We’ve been running our bookkeeping business for over 10 years and in that time we’ve worked with many different clients; some have been wonderful and others not so great. So what makes a great client or ideal client? We have compiled our list of 10 characteristics that we believe the ideal bookkeeping client presents.
The ideal bookkeeping client:
1. Has fantastic communication skills i.e.
- Answers emails within 24 hours or indicates when emails will be answered
- Answers our questions about their accounts in a timely manner
- Likes to have meetings to discuss their accounts
- Encourages communication between us and their accountant
- Communicates changes in their business
- Let’s us know when they’re not happy with something we’re doing
2. Is super organised
- Supplies information & data on time
- Sticks to deadlines and due dates that we set for them
- Doesn’t’ leave everything to the last minute
- Understands the importance of paying their tax & super liabilities on time and does so
3. Supplies a complete set of source documents – all sales invoices, expense receipts/invoices, cash receipts, bank statements etc.
4. Does their own data entry and uses their chosen accounting software for invoicing and tracking expense & bill payments
5. Is courteous
- Doesn’t call us at any time of the day expecting us to do a job for them with very short deadlines – understands that work needs to be booked in and that there will be a waiting period
- Understands that we have other clients and other work and that sometimes their work may not get processed immediately
- Doesn’t question everything we do
6. Pays our invoices on time and doesn’t constantly question our pricing
7. Has a basic understanding of the running of a business and all that it entails
8. Has a basic understanding of the tax system and how superannuation works, or if not, is willing to learn
9. Is open to suggestions to change certain aspects of their business operations including trying new software and apps
10. Refers our business to colleagues or friends
Do you agree that these characteristics make an ideal bookkeeping client? Tell us about your ideal clients and the characteristics that make them so wonderful (or perhaps not so wonderful!)
