Building Better Relationships

As a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), you do more than just crunch numbers for your clients. You’re seen as a tax advisor. Many financial decisions require your professional input – decisions that can affect individuals well into their foreseeable futures. What clients really want is a CPA that they can trust beyond the regular tax forms.

To obtain this trust, a devoted relationship has to be established with the client. And it doesn’t just come from the work you do for the client. Think about it – you can have the same cashier ring up your items every time, for the past few years. And you still wouldn’t know much about them. The work is establishing the relationship, and with these steps, you can start building momentous relationships with your clients.

Step 1 – Identification
You first need to identify who your best clients are – who they really are. Who fits the mold as the “best client?” If you have so many, then you obviously can’t dig deep with each of them all at once. Decide who would be most receptive to a deeper commitment from you – go with that client.

Step 2 – Effort & Time
Nothing happens overnight – anything worth having follows a process. With everything you probably have going on with B and C clients, it’s imperative you make a priority to give time to your A clients – the best clients.

Step 3 – Communication
You hear it time and time again, the worst deal breaker in relationships is lack of communication. As you spend more time with your client, your communication skill should be developing better. You’re not talking for the sake of talking, but speaking with a purpose. Speak beyond just the balance sheet and watch how the conversation becomes deeper, impactful, and valuable.

Step 4 – Trust Beyond a Tax Return
As the communication deepens with the client, so will the trust. With trust – an essential aspect of any real relationship – you’ll begin to understand the expectations of your client. Once you know what your client expects, you can become proactive about their needs instead of reactive.

Step 5 – Become What They Value
When communication is better, the trust deepens – and this changes the view from anticipated value to acquired value. The appreciation will no longer be expressed toward the solutions, but toward you as the CPA. Solutions can be obtained from anyone, anywhere, but a CPA that’s in sync with the client is difficult to find.

Step 6 – Aim For a Goal
The main goal is a genuine relationship with your client. But what are some smaller goals that can lead to the main goal? What can you achieve right now – in small doses – that can inch you ever closer to the ultimate prize? Everything you do for the client should be to strengthen the relationship; you should let them know it as well. Each action is done with a purpose, and not just for the sake of completing work.

Step 7 – Authenticity
“It’s just business, never personal.” The sooner you get rid of that sentiment, the better off you’ll be. In any situation, we’re taught not to “wear your heart on your sleeve.” But here’s the underlining fact, all relationships require some sort of personal investment, and business is possible in all relationships. At times, trust comes from being real and having heart. Remember the main goal – can you achieve that being heartless?

You may think this goes far beyond the scope of a normal CPA – that’s the point. You’re not the average CPA in a long search engine results list. To be the exception, you must first be exceptional.

And it starts by making time for the client. So get yourself more time for federal returns with ExpressExtension. With our service you can e-file a business, personal, or exempt organization tax return and get approved within minutes. After you transmit to the IRS, you can receive access to your completed extension form and approval letter.

For questions or assistance with e-filing any of our tax extensions, call our live support team in Rock Hill, South Carolina at (803) 514-5155. We’re available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST. You can also get in touch with us 24/7 at [email protected].