In last week’s blog, I shared with all of you the top seven things accountants in Golden Lion Tax Solutions’ referral network wish bookkeepers knew. This week, I am turning the table and sharing with you the top three big grievances bookkeepers have when working with a mutual client’s accountant.
I chose the word “grievances” as the most appropriate term because the items most shared with us weren’t based on knowledge, but rather poor practices that negatively impact the relationships that should be there when working on a mutual client.
Based on the poll, these are the top three grievances shared:
- Communicate! Yes, accountants, the one item that made the list from every bookkeeper who participated in our poll was that you do not communicate enough or are perceived as unapproachable. This recommendation came with several areas highlighted:
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Get with our clients quarterly to review their financials and discuss any appropriate pivots. Because most bookkeepers meet with their clients monthly, if not weekly, they have the opportunity to forge a strong bond with mutual clients. As the clients develop a stronger bond and level of comfort with the bookkeeper, they lean on them for things they probably shouldn’t, the most important of which is tax advice. We all know how convincing our clients are when they are trying to get an idea of where they should head, and because of their closer relationship with the bookkeeper, it’s easy to see how the lines could be blurred here. Make an effort to reach out to your business clients more frequently to see how you can be of service. Just a little bit of interest shown will not only help your clients see you as an advocate, but it will also help your retainage percentages year over year and can increase your billable hours. That’s a win/win/win!
- Reach out to the bookkeepers handling your client’s financial records. We all know that if you tell your client something to pass along to the bookkeeper, nine times out of ten, the message won’t be passed along. And on that rare chance it is, the message will get jumbled. And if you have a question about a position taken on the financial records, don’t ask the client about it. In most cases, the bookkeepers know far more about the client’s financials than the client themselves.
As professionals, a client’s bookkeeper and accountant should be a collaborative team. Any distance between the two, whether intentional or mistakenly perceived, will only end up being a disservice to the client. Who knows, by forging that alliance, you could end up not only ensuring you are on the same page regarding how the financials should be compiled, but you could serve as a referral source for one another. Again, it’s a win/win/win between the client, the bookkeeper, and the accountant!
- Don’t be offended if I question something on the tax return you compiled. Let’s face it: we all have a bit of ego tied to the work product we produce. Accountants, it has been reported by several bookkeepers that they have received responses that are aggressively defensive and rude when asking for clarity on line items from the client’s tax returns. One bookkeeper shared that an accountant abruptly told her to “stick to her lane” and “he went to a 4-year university, while she probably only went to community college.” OUCH! Keep it civil, and remember that the more the bookkeeper understands your work, the better they can meet your needs with the reports they will continue to pull together for you.
- Share records with us. The work we all do serves one person: our mutual client. How best can we do that? By sharing the information needed by both parties to be efficient and thorough. At the end of the filing season, please make it a standing protocol to secure the client’s permission to share your finalized product with us, just as we share ours with you. If not, you better believe we are hounding the client for a copy; not only is this a waste of time, but it’s a detriment to the efficiency of our efforts.
It’s easy to understand how these top three grievances shared through our poll could be detrimental to any accountant/client/bookkeeper relationship. Remember that you are all part of the same team; the more you can collaborate and work together for your mutual client’s benefit, the happier the client will be all around.
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For help with your tax debts, email contactus@goldenliontaxsolutions.com or call 833-LION-TAX (833-546-6829)
Disclaimer: There are requirements that must be satisfied in order to qualify for some of the tax solutions we discuss on our website. Not all of our services will be suitable for every client. Golden Lion Tax Solutions is here to help you find the most appropriate solution to fit your situation.
