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5 ways to make clients (and staff) feel extra special this Valentine’s Day

6th Feb 2023
Brought to you by
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Award winning CRM & practice management software

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Valentine’s Day is a time to show those closest to us how much we care – and that can include your professional relationships too. We don’t mean scattering confetti hearts and throwing on some Elvis tunes in the office (but feel free to do so). We just mean ensuring that your team and clients feel appreciated – which should always be at the top of your list. 

When clients feel cared for, it makes them more likely to stick around and recommend you to others. With a survey showing that 23% of businesses are likely to change their accountant after a year, that’s a decent percentage of your clientele that you need to focus on retaining. 

When your team feel cared for, commitment strengthens and productivity improves, leading to a much happier and efficient office life. Here are five ways you can make the professional people in your life feel extra special this Valentine's Day. 

5 ways to make clients feel special
5 ways to make clients feel special

1. Send them a (professional) love note 

You don't need grand gestures to make a difference. Show your clients how much you appreciate them by sending them an unexpected email of gratitude. The length and tone is completely up to you. Let your creativity flow, whether it's cheeky and punny, or more serious and heartfelt. When they open their emails, not only will they feel seen but also have something for the day that puts a smile on their face. 

Looking for some inspiration? Try writing something that reflects on your relationship with them over the year. Maybe they were snappy at sending VAT records, or were a pleasure to submit tax returns for. Recognise how smooth your workload was this year thanks to their speedy responses and excellent cooperation. Also, let them know how much you’re looking forward to another productive year with them. 

Show your staff some love too by acknowledging their efforts. This could be anything from keeping on top of your clients' payrolls to submitting tax returns on time. Remind them how much of an asset they are to the team and how they make a difference. 

2. Keep them on top of their tax 

Sometimes, making someone feel special is in the little things – like making their working life easier. Take tax for example. Clients are busy running their own businesses and don’t have much time to figure out what they’re liable for. Often times, they’ll get a letter or a phone call, flabbergasted at how much tax they have to pay. 

"Why wasn’t I told about this earlier?" 

"Where did that figure come from?" 

"Why didn’t I see this coming?" 

These are all legitimate responses, given some of the frightening figures some businesses end up having to pay. On top of that, when they call you up asking about it, it can take a day and an age to get a proper answer (despite your best efforts). Maybe your client comes through to a receptionist, who passes them through to a manager, who then calls the tax specialist. About five phone calls (and five hours) later, they might get the answer they’re looking for. 

Clients like to be kept in the loop, but this hamster wheel approach to clients’ tax information can be a drag at the best of times. We suggest you have a system in place that informs clients of their tax liabilities throughout the year, any time they like. That way, they don’t get a shock, and it streamlines a service that they mightn’t get elsewhere. 

3. Make them feel heard

While this is more of a long-term relationship strategy, it’s still something to consider. The best thing you can do for your clients (and most relationships) is to listen. 

“Listen? I’m an accountant, not a therapist. I’m paid to balance their books, not hear about their problems.” 

Hear us out. Like every relationship, in some situations, you just need to talk less and listen more. If you’re in meetings with clients and take the time to really listen to their issues, it gives you a chance to provide valuable insight into their situations. These can then complement the services you offer. This is especially important during the onboarding process as it helps you understand their concerns, needs, and preferences better. When clients feel heard, it also opens up future opportunities, especially in a more advisory capacity. 

4. Give your communication a makeover 

When it comes to communication, there’s always room for improvement. For example, consider how many places clients have to login to access their information. Are there ways you can improve this for them? 

What about your team? Are they still manually writing up every single email for every single record they have to chase? How much time are they spending on that each week? It's time to give your firm’s communication a makeover. Think about it – if you can get back to clients faster, your staff stops sinking in admin, leading to better time efficiency and productivity. 

5. Ask for feedback 

Give your clients an opportunity to voice what you’re doing well and what you need to improve on. Having this open dialogue is a great way to build trust – just ensure you’re actioning their suggestions wherever possible. It shows them that that they’re more than just a number in your system and that you want to improve their experience as best as you can. 

Seems like a lot of work? Change is never easy, but it’s necessary in every relationship. If you’ve got the proper systems in place, like practice management software, you can send out personalised emails to hundreds of clients, in just a couple of clicks. Take Bright’s practice management solution, AccountancyManager for example. You just write up the email once (or pick one from our templates), add your variables, and choose who you want to send it to and when. We’ll whip up the rest; from clients’ first names to the services you provide – talk about the whole package! 

We also have an entire tab dedicated to tax liabilities in the client portal. Let your clients check their tax liabilities at any time they like. All they need is their logins, some decent internet connection, and away they go. This means no more useless roundabout communication, a streamlined customer experience, and less work for your team. 

Give AccountancyManager a spin this Valentine’s to see the wonders it can do for your firm, your clients and your team. Book a free demo today. 

 Eleanor vaughey   Written by Eleanor Vaughey | Bright

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