Skip to main content

Firm Management

6 Reasons Accountants Value Automated, Date-Driven Client Communications

Imagine what it would be like if some of your routine administrative tasks were handled without ever lifting a finger.

May. 05, 2015

Data Driven PR 1 5549137fc5d80

Imagine what it would be like if some of your routine administrative tasks were handled without ever lifting a finger? Now not every routine task can be handled automatically, but certain date-driven recurring tasks can.

What is Date-driven Communication?

Accountants and tax preparers, by the very nature of their work, are date-driven. For example, many workdays revolve around monthly financials, bi-weekly payrolls, quarterly filings, annual reporting, semi-annual tax planning, filing deadlines and extension filings to name a few. Considering that the dates that drive accountants’ work are routine and often cyclical, communications around these events is easily anticipated. Handling the communication with clients to remind them of upcoming events is where online date-driven client communication tools save the accountant time. 

Why online automated client communication works

With online date-driven communication tools, setting these client messages up to be sent out automatically results in a ‘set it and forget it’ notification system. Partners are not required to invest any time managing this administrative task after it has been set up. A date-driven communication system ensures automated, accurate and timely delivery of standard messages. Administrative-type tasks are important, but when they can be automated, they become easy and reliable.

There are many reasons why date-driven communications make common sense. Here are six solid reasons why:

  1. Small business owners prefer you to handle their bookkeeping, banking and finance work, and they expect you to be timely about it.
  2. Accountant and bookkeeper work is largely date-driven; it’s usually cyclical.
  3. ‘Set it and forget it’ makes date-driven routine communication easy to manage.
  4. Partners’ time is more wisely spent on value-added billable work.
  5. Keeping clients systematically informed helps to ensure they deliver what is needed on a timely basis; this keeps work moving through the practice.
  6. Consistently keeping your practice in front of your clients reinforces your brand and your relationship with them.

In recent years many, online date-driven client communication tools have been designed to handle many of your routine tasks, freeing up anywhere from five minutes to an hour a day, time you could spend doing something else.

Here is a question to ponder and comment upon below. We would love to hear from you:

  • What would you do with this new-found free time?

——————-

Bob Tenner, general partner of Tenenz Inc., has more than 19 years experience successfully serving the marketing, communications, and product needs of accounting and tax professionals. Tenenz, located in Minneapolis, has provided high-quality products and services including digital marketing communication products through Client Centric Communications to accounting professionals across the United States for more than 40 years.