But I do not want to have to explain to all my clients what I am up to. Is this approach what clients are now expecting.
On the days of yore, a professional accountancy firm would send out letters using best thick paper and also single-sided typing for that professional look. Maybe even extra spacing between typed lines for that extra layer of wastefulness.
A minority of firms (the largest ones) would also wastefully bind copy tax returns using thick, expensive card and plastic sheeting, using thick plastic spines or plastic binding combs. I suspect that most of these client copies would end up in the bin or gathering dust in a pile at the client's home.
I think those days have now gone, and from what I can see, many individuals are very waste-conscious (apart from the fly-tipping criminal element, and those too lazy to bother with recycling).
I have decided from now on to send out all correspondence double-sided to try and halve waste. It also cuts down on postage and paper costs.
Do the readers think that most clients nowadays are environmentally switched on enough to expect a minimalist approach to paper use, even though it does not have that "professional look" from decades ago.
I have on the odd occasion told clients what I am up to and they never even batted an eyelid.
Or, does it look "cheap and nasty".
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I reckon around a third of my clients do not use email so still forced to use communication by letter.
I hate letters printed on both sides.
File them and they're hard to read.
It doesn't look professional, imho.
It's not going to happen here any time soon.
Use the 80gsm and tell the client it can be recycled with just a little imagination ( "your letter of 21st inst. is before me. It will soon be behind me.").
We buy HP Papers Premium FSC A4 90 gsm 500sh/PK 5pk/BX - very good quality for the price of £22+VAT. https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07CGS8XGS/
The only downside of using 90g paper is that majority of docs are just above 100g meaning additional 50p on postage.
What happens if people stop using paper ?
Then there's less need for trees.
So folk stopping plantimg them.
And no need for pencils and pencil sharpener and pencil cases and...
This is green thinking at it's best!
(PS. A bl@@dy squirrel plants them in my garden. Suggestions for getting rid of the squirrels?)
Would it be too ironic if I served it with a little nut roast and green vegetables?
Some people complain they are not given serious answers on Aweb! Bah Humbug (not too late I trust!).
Kicking their nuts ought to work.
The alternative is to live on the GreyRed battle line up here, where shooting the Greys is, I believe, actively encouraged.
I tried it earlier - just fell out of the tree!
The thin red line is wearing very thin down here and shooting the greys should be obligatory. I would be interested to know if perhaps they can be ground to make toner or squeezed to create ink. If so, it's back to single sided paper and double spacing for me.
We use 90g paper and all letters and tax returns / accounts are printed on both sides. As alternative to plastic bounded copies with lots of plastic, we use A4 Slide Binders which can be easily reused by the clients.
Our main consideration was actually to reduce PPS costs. Emails don't work for some of our Clients, as not all 50yrs old+ are comfortable with e-signing, password protected PDF's, etc.
Our main office is in the Alps so everything is electronic. We have a few clients who post paper to us and we have to post letters to HMRC but other than that we are virtually paperless.
Get an online signing portal.
Very few clients ask for paper accounts or tax packs (1 or 2 from several hundred).
This day and age unless you have lots of elderly clients who don't have email/computer access, I wouldn't bother with the half way house of double sided and jump straight to no paper.
Your office is in the Alps... do you need an office boy...? Do I get to ski at lunchtime...
Your office is in the Alps... do you need an office boy...? Do I get to ski at lunchtime...
carnmores will tell you that skiing is not always a good thing.
We email 95%+ of ours. All documents are double sided, albeit I would not put a working paper on the back of the third page of a letter etc, and always ensure the separate documents are separable rather than combining several documents as a single document and double siding the lot.
This mainly go out to HMRC and older clients, and some of those I have chipped away at in terms of sending emails first and then only posting on request.
They key thing we have found with moving from letter to email is you need to think very hard how to present it to clients for signature etc. We have a different format for post and email.
We have (belatedly) just gone paperless....!
If I searched your office, I bet I'd find some.
We dont do letters double-sided and they are always sent on 100g paper. Tax Returns and other government forms always sent double sided.
The stapless stapler was brilliant and now that you have reminded me I will try and acquire one. Not only friendly to the planet but also stops broken figure nails.
Whats paper? can you send an email and pdf etc typed on the back. Do you put your hear round the back of the lap top to read it.....
Welcome to teh 21st century
We do nearly everything paperless apart from final accounts themselves. For those we still print off on thick paper with a ring binder and custom covers and backs.
I was always told that as an accountant 90% of what you do is completely invisible to the client, the only thing they see at the end of it is the final set of year end accounts, so it was in your best interest to go all out on the presentation of those.
Like Matrix I dont send letters unless client specifically asks to have his/her letter of engagement or tax return on paper.
I took over a practice where all clients received accounts in a lovely folder. Those clients who still want them in this format get them (although I am trying to wean them off)!. The paper is 80g and any letters are sent 100g (cheaper if you get Viking everyday paper)
But all new clients have their L Of E sent via Accountancymanager for e-signing and then get their accounts and Tax return sent by loading onto their own Portal.
Oh the time it saves!
Of course we do send some paper letters - to Co House and HMRC although HMRC are getting there - you can email them if client gives permission ... in writing.
Of course my New Years reolution is to go competely paperless.
Are your HMRC emails just on specific queries or do you have some generic channel for general queries etc?
It does make life so much easier when they accept emails for enquiries
I use double -sided PDF files and email them to clients.
Why are you posting letters?
Perhaps you could get the carrier pigeon to fly there and back (with the reply to your letter) whilst delivering your letter.
Currently have a HMRC compliance check ongoing.
Client wants to communicate everything by post rather than e-mail.
The dull thud you can hear is me headbutting the keyboard in frustration.
Paper? How quaint.
How serious are you about the environment? And about efficiency in your firm?
Even my parents, pushing 80, can cope with emails and online signatures without breaking the internet.