The firm employs seven staff members in the U.S. and collaborates with a team of contractors in the Philippines to leverage global talent.

"We are the modern day accounting firm and that is what our focus is and we're going to continue to champion that." -Pablo Martell, CPA, Managing Partner

Integration with Canopy

Journey to Canopy

Alpine Mar adopted Canopy in 2020, recognizing the need for a robust workflow management tool and a formal client portal. Canopy, established with the mission to empower accountants, offered a firm-wide solution that addressed the specific pain points of CPA firms in a digital, remote-first world. Pablo’s firm was particularly attracted to Canopy's client-facing features, its high level of customization, and its security compliance.

Implementation Process

The implementation of Canopy was smooth and efficient, aided by Canopy's high-touch client service. Despite being a small firm initially, Alpine Mar found the onboarding process straightforward. Canopy’s flexibility and integration capabilities, particularly with other essential software like QuickBooks, Airtable, and HubSpot, were critical in aligning with Alpine Mar's growth and operational needs.

“There's high touch client service [from the start]. We had somebody and still have people that are always reaching out, making sure that we have everything we need." -Pablo Martell, CPA, Managing Partner

Obstacle

Challenges Before Canopy

Before integrating Canopy, Alpine Mar faced significant challenges with disorganized document management and inefficient communication workflows. The firm relied on a basic file organizer on their website, which was cumbersome and created additional work. Communication with clients was scattered across various email threads, making it difficult to track important information and maintain a proactive service approach.

Solution

Canopy’s Features and Benefits

Canopy provided Alpine Mar with a comprehensive solution to their workflow and communication challenges. The client portal's user interface enhanced the client experience, allowing for seamless document sharing and secure communication. The integration of communication channels within Canopy helped streamline interactions, ensuring all client information was accessible in one place.

Customization and Scalability

Canopy's customizable templates allowed Alpine Mar to automate repetitive tasks, saving time and reducing manual work. The platform's scalability has supported the firm’s growth, including their plans for future acquisitions. The ability to integrate with other applications through open APIs has been critical in supporting their marketing and internal workflows.

"The [Canopy] product team is so focused on continuing to improve the product and develop the product, I can only imagine what's gonna come by way of a lot of these AI integrations." -Pablo Martell, CPA, Managing Partner

Outcome

Current Status and Future Prospects

Since integrating Canopy, Alpine Mar has experienced significant growth and operational efficiency. The firm has successfully maintained high service standards and received positive client feedback about the organized and user-friendly client portal. Canopy's scalability has positioned Alpine Mar to continue growing, with plans to execute their first acquisition soon.

Client and Team Feedback

The feedback from both clients and team members has been overwhelmingly positive. Clients appreciate the organized and secure portal, while the team benefits from streamlined workflows and reduced manual tasks. Canopy's continuous improvement and responsiveness to user feedback ensure that Alpine Mar can adapt and thrive in a competitive industry.

"Having a tool like Canopy that allows us to operate in this digital remote first infrastructure has been critical for us." -Pablo Martell, CPA, Managing Partner

Alpine Mar CPA and Advisors' integration with Canopy has made them more efficient, addressing their operational challenges and supporting their growth. The firm is now well-positioned to continue expanding and is confident in their ability to provide top-notch service to its clients through a robust, scalable, and innovative platform.

By Chris Howard