How accountants and bookkeepers can support their clients during the pandemic.

Team Nomi

Apr 28, 2020
4 minutes read

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In this challenging time of Coronavirus pandemic, when almost all the countries of the world are struggling, and businesses are facing issues and taken a backseat due to lockdown situation, two of the most important question arises:

• What about the clients?
• How accountants and bookkeepers can offer them support in this time of uncertainty?

Some businesses search for answers to these questions, whereas some companies go beyond the limits to help their clients. Helping your clients in this uncertain situation creates value and customer building and makes you a trusted advisor in the eyes of your clients.

Five ways to support your clients

An accountant or bookkeeper can offer support to their clients in the following five ways:

Provide updates on the latest government announcements

In this uncertain situation, some clients have limited knowledge about the areas related to emergency Coronavirus government legislation. In this crucial time, an accountant or bookkeeper can help them give appropriate information about that specific area and fill their knowledge gap. For example – Staff on leave may have limited knowledge about the employment & contract law. An accountant or bookkeeper helps provide them knowledge about the specific area and offers advice & suggestions.

Helps in Providing Clarity Related to Financial Support

In this challenging situation, every business wants to be financially stable and wants to know sources of finance available for them. In this crucial time, an accountant or bookkeeper can help their clients by providing them knowledge and clarity about the financial support available for them, including loan & grant schemes, job retention scheme, HMRC’s time to pay etc. You can also divide your client base based on clients who need more help or need specific funding or support from the emergency legislation. Webinars and video meetings are also considered a suitable medium for communicating with clients over how things will take place?

Loan Application Support

Accountants and bookkeepers can also make preparations to offer loan application support to their clients. For example – Financial reports. These loan applications may prove to be a relief giving medicine to your clients so that they can continue their business life in this tough time and remain your customer always.

Regular Communication

Regular communication with your clients will not make them feel alone. You can chat daily with your clients on different topics and solve their problems as early as possible. You can also share some emotional conversations at intervals with your clients to differentiate them from the conversations you usually do with your clients.

Tips from Accountants on offering support to clients

Many accountants and bookkeepers are still working for their clients and solving their problems and queries regularly to help them in this challenging situation. We are offering you specific tips that will help you solve client queries and share important information with your clients but also helps in providing support throughout this pandemic.

• Accountants and bookkeepers should listen to the queries or problems of their clients adequately and offer them valuable advice so that clients can survive in this challenging situation.
• We can offer guidance to our clients of the business community with the help of video calls & webinars.
• We are seeing that many of the accountants and bookkeepers nowadays picking up the phone and tell their clients that “the office is closed”. Is this the solution to the client query or a problem? I think it’s not. It’s better that you solve that query and remains in the good books of your customers.
• Remain in touch with your clients and find different ways to help them in this challenging situation. Ensure that every client has your mobile number or divert your office number to any other number you pick up.
• Develop the confidence in your client that you are there for them. Engage with your clients by e-mail or by putting updates on social media regularly. Update your client’s knowledge on government legislation, grants, loan schemes and assist your client with a loan application. Certainly makes your client happy & relaxed.
• Provide telephonic support to your clients even outside of working hours. Fulfil their requirements of processing grant applications or accessing loan etc. Make your clients feel that you are standing with them every time in every situation.

a) Sending payslips to distribute them online b) Sending invoice & quotes c) Generation of documents electronically

• Use a video conferencing facility to set up branch meetings or do a session with your clients, but you must take care of the security of the session too. Therefore, it would be beneficial if you choose a Microsoft office 365 subscription from Microsoft.

• Some clients may need help on working capital and relationships too. An accountant can do cash flow forecasting for the clients and predict their inflow & outflow of cash.