Karina Smith 
Client Support Manager
Karina joined David O’Brien and Associates in 2016 as our Client Support Manager after making the move north from Sydney with her family. Karina is highly motivated and has over 12 years’ experience in Office Administration, Customer Service and management of small business teams.
In the initial meetings with clients it is this experience that shines. Inviting clients in the first meeting to address the questions of ‘what do you need?’ and ‘how can we help to make that happen?’, the attention that is given to the initial planning process ensures that we get the strategy and ‘working plan’ right from the start so we can ensure we meet our client’s goals. From the outset, we endeavor to make life easier.
As a fully certified Xero advisor (including payroll certified) Karina can install, set up, train, manage and support clients who need assistance with the accounting software revolution that these days is led by Xero. Making the software work for them is the focus – to show them that with good support…life is easier.
Whether it be simply tweaking the businesses data file for better internal management reporting, creating a brand-new data file to ensure we ‘get the paperwork right from the beginning’, helping to understand the benefits of cloud computing or just wanting to get the most out of the software, the job is to ensure we don’t lose sight of what we want to achieve.
Karina really enjoys a challenge. The goal is to consistently build strong relationships with her clients by listening and asking correct questions to identify their needs and following everything through until the end so a desired outcome is achieved. Client satisfaction provides Karina with a feeling of accomplishment.
When we assessed the client’s need for this position, we felt from a business perspective we had things covered in relation to their accounting and financial needs. The next step was to ensure we had someone in the firm that could meet our clients on-going in-house management needs that also need to be met – thankfully, this is where Karina steps in. – David O’Brien
Samantha Mackay
Client Services Manager
Samantha joined David O’Brien and Associates in February 2019 and with a background in Quality Assurance and Administration she definitely fits into this position effortlessly. As the Client Services Manager, Samantha provides the ‘first point of contact’ experience to a well-rounded team that caters for our client’s ongoing needs. Her role is to simply have your day-to-day questions answered when you need them to be. From making initial appointments, coordinating the tax return process, ensuring timely lodgement and assessment or help resolve outstanding matters with the Australian Taxation Office, her commitment to the role ensures the process is a smooth one.
Samantha has completed her Certificate III in Business Administration, this along with her attention to detail and friendly approach ensures she is well equipped to assist our clients with their requests.
The priority is to ensure that there is a clear continual understanding from our client’s perspective of our ongoing commitment to them, not only at ‘tax time’, but throughout the financial year. Through the ongoing newsletters, email correspondence and telephone support, Samantha ensures that clients are simply kept in the loop when needed… which also means our clients are making educated decisions.
Front End Support Email
At David O’Brien and Associates we want to be your first contact with any issues surrounding your financial obligations, ongoing queries or taxation compliance and as such, you can contact our office either on the phone, in person or via email at email@davidobrien.com.au. This particular email address is the consistent first point of contact to assist you with the majority of your administration enquiries or to book appointments for you either at our Speers Point office of outside the office for those clients with we meet in Sydney.