Streamline Client Management for Accounting and Financial Services: The Power of a Client Support App
You have probably heard that multitasking is overrated, and firms waste hours away (and a lot of brain power) switching between hundreds of tasks or browsers on a daily basis. But you know there is a better way to do it, otherwise you won’t be here reading this.
Undeniably, streamlining client management is crucial for accounting and financial services firms because it helps improve operational efficiency, increase client satisfaction, and drive business growth. The number of wins are endless - by streamlining processes, firms can reduce administrative tasks, freeing up time to focus on providing higher-value services and building stronger client relationships (and better relationships mean better business).
Streamlining client management also helps ensure consistency and accuracy in client data and reporting, leading to a better informed and more effective decision making (and, of course - your reputation stays untouched). Additionally, it can provide real-time insights into client needs and behaviours in a single click, enabling firms to tailor their services and approach accordingly.
Ultimately, streamlining client management leads to a more organised and productive work environment, and helps position firms for long-term success in a competitive market.
How did we end up talking about streamlining your client support (and what is streamlining)? Let’s explore 👇
Any self-respecting accountant or finance professional knows their success is tied up to the success of their clients and happy clients equals higher revenue.
So is there a shortcut to better client support? In this day and age the short answer is yes. There is no surprise that technology, AI and cloud computing are all rapidly growing and helping businesses support their teams, clients and efforts altogether. Client support and management is now easier than ever as long as you adopt the right tools - and less is more in this case.
Using one streamlined app to manage queries, communicate with your team and clients, send documents to your preferred data capture tools and stop juggling between 10 applications whilst doing it can save you a ton of time. And, dare we even open that door and start ranting about how precious time is, and having more time to focus on your business rather than trying to support clients on multiple platforms can increase your revenue and client retention?
The solution: A client support app has the power to revolutionise the way accounting and financial services manage their clients.
Rather than chasing invoices via old and forgotten email threads, using WhatsApp and getting distracted by a message on there from your mum, or being old school and calling your client’s landline, you may want to explore the power of a client support app. It will enable you to communicate faster, have all your conversations in one place for speed, efficiency and good old audit trail and save you a lot of time in the process. Whatsmore - by adopting the modern approach of regularly checking in on your clients, you will earn their trust and loyalty and not have things left for the last minute (January can feel like another month of the year, believe it or not).
Okay, but I still don’t see the benefits. Thought you might say this, so here are some benefits of streamlining your client management and support
Boosted efficiency and productivity
Call us Captain Obvious, but streamlining your communication and support in one place, adding a few native integrations to the mix, accessing client information and relying on an AI assistant to answer common queries for you, and you have just won over an extra day each week (completely random estimation, but you get the drill).
Streamlining your client management and support can be very beneficial for accounting and financial service providers, as it means spending less time multi-tasking, and more time focusing on one single platform that offers flexibility, access to all clients, quick query resolution and efficiency. It further boosts the firm’s productivity levels since having a streamlined approach to client management makes it easier to focus on the important task at hand and easier to spot things needing attention.
Imagine having a very cluttered desk - you have so much going on, it’s hard to find that post-it note you left with your to-do list on it. Clear out the stuff you don’t need and your attention gets laser-sharp. This increases productivity, but further leads to greater results, since it is proven we are producing higher-quality work when focusing on one to two things at a time. The best part? It allows you to handle more clients and bring more revenue to your practice, with that extra headspace to give them your best self. Cha-ching!
Improved customer satisfaction
Email threads - your clients hate it, your colleagues hate it, the productivity gurus hate them. Okay, so they do serve a purpose but they are not efficient enough, flexible enough nor can they actually scale and increase speed. Things get easily forgotten or lost as well, because there is too much noise in yours and your clients’ inbox. A client support app can fix this by enhancing the communication and collaboration between service providers and clients. When you are facing a query - you can resolve it in an instant.
It works both ways - when your clients know you are using a secure app, and have the feeling they are being recognised and often checked in on, they start building a level of trust and loyalty, which increases the opportunity of turning them into a lifetime client and get a referral (or a nice Christmas gift?). This improved communication leads to a better customer experience, as clients feel more connected and informed throughout the process.
Enhanced collaboration between service providers and clients
The world is changing and more and more service providers support their clients remotely. Seems like a no-brainer then that it is vital to ensure your firm is using the right tools and systems that support digital collaboration. The reason people are using emails and not sending letters by post is because they get a quicker resolution and a reply. If we apply this same logic to a support app, that is one step further in the process of efficient and fast collaboration.
With a client support app, you can easily share information, collaborate, and communicate with your clients in real-time. This improved collaboration leads to better decision-making, increased trust, and stronger relationships with your clients, and saves you time chasing invoices or a simple yes or no response to a query.
Better organisation and data management
Using a client support app provides a centralised location for all client information, making it easy to access, manage, and update. This improves the accuracy and organisation of your client data, enabling you to make better decisions and provide more value to your clients. On top of this, your colleagues save tons of time because they can easily access everything, and you, as a business owner, have that birds eye view of all data, making it easy-peasy to manage.
Cost savings
Let’s face it - no business can survive if the operations are too high in cost. A client support app can save you money in a few ways. The first obvious way is by reducing the time and resources needed for manual tasks, such as data entry and file management. The second way it supports you financially is by ensuring your clients are happy with the level of support, which increases their lifetime value. And the third one comes as a result of your excellent client support - referrals, positive testimonials and a happy team all lead to a sustainable growth in revenue. These cost savings can then be reinvested in other areas of your business to drive growth.
How to choose the right Client Support App?
Help is coming! When it comes to finding ‘the one’, it’s important to carefully consider the app that will best work for you. You can answer a few questions to start with:
What would your firm and clients benefit from the most, what works for you as an accountant or finance professional, what is secure enough to exchange sensitive information on, and what is easy to integrate with the current tech you are using.
Timworks, a client support app designed specifically for finance professionals and their clients, helps you communicate faster, resolve queries instantly, support your clients better, save hours every week and manage your team. All at the tip of your fingers.
Learn more or book a demo today!
