When times are bad communication is key

Client wellbeing

Clients are not just a row on a client spreadsheet nor are they just a contact in the CRM they are both a business and humans subject to the vagaries of both.

Many businesses have suffered and are still suffering as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds and behind every business is a person who is seeing their business struggling whilst at the same time worrying about their own and no doubt their families’ health and futures.

We can make sure that they are aware of all and any state aid that might apply to them and we can help produce anything that is required to get that aid but what about the client? What about the person?

When we contact them about their furlough claims or how they are planning to roll out the Eat Out to Help Out initiative do we inquire about their own well-being? And if we do is a perfunctory “take care” at the end of an email or a Whats App message?

When business is going well and everything is “Hunky Dorey” our contact is minimal and highly business focused as it should be and everyone is basically happy. When times are bad for the business we escalate our involvement as we try to help out which is again as it should be but in these times when our clients themselves are under pressure we need to go that extra yard and make ourselves available should they want to talk where maybe they never wanted to talk before preferring emails or maybe they seem reluctant to end the conversation where before they had always been very professional almost often sounding brusque. They are either enjoying or maybe needing the interaction and is it too much of a hardship to indulge them?

Tax savings, low fees, and sound business advice really are what any client should expect from the Accountant but what might make them give that recommendation what might make them enquire about your wellbeing is to engage with them more especially when times are bad. View our membership benefits and contact us for more information.