Clients Who Only Show Up at Tax Time
Most CPAs and tax accountants in PA have clients who only reach out at tax time. That’s not the ideal situation for maintaining customer loyalty, nor is it the best arrangement to guarantee efficient tax preparation. So what can you do to strengthen the relationship and improve communication and document sharing? Automation and digital tools are key aspects of the strategy.
Whether your tax clients are individuals or businesses, automated document collection and e-signing are critical tools for efficient and accurate collection of key information in a timely manner. PSTAP’s membership includes a free subscription to Verifyle Pro, a secure cloud storage, document sharing, digital signature, and messaging tool that will streamline your data collection and data requests with your clients.
Schedule your yearly or quarterly tax appointments with clients and use your customer relationship management (CRM) tool to schedule automatic reminders. The immediate reminder should include specific information, such as a list of items to bring and a link to any online intake forms they need to complete. You can even include a brief video that walks people through what you need. This can be surprisingly helpful in increasing compliance and improving client experience.
Send reminders 48 hours ahead and 2 hours ahead, including a re-confirmation link with a simple yes/no. If the answer is no, there should be an automatic opportunity to reschedule. If the person is a no-show, an automated email or text giving the person the opportunity to reschedule will help you retain the client and prevent a last-minute rush.
When you meet in person, you can offer services that can help the person or business organize their documents year-round so that tax time is much less of a hassle. Regular emails throughout the year with timely information that would be of interest to that particular client will build the relationship year-round. Your CRM is a great tool to do this. Load specific information about your client. For a business, this would include their industry and the products/services they offer. For an individual, you might include hobbies and unique aspects of their tax portfolio. These are examples of content that can help you send appropriate information to each client that would encourage them to open and read it. A friendly birthday email or congratulatory email on the date of their company’s founding are personal touches that strengthen relationships between you and your clients.
Regular communication, both personal and professional, not only helps you streamline your efficiency; it improves retention. Clients who feel “seen” are more likely to remain with you. Clients who see your firm as organized and in control are also more likely to remain. Remember, they aren’t the tax experts. They don’t know everything you need and when, or how important it is for this or that document to be retained. It is your responsibility to educate them and to keep in contact with them regularly to make sure you have what you need to file accurate and timely returns.
Our members are always happy to discuss ideas on our member portal and help you come up with new ways to help your clients. As you improve your system and strengthen your relationship, some clients may want you to perform additional services for them. But some may be content to just maintain the relationship as it is. That’s fine. A strong base of loyal customers is the backbone of any successful firm.