Most businesses, including accounting firms, believe they are providing excellent client service. Your exceptional service sets you apart from the competition and keeps your clients happy. Or does it?
Unfortunately, businesses often make assumptions about what their clients want. Sometimes they miss the mark, which can lead to misunderstandings, unmet expectations, and potentially dissatisfied clients who eventually take their business elsewhere.
“When a firm, or any other business, has been doing things the same way for 10, 20, or 30 years — and it has worked for 10, 20, or 30 years — there are blind spots,” said Greg Pope, Vice President of Marketing at SurePrep. “…You’ve really got to take a deep look at the kind of service you’re offering compared to other firms and the kind of service your clients are receiving in other industries.”
Underscoring this point, HubSpot’s Annual State of Service in 2022 report found that 88 percent of customer service professionals surveyed believe customers have higher expectations than they did in previous years. And, in today’s connected society, 85 percent of those surveyed agree that customers are more likely than ever to share positive or negative experiences with others.
That’s why it is important for firms to take a hard look at their client service models to ensure they are providing clients the services they actually want — and not just the services you think they want.
Let’s take a look at a few client service areas that can boost your firm’s reputation in your clients’ eyes.
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