For retail shops, loyal customers are won by providing unmatched merchandise for the lowest price – but service-based professionals like accountants find they need to trust different methods to enjoy ongoing relationships with clients. Presenting a professional image with CPA websites and offering flawless work are two ways to make clients happy – but can finance professionals really stop there? CPA practices must make more of an effort to make sure their client base doesn’t migrate to other practices. Otherwise, they have to spend too much of their time attracting new work.
Here are several tips for how to retain clients.
Connect with Clients Through CPA Websites and Other Tricks
When the job is all about numbers, a personal feel is sometimes difficult to establish. Try the following actions to give your firm more of a human face:
- Set up a web presence. Successful CPA websites provide helpful tax tips and financial information for clients, as well as time-saving features like a client portal or a credit card processing service.
- Maintain notes on your clients’ personal details. Make it a habit to review the material before a meeting so you can chit-chat about your clients’ kids, their new summer home, or their recent travels; it may seem gimmicky, but this one really does help make your more likable and approachable. People are more comfortable trusting financial issues to those with whom they have personal relationships.
- Utilize social media and answer easy accounting questions on your Facebook page or blog.
- Make follow-up calls to ensure clients have no further questions, that their tax forms were processed correctly, and that their business is doing well.
Never Promise More Than You Can Deliver
It’s important not to set your clients’ expectations too high. For example, if they turn in their tax materials on April 13, you don’t want them to be disappointed when you need to file an extension.
That being said, you should always work to deliver more than you’ve promised. And if you make a big push and DO get taxes done by the 15th even though materials were late, be sure to point out your extra effort.
Another way to exceed client expectations is with superior CPA websites. Having a fully loaded website with online payroll services, QuickBooks training and support, and a client portal is definitely a huge advantage to your clients. They may not be expecting such such convenient, time-saving tools, so this is a great way to impress them.
Clients Stick with Trustworthy Accountants
Unfortunately, many people automatically assume those who deal with financial matters are dishonest. Since the deck may already be stacked against you, you must work that much harder to provide honest services.
To combat this, never stretch the truth and always provide bad news in a gentle, straightforward manner.
Never Ignore Your Clients
Firms that are difficult to contact end up losing business. When people are stressed about their finances, waiting even for half a day can make their anxiety go through the roof. Regardless of the reason, clients may be concerned that lack of contact means something is wrong.
Make it a priority to get back to clients, no matter how seemingly insignificant their question. Follow up by phone or email as soon as you can, even if it’s just to report that you’ll be in touch with more information later.
Don’t Be Afraid to Be Yourself
People like to work with other human beings, not robots. So if you like to tell jokes, then tell jokes. If you’re more reserved, be warm and friendly, but don’t force yourself to be more talkative than you feel. Of course you won’t be a perfect fit for each and every client, but that shouldn’t be your goal. Conforming to the desires of every customer means you are not a match for any.
Learning how to retain clients is important for anyone in the service industry, and CPAs are no exception. The more you use CPA websites, social media like Facebook and Twitter, and prompt communication to make your clients happy, the easier it will be to keep folks on your client list. Focus most intensely on the clients who make you the most money and you’ll find you have a solid foundation of loyal clients and a reliable source of income.
