At Least I Respond, Not That It Matters

[JohnH]

Had a good laugh today after talking to a client. She's a half.owner in an s-corp located put of state. For years I've handled her personal return, but someone else handles the corp. Occasionally she will email or call with a question related to the Corp and I generally give her my best advice based on what I know about its operations.

Today she told me she and her partner are losing confidence in the Corp accountant and they want to know if I'm interested in handling it. After we talked a while, I told her we'd need to conference the other owner in and discuss it further.

She said that's fine, but they had both already discussed it and they're definitely making a change whether it's to me or someone else. She said the other owner already knows I respond to emails immediately. Then came the zinger - "most of the time I still don't understand what you said, but a least you get back to me right away."

Well, thanks for the compliment (I think).

[S T]

Seems like holds true no matter if an individual client or a business client.
Timely Communication of some sort or Acknowledgement.
Most clients appreciate it and remember that "we" did respond.

Sandy

[oceanlovin'ea]

Yes, they appreciate that we talk to them and answer their questions. We hope they understand us. But it is that we are willing to give them our time.

Linda, EA

[thomtax]

Yes, they appreciate that we talk to them and answer their questions. We hope they understand us. But it is that we are willing to give them our time.

Linda, EA

I have often told my sons, if there is a problem talk to the other party, whether it be debtor, IRS, etc. Many times they will work with you, but it is the wondering and not knowing what is happening that causes the problem.

Good for you JohnH for replying. I feel it is owed to anyone, no matter how frustrating it may be at times, if you accept their money to do a job.

LT

[Black Bart]

It seems

Had a good laugh today after talking to a client...the zinger - "most of the time I still don't understand what you said, but a least you get back to me right away."

Well, thanks for the compliment (I think).

to be universal.

Guy picked up his stuff at my office today -- never did EF before and I spent a good ten minutes 'splainin' all about it. He's lookin' straight at me seriously and solemnly (obviously a deep thinker) nodding and saying "Yes, yes" the whole time.

I tell him that IRS (like certain posters) loathes paper, that they're makin' us do this, that we're sending the return direct from our computer to IRS' computer, that his return will be filed in 15 minutes, that he won't be mailing anything from now on, that while it's a tad inconvenient because he's "gotta go back to the house and get the ol' lady to sign" (his characterization, not mine), that it's easy as pie (you know, the same stuff FE's been tellin' me). Leaves; comes right back -- forms in hand -- pays up, I hand over his file copy, and he says "Where's the stuff for the post office?"