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Retail shops offer great deals and interesting products to earn repeat customers, but accounting practices find they need to be a bit more strategic to keep their clients coming back. Supplying excellent payroll services, great-looking CPA websites, and no-flaw tax returns certainly do help – but any other CPA is entirely capable of achieving this same basic level of professionalism. CPA practices need to go the extra mile to ensure their client base doesn’t migrate to competing accountants. If they’re not careful, they’ll lose clients, forcing them to “waste” time gaining new prospects.

Check out the following pointers for how to better retain accounting clients.

Employ CPA Websites, Social Media, and Other Tricks

When the job is all about numbers, a personal feel is sometimes difficult to establish. Here are some steps you can take to humanize your business:

• Use the good old-fashioned phone to check up on clients, making sure they don’t have any lingering questions after tax day.
• Establish an online presence. Savvy CPAs invest in CPA websites so they can offer their clients the latest in convenience, such as client portals and the ability to pay their fees online.
• For clients who use Facebook and Twitter, set up social media accounts so you can easily answer questions in real time.
• Keep small personal notes on each client. Ask about their children, their career, or their success in school next time you see them; it gives you instant likability.

Keep Their Expectations Low – Then Exceed Them

Be very careful not to promise the world to your clients. For instance, they should know that if they turn in their tax materials within a week of tax day, you likely won’t be able to complete their return on time.

That being said, you should always work to deliver more than you’ve promised. And if you make a big push and DO get taxes done by the 15th even though materials were late, be sure to point out your extra effort.

CPA websites can help here, too. Having a fully loaded website with online payroll services, QuickBooks training and support, and a client portal is definitely a huge advantage to your clients. The increased efficiency and convenience of online tools make a great impression.

Find Ways to Reveal Your Integrity

Let’s face it: finance professionals don’t always have a reputation for honesty and high ethical standards, especially these days. Since the deck may already be stacked against you, you must work that much harder to provide honest services.

So you must be vigilant: never lie, and always be as upfront as possible with unpleasant news, rather than beating around the bush.

Make Prompt Communication a Priority

Hard-to-reach businesses lose customers. When people are stressed about their finances, waiting even for half a day can make their anxiety go through the roof. Regardless of the reason, clients may be concerned that lack of contact means something is wrong.

Make sure your office is able to deliver prompt communication on all issues. Follow up by phone or email as soon as you can, even if it’s just to report that you’ll be in touch with more information later.

Don’t Hide Your Personality

People like to work with other human beings, not robots. If you’re funny, be funny. If you’re shy, don’t pretend to be gregarious. Of course you won’t be a perfect fit for each and every client, but that shouldn’t be your goal. When you try too hard to be likable to everyone who comes through your door, you end up being unlikable to most.

Practicing the finer points of client retention is critical for all service professionals, accountants included. The more you can use CPA websites, social media like Facebook and Twitter, and your own trustworthiness to impress your clients, the easier it will be to keep folks from defecting to another firm. Give your best energy to the clients who bring in the most revenue and you’ll find you have a solid foundation of loyal clients and a reliable source of income.