To call or not to call, that is the question.

[Safire]

I had a few clients that I had not heard from, that I was pretty sure I should have heard from. One of the ladies did just call this morning and said she had forgotten all about having to file.

After she called this morning, I did decide to call the rest and got mixed responses.

What do you guys do? Call them to see if they need to set up an appointment or just let it go.

I had a new client this year say to me, "Well I guess they ( her old tax preparer ) didn't give a **** about her business anyway, because they haven't called to check on her"

[Matt Sova]

Everyone gets called

Actually I preschedule all appointments and when the organizer goes out the prescheduled date and time is included on the organizer. 2 or 3 days before their appt we call and remind them about their appt. Some clients had no clue that an appt was set because they never opened the organizer and need to reschedule. The nice thing is that everyone is notified and they do get some contact from our office.

Matt

[Possi]

post cards

This year, I sent post cards to everyone. I got great responses! They simply said,
"I hope this note finds you and your family well. With the April 15th tax deadline fast approaching, I wanted to take this opportunity to invite you to call for an appointment to prepare your return.
I value your business and look forward to meeting with you again this year. "
I personally wrote "Dear _______" and personally signed each one. I sent about 30 out, about 2 weeks ago. Everyone appreciated it, and it has helped ease the rush. Some had just lost my number, others procrastinate or forget.
I say, call or reach them in some way!
~poss

[Brian EA]

I had a few clients that I had not heard from, that I was pretty sure I should have heard from. One of the ladies did just call this morning and said she had forgotten all about having to file.

After she called this morning, I did decide to call the rest and got mixed responses.

What do you guys do? Call them to see if they need to set up an appointment or just let it go.

I had a new client this year say to me, "Well I guess they ( her old tax preparer ) didn't give a **** about her business anyway, because they haven't called to check on her"

Every one gets a call from me depending what month they came in. After all these years I get to know those clients who wait for the last minute and those who would like to come in early.
Those RAL's clients are sent postcards in early January

[DTS]

Call

I counted my "no shows" the other day. 36 had not come in, yet. I wrote the names on the book, as my wife told me she would give each one a call with 4/17 coming fast. The minute I finished writing the names on the paper, four clients called and the calls are coming in slowly, but surely. So today, the rest of the calls go out.

Must be a Zen thing!

Dennis

[Matt Sova]

Looking at my count

To date we have completed 351 returns of all types, I have another 43 in my office for review and we have 54 more with their information in needing completion. I have another 175 that are about 75% consistent extenders, a few Fiscal YE Corps and the rest are ones that we lose to moving, price, child with little/no income but we had to file last year, etc.

[OldJack]

At the late date I call and tell them they can get it done cheaper at HR Block. Just kidding. [ :-)

[LawrenceGR]

I don't chase after them

I don't make contact with any of them except for mailing out a letter in the middle to end of Jan. I haven't changed my phone number or address and I figure they will come when they are ready. I never assume that people will come back but most of them do, I know some leave due to distance or they try to do it themselves. So I wait for them to contact me.

[Jiggers]

Missing clients

On March 10th, I mailed out letters to all those who have not come in reminding them of my March 20th information due date.

Today I mailed out letters to those who still didn't respond, mostly the same ones that I get extensions for each year, telling them I must hear from them with some information so that I can properly calculate their extension. With a due date of April 10th.

[Safire]

"I never assume that people will come back"

I guess that was my main concern, that someone might think I take their business for granted. I do send out Christmas cards to every one of my clients and feel that should serve as their reminder that tax time is just around the corner, as well as letting them know I appreciate their business.

I have a few monthly bookkeeping clients that I have to call every month, and I really don't want to get them in the habit of counting on me to remind them all the time, I know as I get busier that I won't have time for that type of thing.

[Gretel]

I really like the idea of calling. I never did before but did right away today. Some I knew wouldn't come for various reasons, but all others got a call. Two of them went elsewhere but were kind enough to let me know, why. I feel this is very valuable information.

One of them said they went to H&R because they thought I wasn't open on Saturday.

Besides, it makes me feel better instead of having assumptions in my head, which also makes for a cloudy mind (coming back to the wood cutter).

Thanks for starting this post.

[taxea]

call or no call

I send letter at end of January with reminder checklist. After the middle of March I call and ask that they please let me know if they intend to use my services this year. If I hear from anyone after 4/1 I let them know that an extension may be necessary for me to complete their return. I leave it entirely to the client once I have made the phone call. They are not children, tax filing is their responsiblity. I don't think it is my job to hound them.

[BOB W]

It depends..........

.............. on whether you want to squeeze every client you can get out of the tax season. Some of us older pros just get tired of the ongoing chase for some of our procastinator clients. Experience has taught us that they are probably problems anyway.

When I was chasing every client they seemed to be happy that I called them. So go for it, call them. I'm just tired of the time it takes to do the followup....

[JG EA]

Never dream of calling

They might want an appointment and I don't want any more!

[OldJack]

Some of us older pros just get tired of the ongoing chase for some of our procastinator clients. Experience has taught up that they are probably problems anyway.

I agree with Bob. The best thing that ever happened in my practice was when I decided to cut back on my work and told a bunch of problem clients that I could not do their tax work any longer. Life became much easier and so has tax season. You can't charge enough to make it worth doing some peoples taxes.