Tax return checklist/questionaires

Tax return checklist/questionaires

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With 5 April nearly here I find myself again mulling over the best way to get clients to send in tax return information and was planning emailing a questionaire/checklist but am very aware most clients will ignore them.

I am starting to wonder if its worthwhile.

With general checklists you also end up asking questions which most clients will expect you to know anyway which doesnt seem to reflect terribly well when you are offering a personal service.

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By User deleted
30th Mar 2010 14:20

holding a gun to a person's head

can be incredibly motivational.

Don Corlione

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By cathygrimmer
30th Mar 2010 14:29

Aide memoire

I would go with sending a simple 'aide memoire' - something they can refer to which will jog their memory about the information you need but definitely not something they need to complete. And email it if you can - don't post it. It saves money, is easier to ignore if they don't want to use it and looks more 'green' and modern! Or you could be super modern and just text them - telling them to email you if they need an aide memoire!

Cathy

[email protected]

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By Bob Harper
01st Apr 2010 09:44

Options

How about you think about inking this to your service offering?

You could have a checklist for clients who want a low cost service and are happy to provide "sorted"information by X date and other options for other clients.  You could have a premium service for clients ending you tax documents during the year for you to file and you contacting organisations for them.  

In the late 80s I worked for a firm who charged £2,000 for a tax return for a retired widow.  I went to her house, opened all the envelopes, sorted everything on her dining table, had some lunch with her and then went through every bit of paper together.  We ended up throwing 90% away and I made a tax file of the return.

The tax return took me two hours, the way I delivered it took 15 hours including travelling because we had a follow up signing meeting where we explained the tax calculation.  Then we sent her payment in for her.

Did we rip her off?  No, she was really happy and most firms wouldn't do what she wanted and would cause her stress and hassle. We took all that away.

Use packaging and product names to educate clients.

Bob

Portfolio Marketing

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