Whilst I enjoy handicrafts, particularly knitting, I am not talking about garments.
Everyone is unique, and their talents lie in different areas. I would love to be musical, but I just haven’t got what it takes, I spent many hours sitting at a piano willing it to sink in, but it never did. I admire those who can play musical instruments and sing well and have shared the stage with them in many a panto and musical, but I know my place and it is not with the singers!
Different businesses have different needs. Whether it is the reports that will help to inform the business owners/managers or the set of accounts and type of tax returns required by HMRC. There would be no point in sending a stock report to a business that only deals in services. In this way, accountants have to tailor their work to the client’s needs, however, it doesn’t end there.
Some clients will be more familiar with accountancy terminology than others, some may not know a P45 from a SATR. There is no point in using language that will not be understood by your client, they need to understand before they can approve reports and submissions and it is our job to explain it properly. We need to use plain English in a way that can be understood, and answer any questions that may arise. Try doing some sums in a language you don’t know well, you’ll soon see how difficult it can be.
Having tried to teach my mother-in-law how to use social media, I know some people are just not made for technology. It may be, as in this case, that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, or like me and music, it just might not make sense to them. If a client is ‘tech savvy’, great! You can supply the accounting software and they can use it. If not, offer as much help as they need, if they try and are not confident they are likely to do it incorrectly and it will take a lot of expensive time to put right!
We offer helping hand packages that depend on the amount of interaction the client wants with technology, from handing us the paper records and leaving it to us, to us just supplying the software. You wouldn’t want to wear a suit made for someone a foot taller and wider than you, so don’t expect your clients to need the same service as everyone else either.
APC Taylormade Ltd 