Why Unhappy Clients are the Best Learning Source

All accounting professionals will inevitably encounter a client who has become unhappy with their work – regardless of skill level and experience. At some point, there will be an instance of miscommunication, an unclear detail in paperwork, or an unrealistic demand that will push the accounting client over the edge into ‘dissatisfied customer’ territory. So, what can accountants do to turn these problematic client relationships around and get everyone back on the same page? This article will provide practice advice for transforming your unhappy clients into your best learning source. We’ll provide tips on remedying common customer pain points to help you ensure that you deliver the best in service. 

Are unhappy clients becoming more common?

Findings from Sage reveal that 82% of accountants believe that clients have become more demanding in recent years, expecting more flexibility and higher service levels than in the past. This may be because their clients encounter more digital services in other aspects of their daily lives and assume that their accounting firm is following suit and doing all it can to make their experience quick and seamless. According to another survey from GoRemotely, 44% of small business owners believe that accounting firms must react faster to the demands of the digital era. 36% of respondents feel that their accountant has issues with timeliness, 32% wish they could get more guidance on the process, and 23% would like more education on the accounting industry. 

These statistics highlight that while many accountants believe that clients are setting unrealistic expectations, in many cases, clients are simply seeking more clarification on the accounting process as a whole. This suggests that with the introduction of some additional processes and technologies, accountants can boost customer satisfaction metrics rapidly without having to go above and beyond for the same fee. With that in mind, here are our tips for building and maintaining better client relationships: 

Streamline accounting client onboarding

A study by Xero found that companies that deploy fully digitised processes have five times the number of customers than accounting firms that don’t. Investing in accounting client onboarding software provides customers with everything they need to get onboarded seamlessly. From automating customer welcome emails to guiding them to helpful FAQs, solutions like TaxDome and ContentSnare can help you make an excellent first impression with clients while streamlining your workload considerably. 

Gather regular client feedback

Conducting regular client surveys is the easiest and most effective way of gathering granular customer feedback you can use to better your brand. Many end-to-end customer management solutions offer email survey templates you can customise with logos and tailored questions and send out to your entire client base in a flash. However, bear in mind that sending feedback requests too frequently can annoy recipients, so try to keep surveys short and send them on a monthly/quarterly basis and see what works best. 

Identify service gaps

From your detailed feedback, try to identify service gaps and look for solutions for boosting these metrics. For example, suppose you find a customer requesting more tailored advice on a particular topic. In that case, hosting an online webinar packed with helpful information will allow them to come forward with their questions and give you the benefit of sharing your expertise with a broader audience. 

Upskill teams with soft skills training

Communication, empathy and conflict resolution are the cornerstones of great accounting client management, so ensure that you are fostering a company culture that embraces all these vital soft skills. Take a look at this previous article on the topic for more advice. At INAA, we’re always here to help accounting professionals develop their careers. 

INAA: Your partner in building strong accounting client relationships

We’re on a mission at INAA to help accounting firms turn every client experience into a positive one. Our members enjoy easy access to a worldwide network of talented accounting professionals spanning 50 countries. We’re always here to help aspiring accountants launch their services on the global stage, so if you would like to find out more, sign up for an INAA membership today.