Managing client satisfaction at your accounting firm starts with managing client expectations. Imagine you’re a kid going to a party and you expect there to be a bounce house. If you arrive at the party to find cake, games, and a pool… You might still be disappointed because you built it up to be something else in your head. In the adult world, this happens in business relationships all the time.
It’s not as much about good or bad service as it is expectations. When clients expect one thing but get another, they can end up dissatisfied with your business. That’s why it can be vital to carefully manage your clients expectations. When everyone is on the same page, everyone stays happy. Here are some best practices for establishing and maintaining expectations at your firm.
Utilize Your Engagement Letter
Your engagement letter is the first line of defense when it comes to setting expectations with clients. In your engagement letter, you define the scope of the services you will provide along with the expectations YOU have for your client. When your engagement letter is specific, clear, regularly updated, and readily available for your client to review, they should have a better understanding of what they can expect from you.
Create a Communication Plan
Good communication is a key part to a good relationship… and one of the ways a client relationship can fall apart. Ask yourself: Have you set clear expectations for your clients in terms of how you will communicate? What channels should they be reaching you through and at what times? When are you unavailable to clients? How are you communicating longer absences, like vacations or emergencies, and who can they contact when you’re not there?
Send Reminders About Deadlines
You can’t do your job unless you have everything you need, exactly when you need it. Setting clear deadlines and sending reminders as the due dates approach is one way you can set a clear expectation for your clients. They need to know what is due, when, and what happens if they do not meet that deadline.
Talk to Your Clients
Gathering feedback is a great way to gauge how your clients are feeling about your services and your working relationship. You can utilize surveys or simply schedule meetings with your clients to talk to them about how things are going. Ask them if there are any areas you can improve in. Even just showing that you are adaptable and care about what they have to say can make a big difference in their overall satisfaction.
Managing client expectations is an integral part of managing an accounting firm. You may be great at your job and provide excellent service, yet unclear expectations can still create dissatisfaction among clients. No one wants that. We all want happy clients who stick around AND refer others to our business. So, be sure to try out these tips — and check out our guide to creating a client communication plan!
