As accountants, we have lots of great strengths. We’re great at numbers. We’re go-getters who stay on top of local and state tax regulations. We can analyze reports with precision. But something we are not always taught how to do properly is how to effectively communicate with clients.
We are number whizzes, but when it comes to communicating with clients, it can be difficult not to overcomplicate subjects and effectively communicate our thoughts.
I have spent a lot of time learning how to communicate with clients effectively and sharpen these skills to:
- Reduce my workload
- Clear up confusion
- Alleviate client frustration
- Improve internal and external firm communication
How? It all starts with the 5Ws.
I am going to outline the 5 Ws for you to help you master the art of client communication. These are tips that I personally used to communicate with clients when running my firm, and they made the entire process easier and less intimidating for me.
Here are the 5 Ws for effective client communication:
No. 1 Who
Addressing a person when sending a request or inquiry is so important. When you address the ”who,” you are doing a few things:
- Creating personalization with your client
- Communicating directly with the person
- Providing clarity when sending group emails or messages, such as who is supposed to be the one or ones to reply
When you properly address a client by name, it can also be used to grab someone’s attention. Additionally, it also is a great way to start off a conversation. Once you have the “who” part down, it is time to add in the “what.”
No. 2 What
Next, you will want to communicate what with your client. For example,
“Hi Jim,
Please send your last month’s bank statement for your checking account ending in 1234.”
This is a clear and concise message. Jim will know the next steps to take once he opens the message. If you need an organizational document or a form to be filled out, you should include descriptive identifiers, such as:
- Form number
- Document title
- Etc.
If you are sending a reminder or want the client to perform an action, you can eliminate any confusion with “how-to” instructions or videos. You can link either of these two to the client in the message.
Next, we need to address the “when.”
Pro tip: Add the instructions to a knowledge base or general video so that you can share the same instructions with any clients who have to take the same steps.
No. 3 When
People procrastinate. If you need items by a specific deadline or date, add this information to the email. Never say “as soon as you can” because one person may interpret this as whenever they are free a few weeks from now, and others will send it over immediately.
Add the following to your communication: “I need this document by 9 a.m., Friday, Dec. 31, 2022, to begin prepping your tax return.”
Of course, you can spruce up this message a bit, but it clearly states when you need the client to complete a task.
No. 4 Where
Are you asking the client to send a physical copy to you or upload a file? Clarify where to send this information by providing one or a combination of the following:
- Physical address
- Email address
- Upload link (exact web address)
If sensitive information is being transmitted, remind clients to never send this information over email or text. In fact, I recommend always having a secure portal for the client to use to upload the file(s).
Finally, you may need to explain “why.”
No 5 Why
If you are communicating with a recurring client, they likely know why you are asking them to complete a task. But if your client is new or the person you’re interfacing with is new to working with you, it’s quite possible they don’t know why you’re asking them to complete a task.
When the client may not know the why, you need to explain it to them in as short and sweet of a manner as possible.
For example, you can add, “Once I receive this form, I will work on preparing your tax return.”
It’s crucial that you do not get technical with the “why.” You do not need to tell the client that you’ll use this information to crunch their sales tax, deduct last week’s payroll, and start calculating their cash flow. Instead, the “why” should be the end goal.
“This document will help me run your cash flow projections” would work perfectly in the above example.
Additional Tips to Improve Your Client Communication
Now that you know my 5 Ws, it is time to add in a few extra tips to make communication your strong point.
- Analyze your communication and make sure that the client will have clear direction, details, and information to understand what you’re trying to convey to them.
- When sending requests or communicating with clients, do not add in unnecessary information. You can under- and over-communicate. Create a concise outline of details that’s easy to review and understand for the client.
- Include the right information. For example, if you send a client a meeting invite, include the date, time, location, objective, and any other information needed to ensure they are prepared for the meeting. These fine details reduce back-and-forth communication which takes up a lot of time.
- Share tips with your clients that help them communicate with you effectively. You may even outline the response process (if you’re sending them documents to fill out) to streamline communication and make it easy for everyone involved.
- Automate communication. Templates can be used to send regular inquiries, reminders, and messages. Automating communication through templates provides clear messaging even if you’re offshoring some of your client communication.
Finally, use software to streamline communication as much as possible. For example, ClientHub allows you to create client task templates and the ability to schedule and automate the notification of client tasks.
Communication is crucial to your firm. If you are not mastering communication, you are likely not offering the customer experience that clients want. Confusing messaging can lead to client frustration, and when one bad experience leads to nearly 50% of customers being willing to switch to a competitor, it is not something to take lightly.
Over time, you will learn what communication works best for your clients.
In the meantime, the tips above helped me drastically improve my communication with clients. I am confident that they will also help you master your own communication with clients.
Judie McCarthy is a QuickBooks ProAdvisor (Advanced Certified), speaker, author, experienced accounting professional, and co-founder of Client Hub. Client Hub is a one of a kind, all in one web-based, frictionless workflow and client collaboration tool built for accounting professionals. Client Hub takes communication out of cluttered, unsecure email inboxes and into a secure, firm branded workspace. To get in touch with Judie or schedule a demo of Client Hub, CLICK HERE.
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