The rush is on. Do your January clients get as good a level of service?

The rush is on. Do your January clients get as...

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No matter how many reminders they receive, some clients just can not rouse themselves to sort out their paperwork for Tax Returns until after the festivities are over. They are late and you are under pressure. They don't seem to care, but you do. Should they expect to receive the same level of service as the client who presents you with a neat bundle at the end of April?
Andy Partridge

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By User deleted
04th Jan 2008 11:19

They should
but they probably won't.

I think I probably approach clients differently:

- Clients I like, I chase them more actively,
- Clients I'm not too fussed about, I write to them once. If they don't get their books to me until January, I'll see what I can do.

To be fair, I've got most of my accounts preparation clients out of the way, the stragglers are either queries, subbies, or tax return only - and should therefore not take too much time (in theory!).

I sent my letters out in September asking for books by the end of October. Early November, I took the opportunity to 'sack' a couple fo clients who I hadn't heard from and wasn't bothered about acting for. A week later, one of them turns up with his business records (his CIS slips). I'm starting to wonder whether he can read...

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DougScott
By Dougscott
04th Jan 2008 13:56

Similar
My thoughts and actions are similar to previous posters. I will try and give the same level of service but it is inevitable that you can't spend as much time on thinking about clever solutions to problems so the client is probably doing themselves no favours by sending in books late.

I warned clients this year that any accounts received after 31 October 2007would:

1) Have no guarantee of being submitted by 31/1/08.
2) Would incur a higher hourly rate.

Inevitably a lot of books arrived in very late October! However as I have too much work on generally a few of those are heading for the sack this year.

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By User deleted
05th Jan 2008 14:10

No
In a word NO.

I know we are service providers but in the real world clients who cant be bothered dont get the same level of service.

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By Jason Dormer
05th Jan 2008 22:06

????????????
Thats like a dentist saying that clients who cant be bothered to look after their teeth don't get the same level of service as those that do.

The service level should never fall below your self imposed levels regardless of the attitude of the client. If you don't want the client then price him out or simply sack them, there is no justification in lowering your own standards.

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DougScott
By Dougscott
07th Jan 2008 12:19

I disagree
Accountancy is nothing like dentistry.

We are talking about the January rush - if clients send in their accounts then they can expect their accountant to be in a terrible rush, stressed, grumpy, suicidal, etc. Of course they won't get the same level of service.

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By User deleted
07th Jan 2008 17:36

.
Accountancy and dentistry are the same in that you are providing a service to a paying client, some of whom do not give the practioners area of expertise the attention that they should and only come to see you when it is absolutely neccessary, ie toothache or HMRC deadlines.

You have to decide whether you want this client type or not. I make a conscious decision not to (unless exceptional circumstances) however, if I did have this client type I would certainly not lower my service levels or be grumpy.

You have to be in control of your business and your clients rather than the other way round, if you don't want the January headache then impose your own deadline in November and stick to it. Sure you may lose some clients but only the ones that you don't want.

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By User deleted
07th Jan 2008 21:39

The dentist
Patient 1 visits the dentist regularly attends all appointments, isnt late and is a nice patient - result happy dentist = good service.

Patient 2 - fails to attend appointments, dosent bother going for checkups as and when advised, fails to attend for a routine filling gets a bad case of tooth decay turns up on the dentists doorstep demanding emergency treatment - result unhappy dentist = second rate rushed service.

Tell us honestly patient 2 gets the same service as patient 1 - NEVER.

I think you'll find the dentist and accountant are quite similar - unless the dentist is a mug and is happy to deal with clients who frankly cant be bothered!

If you act for clients who cant be bothered you never build a quality practice and deserve to get stressed and overworked in January.

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