3 Ways Accountants Can be a ‘Friend’ to Clients During the Tax Season

The tax season is typically characterised by a severe time crunch and a lot of stress. This is when accountants struggle the most with staff shortages and piling workload and often opt to outsource tax preparation to experts.

However, just like you, your clients are stressed too. The Self Assessment season is equally hectic for individual taxpayers and business owners. Often, novice clients paying taxes for the first time are unfamiliar with the Self Assessment process. They may not understand which forms they must fill in or what paperwork they must share with their accountant.

It is during these times that they need your support the most. Instead of being an accountant simply helping clients prepare and file tax returns, accountants may need to go the extra mile and be a friend to them. This is especially critical for growth-focused accountants looking to expand their client base and get existing clients to become loyal customers.

Why Go the Extra Mile?

Building relationships is fundamental to business. Beyond professional obligations, a casual hello, an exclusive offer, or a simple effort to check in on your clients can go a long way to earn their loyalty.

When you invest efforts in building a good relationship with your clients, there is a higher chance of them remembering and choosing you for their business needs.

For instance, suppose you work with a client to prepare and file their Self Assessment tax return. During the association, you regularly check up on them, provide the necessary guidance, and establish a strong relationship. The next time the client wants to partner with a firm for accounting services, there is a high possibility they may consider you.

Building positive relationships helps build trust and puts your practice in good light. This can facilitate word-of-mouth publicity about your firm and help you win new clients. By being a ‘friend’ to your clients, you can get them on board for other services your firm offers.

So, How Is It Done?

Building a strong positive relationship with your clients may not be as easy as it sounds. Moreover, amid the stress of the busy tax season, this can be additionally difficult. Below are three simple tips to help establish a friendly association with your clients.

Prepare and guide them

As discussed earlier, not all clients are well-versed in Self Assessment. Requesting information from them without educating them first can only land them in confusion. In such a situation, they need a friend to talk to, not an accountant demanding data and constantly following up.

Irrespective of whether you outsource tax preparation services, guiding and preparing your clients is your responsibility. To begin with, share a detailed Self Assessment guide with them. This will help them understand the process and nuances of tax preparation.

Next, arrange a virtual or face-to-face meeting for an in-depth discussion. Listen to what your clients have to say and clear up the doubts they may have. Follow it up with a detailed checklist of the documents and information they must provide. In the long run, they will surely appreciate the added effort.

Be empathetic

As the UK market suffers from a severe talent shortage, rising inflation, and the looming recession, businesses are struggling to sustain and grow. Add to this the stress of compiling data for Self Assessment and the challenges of business owners only skyrocket.

During these tough times, the least you can do to comfort your clients is show empathy. Lend a listening ear to your clients and make an effort to understand their challenges. Empathise with them and suggest solutions. The solutions need not always be in the form of a service. A simple suggestion, such as recommending a tool, or a valuable time management tip can go a long way.

Offer advice

Business owners very commonly look for advice these days. As the world of finance, accounting, and business undergoes a significant transformation, advisory services are in huge demand.

Since your clients may be struggling with business challenges, try to help them by offering advice. The advice can be in the form of a simple, friendly suggestion or a detailed business-changing decision. In the case of the latter, you might want to pitch your firm’s advisory services that will benefit them and open a new revenue stream for your practice.

But What If You Don’t Have Enough Capacity?

Capacity issues are not foreign to the accounting industry. Since most accountants are caught up with the basic tax preparation task during the Self Assessment season, they do not find the time to provide personalised attention and service to clients.

This is where tax preparation outsourcing comes into the picture. By outsourcing tax returns to experienced professionals, you can take the burden off your team’s shoulders. This creates capacity for your firm to add new services, win new clients, and serve the existing ones better.

Achieve TAXellence with QXAS

It is a common practice for accountants to outsource tax preparation services during the Self Assessment season. If you are also looking to outsource your tax workload and seek a reliable service provider, we are here for you.

QXAS brings forth a unique commitment to TAXellence, helping accountants navigate the tax season without pulling off late-nighters or feeling burned out. We are a team of highly experienced and trained professionals with proven expertise in the latest UK tax laws.

To steer through the Self Assessment season with us, book a free consultation with our tax experts today or reach out to us at +44 208-146-0808 and [email protected].