Work Style

[erchess]

I have always done most of my work on clients' returns in their presence, as is done at H and R Block. I like having the client there in case I need to ask a question. At the same time, I have always been fascinated by the fact that many offices conduct an interview and perhaps have the client complete a worksheet, and then go away while the professional goes to work. I have even known of practices where the person who conducts the initial interview and collects the worksheet is not necessarily the person who completes the return.

So how do you work and why do you work that way?

[Girard Van De Lay]

work

My first year on my own I did the work in front of the people and the general commet was I could of done that myself and you are charging me how much? So now I have them drop off the info and come back a week later even though most are done by that evening. It gives them the idea that they can not do this by themself and that is what we sell is our knowlage. Also if you do run into some problems it gives you time to actually find the correct answers to the problem without looking like youdo not know what you are doing.

Girard

[S T]

I do

I do both, I have appointments and often meet with clients in their home or office, I use a laptop and the organizers. My clientele is repeat with a fair percentage of referrals each year.

So for appointments, I complete 90% of the return with the client present, and provide them with an estimated refund/amount due, (unless I have to research) then bring back to the office, transfer to the desktop, review and efile, print, and mail.

Or on the mail in clients, review, contact the client phone/email/fax regarding questions, then complete and efile, print and mail.

Seems to work,

Sandy

[taxmandan]

Client present while preparing return, maybe.

We do both, but are trying to get everyone to drop off their information at an interview and return later to pick up their copy, pay us and sign forms. This allows research time if needed, and every return is reviewed by a second preparer for errors, omissions and typos. This has greatly reduced errors getting to the IRS, trying to get a return done while the client is chatting away and their kid is trashing the office is very distracting.
The return may or may not be completed by the preparer who interviewed the client. Intra-office peer review is a good thing.

[Snaggletooth]

Personal Interface

Years ago, our town had a CPA who invited customers to the back of his office for a beer. He had a good reputation and a large practice. He sold out to a stuffed-shirt type. One of the customers came for his annual beer and the new CPA met him at the door and told him to leave his paperwork with the receptionist and he would get around to it in due time.

This one particular customer, a truck driver who owned his own truck, didn't appreciate it. One of my customers recommended that he see me 22 years ago. He now owns 30 trucks, 3 warehouses, and a $5 million business. Every year I do his return, and we go to the back of his office and have a beer.

I see my customers face-to-face every year, and charge by the hour. If they have several information returns, this amounts to quite a bit of time I could do by myself, but I calculate them while they are talking about the weather, their family, their job, etc.

I do NOT use questionnaires. I've seen several of them, and I'm afraid many customers would figure out a typical 1040 is easier to fill out than a questionnaire, and they'll do it themselves. I drag the information out of them during the interface-interview.

[Peachie]

Good question.

So how do you work and why do you work that way?

I like having my client sit in front of me as I prepare the return and ask any questions needed to facilitate the preparation of a complete and correct return. Some of my "old" clients had gotten in the habit of just dropping everything off and coming back. This year I am filing ALL returns electronically and have asked that they sit and catch up with me as I do my job. It has worked out well. Yes, even for those that owe. I sent a letter in December letting them know of the change and giving them the opportunity to go elsewhere if they needed to. So far, my repeats have come back and I have received several referrals in the process.

Someone mentioned clients saying, "I could have done that myself". Great, so do it. D-I-Y will never replace my tax knowledge and the time I spend getting better educated about taxes each year. I do not apologize for having a tax program that brings your pertinent information forward each year, nor do I apologize for knowing the laws and codes so well that I don't have to stumble around to prepare a correct and complete tax return. I value their time so they should value mine. I want them in and out in a minimum amount of time.
I do those things that allow me to do this.

I am very passionate about tax preparation for myself and my clients.

Peachie.

[Holland]

So how do you work and why do you work that way?

I have spent a lot of time analyzing my work methods over the past several years. Based upon my analysis, I have tried to reduce my costs. Here are some of my results. They may not work in any other office, however.

1) Paper costs money. Anything that reduces paper is cost-effective. So I charge an extra $20 for NOT efiling, and an extra $20 for a paper copy of the return, rather than a CD. All client records are encrypted behind a Linux firewall.

