Clients and Slow Turnaround

When clients are late in submitting important documents or answering important questions, your entire process can be slowed down, and important deadlines could be missed. As a PA accountant or CPA, it is imperative that you set clear expectations with clients from the very beginning that deadlines must be met.

When you take on a new client, include in your onboarding process a clearly defined policy regarding timely submission of documentation and response to queries sent. Depending on the type of work you’re doing for the client, you may include a list of specific documents and deadlines. Have a policy that questions should be discussed with your office within a certain amount of time to avoid delays.

Include also consequences that could occur if deadlines are missed. Outline the risk of missing IRS deadlines, triggering audits, or falling out of compliance with industry standards.

Your guidelines should also include additional fees that would be incurred if they are submitted late. After all, late submission causes additional work for your staff, overtime to meet deadlines, and possibly the need to redo completed work because the new documents affect previous assumptions. Make this clear in your agreement documents so that clients understand the importance of timeliness.

If you did not have such policies or procedures in place when some of your clients were brought on, now is the time to let them know. When you apply these policies to new clients, send the new agreement out to existing clients. Highlight the changes in the document and ask them to re-sign the document indicating their agreement with the new policies and procedures.

While this may cause some objections from your more troublesome clients, stick to your guns, politely and professionally. You have the right as a professional CPA or accountant to expect professionalism and respect from your clients, just as they can expect it from you. If they are not willing to respect you and your time, it is best to let them find another accountant.

While having a clear policy on the subject can be very helpful, you can avoid most problems through the use of technology.

• Cloud-based accounting platform: Shared platforms allow small businesses to securely share access to bookkeeping and other financial data with you, allowing you to access their software, generate reports, and collaborate with company employees in real time.

• Cloud-based file share and signature tool: Provide your clients with an encrypted cloud storage and sharing tool and digital signature capability for convenience, confidence, and security. PSTAP offers its members a free subscription to VerifylePro, a premium online sharing and signature system.

• Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Accountant-specific CRM software offers accountants the ability to track clients and potential clients and streamline their marketing, onboarding, and customer communication. There are many CRMs on the market offering a variety of functionalities, depending on the level you need. Your CRM can be used to schedule reminders to your clients as deadlines approach and can send a different reminder if a deadline is missed. It can track all communications, so you have a convenient paper trail. In addition, it can be set to inform you of approaching deadlines that a client may be about to miss so that you can reach out personally. A good CRM can significantly simplify and streamline your workflow and client interactions.

Training clients from the start and making the submission process effortless and convenient should decrease the number of problems you have with late submissions.