Strange New World, Smarter Decisions

In episode 171 of the Woodard Report Podcast, Joe Woodard and Heather Satterley covered developments in payments, pricing, artificial intelligence, process discipline, and firm leadership. The discussion moved from changes inside the QuickBooks ecosystem to a broader conversation about how firms price their work, protect capacity, and prepare for a future shaped by AI.

A payments shift with wider implications

Heather opened the episode with recent news from Intuit. The company has now become certified on the FedNow platform, which will allow real time payments through QuickBooks. Heather explained that this will make it possible to send money to vendors almost instantly rather than waiting through the delays that have existed in prior payment workflows.

Heather also pointed to the likely effect on third party payment tools that have filled that gap. She mentioned companies such as Forwardly and Melio, both of which have helped businesses move money faster while native QuickBooks payment tools continued to develop.

Joe added that the announcement reflects a larger shift that many firms have seen coming for some time. Intuit has moved from relying on outside partnerships toward building more payment functionality directly into its own platform. Joe said this is good news for Intuit shareholders, though much less comfortable for software companies trying to compete in the same space.

Heather noted that firms need to pay attention because clients will likely have questions as these changes roll out. Even if outside apps remain relevant for separation of duties or other workflow needs, the competitive landscape is changing.

 Watch Episode 171 here

AI pricing begins to look more like labor pricing

Joe’s current event focused on Digits and its new outcome based pricing model. Rather than charging in a more traditional software subscription format, Digits is beginning to tie pricing to the work its platform actually displaces. Joe framed that as a significant development because it points to where the market may be going.

He explained that firms are starting to think about AI less as software they buy and more as work that gets done. In that model, the comparison is no longer software cost versus software cost. It is human cost versus AI cost. Joe said that AI will almost certainly remain less expensive than human labor, but firms should stop assuming that AI will stay cheap forever. Heather agreed and said she has been warning firms for some time not to build their pricing around the idea that AI costs will remain minimal.

Joe connected this to a broader point about value. Firms should not be using AI simply to lower prices. They should be using it to become faster, more responsive, and more useful to clients. Heather said the competitive advantage is not that a firm uses AI. The advantage is that the firm becomes better because of how it uses AI.

A movie quote about action and empathy

For the quote of the week segment, Heather shared a line from Project Hail Mary. In the film, a scientist argues that even a long shot is worth pursuing because “the alternative is to just do nothing.” Heather used that moment to make a practical point for firms facing disruption. Doing nothing is still a decision.

Joe followed with a quote from A Man Without a Face. In the scene he referenced, the central character points to his disfigured face and says, “If you see this, you don’t see me.” Joe used that line to reflect on how easily people judge what is visible while missing what is underneath.

Claude moves from tool to teammate

The excellent thing learned this week focused on Claude. Heather explained that users can export their information from ChatGPT and import it into Claude, which makes switching or expanding into a new platform much easier than starting from scratch. She said that was a relief because many people assume using a different AI tool means rebuilding everything from the ground up.

Joe built on that with a second Claude insight. He described how Claude can be taught an organizational skill simply through conversation. He gave the example of training Claude to follow a Word template. Rather than coding anything, he walked Claude through the expectations the same way he would train a new employee. He corrected mistakes, explained what needed to change, and asked Claude to formalize the final process as an organizational skill.

Joe said that experience reinforced a larger truth. AI has to be managed more like a person than a piece of software. It needs examples, feedback, and correction. Heather agreed and said many firms still have not adjusted to that mindset.

A lighter break with tax forms and old computers

In two truths and a lie, Heather used the Form 1040 as her theme. She reversed the format and gave Joe one truth and two lies. Joe missed the answer, partly because the 1040EZ no longer exists and has not for several years.

Joe’s turn focused on early computer history. Heather correctly identified that IBM did not release the first PC in the late 1970s. The conversation circled back to how quickly technology changes and how easily people can rely on outdated assumptions.

A member spotlight on pricing, process, and confidence

Kim joined the episode to spotlight Essential Bookkeeping Solutions and its leadership team of Dawn Brady, Amberly Archer, and Delraye Norris. She said the firm has made meaningful progress in how it thinks about pricing and operational discipline.

Kim highlighted three areas of change. The first involved establishing a clearer pricing baseline and additional pricing tiers. That shift has helped the firm reduce underpriced work and create more predictable recurring revenue. The second involved building confidence around scope and boundaries so the team can address scope creep earlier and more consistently. The third involved implementing a central client portal to reduce fragmented communication and create a better process for both clients and team members.

Joe emphasized that process adherence has to become table stakes, both for clients and for team members. Heather added that these changes only work if the internal mindset shift happens first. Team members need clarity and support before they can confidently reinforce new expectations with clients.

An article of the week that fits the theme

Heather closed the episode by choosing a Woodard Report article by Elad Shmilovich from Anchor titled Why Accountants Undercharge Without Realizing It. This article does a strong job of explaining how firms slide into undercharging by trying to over serve clients, then helps readers think through how to restructure pricing and reinforce healthier boundaries.

From payments to AI to process discipline, the larger theme remained the same. Firms that want to grow in a healthy way have to make intentional choices about value, pricing, systems, and boundaries. The work itself may keep changing, but the firms that respond well will be the ones that stop reacting from fear and start building with clarity.

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This article was written with the assistance of AI and edited by a human.