Client Advisory Assessment Model (CAAM)
Step Into Strategic Advisory – Without the Overwhelm
Knowing which clients need help, and when, is the foundation of effective advisory work. In this VFD Business Development Academy session, Steve Darnell introduces the Client Advisory Assessment Model (CAAM), showing how to identify clients facing risk, uncover commercial opportunities, and prioritise where to focus your time for maximum impact.
For accountants and advisors, the biggest challenge isn’t finding opportunities — it’s recognising them in time to make a difference. The Client Advisory Assessment Model (CAAM), part of the VFD toolkit, changes that by helping firms use their existing client data to pinpoint where action is needed most.
In this session, Steve Darnell demonstrates how CAAM assesses three key dimensions across a client base:
Suitability – the quality and depth of client data.
Opportunity – indicators of risk or growth potential.
Readiness – the client’s capacity and willingness to engage in advisory support.
By analysing factors like revenue trends, gross margin movement, EBITDA, dividend payout, and cash position, CAAM highlights which clients are thriving — and which are at risk of decline.
The model also identifies broader themes such as:
Falling business valuations due to shrinking revenue or profit.
Rising overheads as a percentage of turnover.
Customer retention and acquisition issues leading to declining client bases.
Cash flow deterioration caused by slow debtor recovery or poor invoicing processes.
Each of these signals represents both a risk to the client and an opportunity for the firm to add value.
Steve explains how to convert these insights into actionable communication using simple CRM automation. Firms can send pre-written, data-driven emails alerting clients to performance trends and offering review meetings — an efficient, scalable way to generate advisory conversations from real financial data.
CAAM also ties directly into Growing Your Numbers educational programmes, giving firms a structure to re-engage clients through training that strengthens both business performance and client loyalty.
For accountants and FDs, this approach transforms compliance relationships into strategic partnerships; reducing client churn, driving fee growth, and building a reputation for proactive support.
Watch the full session to see how CAAM can turn your client data into a business development engine and help you deliver measurable impact through every conversation.