This tax season is likely to be a little more stressful as there’s an accountant shortage on the rise in the US and Canada. Many firms aren’t taking on new clients, and the uptick in demand will mean some clients may not find an accountant in time if they don’t have one already.

You might be more likely to get calls from new clients close to the filing deadline, or who are stressed after failed attempts to do their taxes on their own. In many cases, approaching client issues proactively and with empathy is key to getting on better footing.

Here are five strategies you can put in place for managing clients effectively.

Have a communication policy that’s visible for clients

When clients are nervous about a tax issue or anxious to get a refund, many of them won’t want to wait for an answer. You might want to reach out to put them at ease, but when you’re putting in a 60-hour workweek during tax season, it’s important to protect your time.

There are a few ways you could handle this:

• Have a communication policy specifying when you’ll get back to clients. If you don’t already have one displayed prominently on your website, briefly let the client know when you’ll follow up.
• It’s also wise to keep centralized records of when you last spoke to the client, so you know when it’s necessary to get back to them. In ProCharted, you can make notes in the client’s profile with reminders for the team members that need to follow up. 
• Consider a chatbot or FAQ on your firm’s website that spells out more general questions your clients might have about their returns.

When there’s information at hand and your client knows you’ll get back to them, it can help settle their urge to leave a third voicemail asking about their taxes.

Help clients build their financial literacy

A lot of tax clients want a refund at all costs, and get frustrated at you when they find out what they owe. It’s tough to be the bearer of bad news, but that comes with the territory of upholding accuracy in your profession.

In these situations, it’s important to remind yourself (and your client) that there’s nothing you can do to fix their tax situation at the moment. It’s a good idea to have scripts ready for these conversations and keep them somewhere central, so team members can state policies firmly and clearly.

However, there’s also a silver lining: if you think the client is open to it, this might be an opportunity to advise them on how to improve their financial outlook for future years. Many people simply lack the financial literacy to make good tax decisions, but advising on how to plan for next year can ease the sting of an unexpected tax debt.

Redirect conversations that aren’t relevant

Accountants are privy to some of the most personal details about their clients’ lives: how much they make, what their family life looks like, and even what they ate at that big business lunch. But sometimes, that means clients veer too far off topic into their personal lives.

Gently redirect the conversation by briefly acknowledging the story and then shifting the focus back to their taxes. If you have a regular client that tends to do this, think about who in your firm might be best able to set and keep these boundaries to keep projects moving.

Stay organized, even when clients aren’t

It’s the vision every accountant has in their nightmares around tax season: a crumpled fistful of receipts handed to them a few days before filing is due. Or worse, the client hasn’t followed up at all and the filing deadline is tomorrow. For a lot of clients, this comes from a lack of understanding of the amount of work that goes into filing their taxes.

Staying organized is one of the best things you can do to help manage these clients:

• Make it clear from the outset how much time it will take to finish filing once you have all their information.
• Keep all their documents in one place with ProCharted to keep careful track of what clients have given you and when you received it.
• Follow up with clients via email so you have a record of when you reached out. Keep call logs in your client notes as well.

When you document everything, you can avoid liability if they give you information too close to the filing deadline.

Streamline collections as much as possible

Often, clients just want their taxes to be over with – and then forget about your invoice when everything is said and done. The best way to keep your cash flow healthy is to streamline collections.

Make it easy for your client to remember your invoice with reminders for yourself to collect on them. In ProCharted, you can manage your billing effortlessly in one centralized place, with all client contact info right at your fingertips. You can even use @ mentions to notify the team member responsible for following up right in their client file.

It’s also much easier if you have multiple ways for your client to pay you, whether that’s via credit card, etransfer or cheque.

Turn client management into your next opportunity

Remember that every client conversation is a chance to listen for opportunities to help them with other areas of their business between tax seasons. Even if you don’t offer the services yourself, tap into your professional network to make your life easier next year. 

For example, you might know an excellent bookkeeper or virtual assistant that can help a client stay organized year-round. Or, maybe your firm offers the advisory services they need to get back on track for next year.

Ready to make the most of this tax season? Try ProCharted free for 30 days today!