I just walked in and out of Sam’s Club in exactly 10 minutes.
No, that is not a typo. I didn’t spend 20 minutes standing in a checkout line. I was in, scan & loaded, paid, and out the door in a flash.
How? Technology.
With Sam’s Club’s “Scan & Go” app, I scanned each item as I placed it in my cart. When I was done, I paid directly inside the app. Bypassing the traditional registers entirely, showed my digital receipt QR code at the door, and headed to my car.
But the real “aha!” moment happened right afterward. I had to run into Walmart next door for one specific item. When I got to the register, I realized they don’t even have “Tap to Pay.” I had to dig for a physical card and wait for the hardware to catch up to the transaction.
It felt like paying my tax accountant. He is that guy who only accepts physical checks sent via snail mail. Which sadly makes me late paying him for my annual tax return because it takes me forever to find my checkbook and I never have postage stamps anymore. I should introduce him to David Bergstein, CPA, who asks firms, “are you preparing your clients for the future where all is digital”?
I couldn’t help but smile on my drive home. This frictionless, tech-driven experience at Sam’s Club is the ultimate blueprint for a modern Client Advisory practice. Meanwhile, the “Walmart experience” is exactly what we are trying to help firms move away from.
1. Eliminating the “Double-Handling” of Data
At Sam’s Club: You scan as you shop. There is no clunky double-handling of items at a conveyor belt. The work is done at the point of origin. In CAS: Modern firms eliminate administrative friction. Instead of manually entering data from a shoebox of receipts, they use automated document fetching and real-time bank feeds. By eliminating the manual “conveyor belt,” data flows automatically, allowing CAS teams to focus on the meaning behind the numbers rather than the entry of them.
2. Subscription Pricing and Frictionless Payments
At Sam’s Club: I pay a flat membership fee and my payment happens instantly via the app. No physical wallets, no stamps, no friction. In CAS: Progressive firms have moved beyond the “billable hour” and the “mailed check.” They offer value-priced monthly subscriptions collected automatically on the 1st of the month. Clients always know exactly what they are paying, and firms eliminate the “where is my checkbook?” delay. This shifts the relationship from a vendor/invoice dynamic to a seamless partnership.
3. Real-Time Insights Over “Rearview Mirror” Reporting
At Sam’s Club: My digital cart updates my running total in real-time. I know exactly what I am spending before I reach the exit. In CAS: Traditional accounting is like getting a grocery receipt three weeks after you’ve already eaten the food—it’s too late to change your budget. Modern CAS teams provide live visual dashboards so clients can make decisions today based on current data, not month old financial statements.
The Ultimate Bottom Line: People Drive the Relationship
Sam’s Club understands that its members value two things: updated technology and ease of interaction. Walmart, on the other hand, creates a barrier at the very last step of the journey.
Progressive CAS teams choose the Sam’s Club model. By automating the compliance baseline, you step out from behind the “register” of data entry and move to the front of the house as a true advisory partner.
Technology handles the process, so you can handle the relationship. When you remove the friction, you give your clients what they need most: peace of mind, saved time, and a clear view of the road ahead.
About Infinite-Ties
Infinite Ties is a training community built specifically for Client Advisory Services (CAS) teams. We help accounting firms equip their people with the skills, frameworks, and tools needed to grow and scale a profitable client advisory services practice. Through weekly education, practical resources, and peer collaboration, Infinite Ties supports firms at every stage of their CAS journey, from getting started to optimizing and scaling mature practices.
Ready to build a CAS practice that scales? To learn more about membership, training opportunities, and how Infinite Ties can support your CAS journey, contact Deneen Dias at: [email protected].
