My primary preparer is just slow and I need suggestions to improve productivity...

[MAJ]

I'm the only preparer in my firm and by that, I mean phone taker, bill maker, risk taker, and money maker - you get my drift.
My calendar and phone have been like a war zone. 'NOT COMPLAINING'.
I implemented TaxDome in 2020 and ever since my practice has been growing.
Without advertisement I've added:
20 clients in 2020 - I started tracking later in the season.
46 clients in 2021
48 clients in 2022 (so far).

What virtual phone systems do we small guys need/use? I currently have a google voice number which has served me well. 732-540-1040
I'll port the phone number to a new phone service if I can find something affordable with intelligence (can send a text response; hyperlink response; voicemail; fax; or cook). Willing to leave one of the options off. The last one serves the least purpose since my wife is an incredible cook, baker, candy maker, and toll taker - you get the idea. (see collects tolls on the NJ Parkway, well supervisor - but I digress yet Again).

I want to free myself up from some of the repetitive data entry tasks associated with many/most of the basic returns so I have more time to post here.
I want to better manage the process and the business overall. To help it grow more.

Who has had success with obtaining help from local college students looking for some hours and experience preparing tax returns? Thoughts or suggestions?

[Rapid Robert]

You should decide what type of client you really want, and dont' bother trying to appeal to any others. For example, when I started my practice, I soon realized I wanted clients willing and able to work paperless and remote, and willing to use email. I never use texts with clients (don't give out my cell phone), and if they happen to phone, I will usually reply with an email so as to get the conversation nailed down and archived for posterity. I would still meet in my home office especially the first year, but tried to discourage in person visits after that.

Hiring someone is a huge step, the overhead is incredible as you probably know - I-9 forms, workers comp, payroll tax returns, complying with state labor law. And they make your security plan an order of magnitude more complicated. Of course, hiring the second employee is much less of a hurdle, should it come to that.
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Instead of hiring a local college student to do clerical work, also consider hiring a local EA or similar who can actually prepare the entire basic return for your final review.

[TaxGuyBill]

I want to free myself up from some of the repetitive data entry tasks associated with many/most of the basic returns so I have more time to post here.

I love your goal. :-)

As Robert said, it can be a big step to hire somebody, so you first may want to analyze if you WANT to keep taking on more clients or not (and why type of clients). There is nothing wrong with not taking on new clients (and firing annoying clients) and keep doing it yourself. I'm not trying to talk you out of it, but it is something to ask yourself before you start looking for somebody to hire.

[BOB W]

MAJ, how many clients do you have? That number would make difference with my response to your question.

[Lion]

A college student won't be with you for the long run. You'll be taking time to train a new one in a couple years.

An admin, maybe a mother who's available while her kids are in school, could take a lot of tasks off your plate. Might be around for years. Could be able to do data entry, also.

Do you have office space, a networked computer, and other things an employee needs? If not, how much will it cost you to "outfit" an employee? Probably cost the same to equip a part-time data-entry clerk as a full-time EA preparer.