Thanks Jim

[PATAX]

Had appointment for retired married couple to drop off their taxes. No tax credits or anything, so basically not real complicated. But usually they stick around for about an hour as they are old neighbors. But I finished the appointment in 17 minutes! I still have to prepare the tax returns.  I think they wanted to stick around for more chit chat, but I told them: "I'm going to let you folks go now, because I know you are busy." That usually works. Thanks Jim.

[dascpa · Accepted solution]

I believe there is a happy medium between being their trusted advisor and being a tax prep factory.  We all love (the too few) easy returns but many of clients who want to talk raise issues that we can assist with (retirement, college funding, estate planning, etc.).  Many client are looking for that "relationship" with a professional, not just someone who can fill out forms.  It's a balancing act we must deal with.

[BobKamman]

Exactly.  And I have the luxury of spending more time with clients now that I try to call myself "semi-retired."  If I'm too efficient, it just means I have no excuse for taking new clients, and I turned one down just yesterday.

Last week I spent a couple hours with a widow (who got that strange notice from IRS) and her son.  Chewed her out for having a Medicare Advantage plan (she will change when she can) and explained that it's not a good idea to have 25% of her estate tied up in one stock, that of her late husband's previous employer, now that she can sell it with stepped-up basis.  

If the tax returns are the most important way I helped a client, I wonder if I missed something.  

[IRonMaN]

I’ll preface this with - we each run our practices the way we believe we need too.  But for myself I still feel the need for some human interaction with my clients.  I don’t ever want a client to feel that I shoved them out of my office.  I also don’t want them to think they are just a number rather than a client to me.  

Years ago my optometrist referred me over to an ophthalmologist to perform some additional tests.  When I subsequently went back to my optometrist he asked me how the appointment went.  Whenever I had an appointment with my optometrist there was always a little general chit chat about life and family in general.  So when I said the guy seemed to know his stuff but there was no talking about the weather.  My optometrist just put his head down for a second and said “I wondered about that when we were setting up appointments for 10:07”.  So they guy knew his stuff but left me feeling like I was just dollar signs to him.  I don’t ever want a client to leave my office with the same feeling.

[PATAX]

@IRonMaN Yeah you are right Iron Man. When they called to make the appointment I did talk to them for a while on the phone. And I don't think I cut them short on interview, and we covered everything. Actually I am the one that ends up talking too much. more than the clients do. But I am overwhelmed this year, and with my shoulder injury I cannot work nonstop like I used to.

[IRonMaN]

Teach Heidi how to type so she can start working on data entry for you.  You might need to get a bigger keyboard though ----------- it's tough hitting the right key with paws.

[Jim-from-Ohio]

17 minutes?  You can do better than that! 🙂

[PATAX]

give me some time. Rome was not built in a day.

[meoleson]

I have been doing this for 53 years, 37 years as a side gig and my 17th year now as my full-time job.  Most of my base clients have been with me forever, probably 85% of them make up long term clients and the other 15% churn based on deaths, moves away, or always those looking for something cheaper.  I spent a couple of years as financial team leader for a farm cooperative and learned how to deal with the farmers complaining about the bill for their crop inputs because Joe across the street was selling something just a bit cheaper.  Our comment was only if you want it cheaper, we offer price, quality, service.  For what you want to pay pick two we can't give all three, they usually stayed with us.  In my practice I have been doing this long enough that I no longer  need to keep them all.  My philosophy has always been that my clients become my friends and if you don't become my friend, you don't come back.  This year has been emotionally draining trying to help several of my clients with life issues.  

[PATAX]

@meoleson Well said. God bless you.

[dkh]

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@Jim-from-Ohio wrote:

17 minutes?  You can do better than that! 🙂

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Jim - I think you need to go back and read the fine print...... that 17 minutes was the meet & greet when the client dropped off.   PATAX still needs to prepare the return.