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Self Assessment: 'tis not the season to be jolly?

4th Jan 2014
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Are you all ready? This is it, back to work proper and pile into the month of hell that is January?

Isn't it bad enough having to deal with self assessment season as well as foul weather and staff with colds, when you've barely recovered from Christmas? Knowing deep down that this is a great month to be getting new clients (if only you had the time - yes some practices avoid all marketing in January). Oh and then there are those clients that haven’t even sent you their information yet, who still want their tax return submissions on time!

Speaking of New Year and resolutions, did you say you’d do anything differently this year, or have you forgotten already?

A long, long time ago.

Do you remember back in the days or yore, when digital cameras didn't exist and Kodak still existed? Where we all brought “35mm film”, or even instamatic film cartridges?

You’d take your pictures, with no idea of whether they were any good and rush off to the chemist or photo shop to get them developed. Then enthusiasm over running you would want them back within 24 hours only to realise that this cost you three times more than having them back in a week. In fact there was a whole menu of choices, from 1 hour, 4 hours, 24 hours, two days and a week – all at different prices, all for the same work being done.

So here’s the question: why do we meekly accept client information late in January and bust a gut to turn it round for January 31, without any form of additional payment? No, not “because it’s always been that way”, or because “I might lose some clients”.

Active Client Management

The real reason you can’t charge these clients more, starts much earlier in the year. Actively communicating with clients in the year, encouraging (carrot, communicate and stick) them to get their information in when it suits you can work and could smooth workloads. 

It works in other industries and in some practices, what would make it work in yours?

Written by Jon Baker, of venture-Now. The 5-50 Coach, who helps professionals to grow their practice from 5 to 50 employees, profitably, sustainably and while they still have a life.

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By tom123
04th Jan 2014 19:07

I worked in that shop

My first saturday and holiday job was with an old fashioned camera shop - all wooden and glass cases that displayed the cameras.

We used to demonstrate each model as well.

The films got sent away to our head office, and used to return in about three days. From memory we were about half the price of what Boots charged.

The shop went the way of all things in the late '90s. Boots used to sell cameras then, and suggest the customers came to us if they didn't understand what they bought. I suppose that is similar to today's customer viewing goods in bricks & mortar stores and then buying online.

Back to SA, would you not find that instead of offering a premium price you needed to discount the early birds?

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Replying to The Innkeeper:
By The 5-50 Coach
05th Jan 2014 12:36

I think that's a great point Tom. To offer those that do as you want some reward, can also work very well. I've seen some "not increase prices next year" for those that complied, that worked well too.

More importantly, I'm glad I'm not the only one to remember real photos!

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