NT / My Experience With "Letting It Ring"

[RitaB]

Woman CAME IN to ask me if X,Y, and Z were deductible.

Me: Yes. (That's it; we're done. Leave. Nice talkin to ya.)

She then spends 15 minutes telling me she knew I was busy so thought it would be best if she dropped in. Been trying the "let it ring" method, and I suspect she is one of the people I have not answered today.

She also said, "I didn't know if it was [deductible] or not" FORTY-THREE times. Yeah, I got that part. That's why you are camped out here now.

Sooooo, I guess the next strategy for me is lock the door.

[Burke]

Been there, done that.

[ChEAr$]

Sooooo, I guess the next strategy for me is lock the door.

My eventual strategy is to have an unlisted phone number.

[geekgirldany]

This year I have on my answering machine the times I see clients and return calls. I put a sign next to my door that says "if I am not in the office then do not come to my home. There is a reason I am not in the office. Call to make an appointment."

People who are not clients that call or come by asking questions about what is deductible, I just tell them I have to research it. For them to leave their information/forms and while I am working on the return I will call them about that deduction. Most of the time they leave or hang up

[Lion]

Mail Slot

I have caller ID on my office line and my house line. I have a home office, so my door is locked if I'm not expecting an appointment. I have a large mail slot in my front door. I do respond to emails rather quickly, as I'm trying to encourage that mode of communication. Right now, I have no voice and am coughing alot. As bad as I feel, my squeaky voice has been getting people off the telephone quickly as they feel sorry for me.

It's not foolproof. The client that knows I won't be finished with her return until 10 April still contacted me to ask how long to keep Health Benefit Statements and check registers.

And, a business client wants me to apply for a tax Residency Statement for the owner's Sch C business, of which I am NOT the preparer, for her distributor's client in Spain. I spent the entire afternoon researching Form 6166 and how to apply and emailing her and her assistant and former NY bookkeeper in and someone who might be her film editor that I wasn't scheduled to work at her business again until 19 April and suggesting her preparer or the NY bookkeeper (who admitted she applied for one for Germany) could apply more quickly. None of them want to tackle the form (12 pages of instructions), so now they love me and want me to feel better and 19 April is just fine with them!

My allergist said the prednisone she gave me to help my voice results in irritability. I think I need that right now. Leave me alone so I can work on your return!