Take care of your health.
It’s okay to say no to personal demands or requests for your time. Practice your No’s and get some nomentum.
So, it seems like the feedback we've been getting is that 9 out of 15 clients were pretty rough, and now 10 out of 15 are shaping up to be just as tough. That's not exactly what we want to hear, but it's important to remember that we need to make the firm our number one client.
Here are a few examples of what I mean.
First of all, you can't care more than the client does. If they're not providing you with the information you need to complete their return or they're just not responding to your attempts to contact them, that's on them, not on you. As accountants, we follow up with our clients more than any other type of service provider I've ever seen, but we need to set our boundaries. For example, you might say something like, "If we don't hear from you by October 1st, we won't be able to complete your return on time." Stick to your guns and don't let them drag you down.
Another important point is to take care of your health. It's okay to say no to personal demands or requests for your time. If someone asks you to do something that you just can't fit into your schedule, it's perfectly fine to say something like, "Thanks for asking, but I can't make it." Your health and well-being should always come first.
Lastly, don't be afraid to upgrade or terminate your clients. As accountants, we sometimes make excuses for our clients once the deadline has passed, but that's not doing anyone any favors. Price and upgrade like it's the best day ever (10/10) or the worst day ever (3/24). You'll be surprised at how much momentum you can gain by practicing your "no's" and standing up for yourself and your firm.
So, let's remember to make the firm our number one client and stick to our boundaries.
We got this!
Taking Action:
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About the Author:
Shannon Vincent has dedicated his entire career to working with accountants in various capacities. He has consulted with Top 100 firms to Sole Practitioners, helping them create sustainable and profitable businesses. A member of the California Society of CPAs, he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics with an emphasis in accounting from University of California, Santa Barbara, and now resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. Shannon is passionate about helping accountants put themselves first.
About Renew Group:
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