2) A second appointment to "pick up" and pay for the return is expensive, so I try to minimize that - not always possible. The simple returns (little old ladies with one W2, etc.) I input the data as quickly as possible (as low as 4 minutes with Drake) and then shoo the client out to the reception area while a clerk completes the client folder, the CD, the scanning, etc. Another 10-15 minutes. This group of clients seem to be the ones that appreciate the speed and do not complain about how much they are charged for a few minutes professional work.

3) The more complicated returns that do require an interview, I input all the data that I can quickly glean from the client and then send them on their way. This group appreciates the fact that I try to not waste their time. Once they are decently gone, a clerk can do any tedious data entry and I can then quickly review.

4) Any information mailed, emailed, or faxed in is pure gold as that return can be worked on in any slack period or at night.

5) My client base is extremely responsive to discounts. I tried a 20% off for January and 10% off for February with very good results this year. Those two month saw a 400% increase in business. Next year I plan more discounts! Since my current clients all want to come during the day and H&RB next door does most of their business in the evening, I plan on a NEW client discount 20% after 5PM, and a NEW client discount 10% any time.

Christopher Mewhort, EA, CGA

[Jade06]

I have spent a lot of time analyzing my work methods over the past several years. Based upon my analysis, I have tried to reduce my costs. Here are some of my results. They may not work in any other office, however.

1) Paper costs money. Anything that reduces paper is cost-effective. So I charge an extra $20 for NOT efiling, and an extra $20 for a paper copy of the return, rather than a CD. All client records are encrypted behind a Linux firewall.

2) A second appointment to "pick up" and pay for the return is expensive, so I try to minimize that - not always possible. The simple returns (little old ladies with one W2, etc.) I input the data as quickly as possible (as low as 4 minutes with Drake) and then shoo the client out to the reception area while a clerk completes the client folder, the CD, the scanning, etc. Another 10-15 minutes. This group of clients seem to be the ones that appreciate the speed and do not complain about how much they are charged for a few minutes professional work.

3) The more complicated returns that do require an interview, I input all the data that I can quickly glean from the client and then send them on their way. This group appreciates the fact that I try to not waste their time. Once they are decently gone, a clerk can do any tedious data entry and I can then quickly review.

4) Any information mailed, emailed, or faxed in is pure gold as that return can be worked on in any slack period or at night.

5) My client base is extremely responsive to discounts. I tried a 20% off for January and 10% off for February with very good results this year. Those two month saw a 400% increase in business. Next year I plan more discounts! Since my current clients all want to come during the day and H&RB next door does most of their business in the evening, I plan on a NEW client discount 20% after 5PM, and a NEW client discount 10% any time.

Christopher Mewhort, EA, CGA

Why don't you just put a drive thru in while your at it. How fast you can prepare the return shouldn't make a difference. I did one yesterday took me 15 minutes for the interview, input and e-file. However local returns are done by hand. To which I had to do 3. Naturaly he left by then. the whole process of his return took almost 2 hours from him walking in the door until the federal, state and local returns were reviewed and the final file was done. Now to him it took 15 minutes, but for us it was almost 2 hours. So should our office have charged him for the time we took after he was gone? No forms drive our price. More forms=bigger price. It's the standard pricing for the big three. Most of the clients we get in here complain about former cpas charging by the hour, having "hidden" fees, and lastly ripping them off. Now I'm not saying that any of you would ever rip someone off, but if I were to go to a cpa or otherwise and I was there for 4 minutes and I got charged anything more than $20, I'm not going back. 4 minutes...that seems outrageous this line also seems a bit out there ..Once they are decently gone, a clerk can do any tedious data entry and I can then quickly review. Tedious data entry ..hmm isn't one of the main parts of this job to collect the data ourselves ..to escentially know the returns we do inside and out to be sure they are done correctly. Not push the "tedious data entry" work off onto someone who hasn't even talked with the client. I wonder how your clients would feel if they read this. Sorry maybe I interpreted this wrong but it just looked so horrid.

Jade!!

[DaveO]

I guess we are very old school

I will enter their information on a set of proforma worksheets and enter the totals on a one page summary sheet where I manually figure the tax. Some one else keys the return into the computer and returns the finished return for my review and signature. Yet another person will copy the return for the customer and prepare a bill and the efile signature pages. They will also check the W-2 and 1099 forms and prepare estimated payments and envelopes if needed.

Three sets of eyes looking the numbers over is very often a good thing.