When was the last time you were able to celebrate a St Patrick's day with a green beer? Or visit a sunny beach on spring break? For those of us trudging along in the world of tax deadlines, those are the priceless fantasies. Long days glancing out the window and seeing others enjoying their moments in the sunlight. Seeing others travel and sharing pictures of their journeys turning moments into monuments. But how do we as tax professionals get there?
I had the pleasure of enjoying my first non-tax participant of an extension deadline (October 15) a few years ago at a firm as a staff accountant after I was just hired. I was assured when I took the position that I could take a step down. I had just emerged from a firm that required well over 40 hours per week for tax season for a tight April 15 deadline. And the enticement/excitement of not sweating through or neglecting my family through another September/October deadline was worth the lateral move in pay.
You can imagine my surprise when the then-tax manager (with a tax assistant) declared they were going on vacation October 10-17. I was flabbergasted. But I figured this firm had tax down to a precise science and a vacation like that at that time was the norm.
Much to my chagrin, that was not the case. After catching wind of my previous tax adventures, the tax manager was quick to drop on me a list (comically over 40 clients) prior to their vacation with outstanding items needed for completion. I just saw a maze of names and documents. No statuses or last communications. I attempted to introduce myself to the clients quickly in emails, requesting items that they had not submitted, while stressing the impending deadline. As you can expect, I was less than 100% successful at retrieving the data needed. But I put my "get stuff done" hat on and persevered. We made it. At the n-th minute of submissions, we got it done.
I took the next day off to recover from the stress and anxiety I thought I had escaped by taking a title and pay cut. When I was back in the office, I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as always. And with a quick talk in the boss' office I emerged the tax and accounting manager. The first time the firm had decided to combine the two. The firm needed a tax manager (the previous one took a quick leave after hearing of the chaos they left when they went on vacation) and an accounting manager (where my heart truly lies).
And out of the fire rose a phoenix. A fusion of the coveted tax manager position and the underemphasized accounting manager position. Over the next few years I spent time focusing on the balance needed to ensure our clients were getting the best we had to offer while maximizing the efficiency of the firm. And in looking back, it all seems clear now: I became a part of my clients' life with a purpose. They understood my position at the firm (once I wholly embraced it, but that's another article). And we all moved forward. Expectations clearly defined by both parties. Through constant contact both in person and virtual to accommodate. Respect for all parties' time and contributions.
And the mutual theme was accountability.
Together we are all a part of a support system. Financial, personal and emotional. Our clients understand that our meeting agendas are initial outlines that assist us in launching the conversations we need to help us explore the avenues we mutually need to understand.
This is what builds a client advisory practice. It helped instill in me a sense of purpose with actual people. Not nameless tax returns referred to as 1040, 1120s, 1041, etc. We know their birthdays, what stages they are in life both personally and professionally. And our clients know they have an ally. And together we brave the uncharted waters of the world today.
And now I can enjoy a vacation day during spring break with my husband and son, and turn our moments into monuments.
