Five client communication tips

Adam Turner

The article is relevant to members in Australia and New Zealand and was current at the time of publication.

Savvy practitioners are thinking beyond transactional updates and taking a more holistic approach to client needs, especially when it comes to communication.

Even though some firms acknowledge the communication challenge, they can still struggle to enhance client engagement, particularly when digital communications such as email reduce opportunities for personal interaction, says Tyler Wise, Partner, Accounting & Business Advisory with Findex. 

“When our face-to-face time with clients is reduced, it really hampers our ability to ask them about their broader needs and show them how we can provide more value,” Wise says. “Rather than hit our entire clientele with a generic marketing email blast, we take a personalised approach.” 

A case in point is offering the firm’s Virtual CFO (VCFO) to some clients. 

“For example, instead of just emailing clients to say their tax returns are ready to be signed, our VCFO team can assist and add reviews of their key metrics to create tailored talking points that we can add to the email to spark meaningful dialogue,” Wise says.   

Here are five tips to help strengthen communication with clients.

Tip 1: Keep it simple, pick up the phone 

Along with personalised emails, Wise also makes more of an effort to pick up the phone for regular check-ins with clients.

“Picking up the phone might seem outdated, but the benefits are two-fold,” he says. “It offers the opportunity for deeper engagement, plus it’s a channel through which you can share sensitive information that you might not want to risk sending via email, such as tax file numbers.”

Tip 2: Keep your channels secure

Findex has strict policies around not sharing sensitive information through potentially insecure channels, which is why it uses its own internally developed, Australian-hosted secure portal for sharing documents such as tax returns with clients.

Rather than sending sensitive documents as email attachments, accounting firms can also take advantage of third-party client portals and e-signature tools like Docusign®, Annature and Adobe, as well as those built into financial tools such as Xero portal.

“When it comes to standard communications, we’re generally happy to use whichever channel suits the client, but we make it clear that we can’t share some information unless it’s over a secure and encrypted channel.

“Over the last few years, I’ve definitely seen much less client resistance and frustration towards these extra steps, because they are developing a heightened security awareness and appreciate the extra precautions,” Wise recounts.

Tip 3: Make it personal

Building on personalised communication that addresses clients’ current needs, Client Lifecycle Management (CLM) allows accounting firms to be more proactive in anticipating upcoming needs, says Alan FitzGerald, Founder of IT consultancy Practice Connections Advisory that specialises in assessing the technological priorities of accounting firms.

Industries like insurance make the most of CLM to maximise profitability by providing a seamless, personalised experience at every stage, but FitzGerald says the accounting industry has been slow to follow suit.

“Quite often, clients are unaware of all the services their accountant actually provides,” he says. “Done well, this doesn’t come across as aggressive cross-selling, but rather as the actions of a trusted advisor who recognises the challenges facing their clients.”

“Getting this balance right is a key to fostering long-term loyalty and becoming more than a mere service provider.”

Tip 4: Focus on policy, not tools

While there is a plethora of communications tools in the market, FitzGerald does not recommend specific tools or platforms. He does however recommend that accounting firms introduce communication policies that specify the firm’s platform of choice to reduce fragmentation and the use of back channels.

“It can be hard to enforce, but without this standardisation, you can be left flying blind if an accountant leaves your firm and many of their client communications have been via personal SMS or WhatsApp, for example,” he says.

Tip 5: When AI can actually help

When it comes to taking client engagement to the next level, it is important to appreciate that different people digest information in different ways. While some are comfortable reading financial reports, others might better engage with information that is distilled into more accessible, personalised infographics or explainer videos.

AI-powered tools can generate this kind of content, but rather than introduce it across the board, FitzGerald says it is best to start with a small cohort. 

“Start with clients with whom you have a good relationship. Explain that you’re trying something new that lets you provide more value as their accountant, and that you’re looking for feedback,” he says.

“Accountants can be reluctant to try new things that have the potential to fail, but entrepreneurial-style clients appreciate that you can’t let fear of failure hold you back from taking calculated risks that can take client engagement to the next level.”