With the arrival of autumn, CPAs are starting to realize that the leaves aren't the only things changing this year — consumer behavior has clearly shifted.
The last few years we have seen a sea change in how consumers interact with all businesses. As a result of the pandemic, more business than ever is done online. Accountants who were accustomed to in-person client conversations have had to adjust to virtual meetings and communications — and there's likely no going back even as we embrace a new,
post-pandemic normal.
Fortunately, there are tools that can help accountants thrive in this increasingly virtual world. By leveraging a customer relationship management platform, accountants can improve digital client communication, even as they plan for the busiest time of the year.
Integrated communication
While CPAs are accustomed to relying on email for digital communication, many have realized this is not an effective way of tracking customer relationships. A CRM platform can integrate with email, like Outlook and Google, adding much-needed context. The platform can manage data obtained from multiple touchpoints, including email, a website, data entry, live chat, telephone, social media and more. Manually tracking these communication channels, especially as a resource-strapped small business owner, may be close to impossible. If relying on email helps a CPA manage client interactions, adding a CRM platform on top of it provides an opportunity to organize all client touch points, whether they happen via email, phone call, website visit, social media, etc. Having this data secured in a central place arms CPAs with tools they need to act smarter and build stronger client relationships, especially critical as the busy season approaches.
Hybrid communication
Pre-pandemic, promoting services at local events — like a child's soccer game — could be marketing gold for CPAs. Plus, the personal interaction often fostered relationships that blossomed into a loyal customer relationships. As more and more CPAs are finding that digital is the new face-to-face, many are now asking themselves if new business will slow without that in-person marketing advantage. Just because the client landscape is moving in a digital direction, doesn't mean that old fashioned, word of mouth tactics are gone. For example, CPAs can still exchange business cards at their kid's soccer game, but the difference is what happens next. CPAs can now enter prospect data into their CRM platform and set up automatic communications to reach out consistently so they can nurture a prospect into a client without the need for manual follow-ups.
Personalized digital communication
Recent data from Accenture revealed that one-third of customers who abandoned a business relationship last year did so because it lacked personalization. A robust CRM platform facilitates fully personalized and consistent customer experience that clients demand. CPAs can leverage CRM to personalize client communication by tracking data like birthdays, important milestones, previous conversations and incorporate client preferences when it comes to things like communication style.
Personalizing communication with clients is also important for making inferences about things clients may not proactively communicate to their accountant. For example, a CRM system can make note if a client is based in southwest Florida, so it can hold off on sharing marketing newsletters with them during the aftermath of Hurricane Ian to avoid appearing tone deaf. CPAs can even use that same data to share a heartfelt message to those clients who may have been impacted by the storm.
Marketing automation
On top of meeting clients where they are across different channels and personalized client communication, the icing on this cake is marketing automation. By investing in a robust CRM platform combined with marketing automation, CPAs can streamline interactions with clients, allowing them to save their time to focus on revenue-related tasks, like performing analysis and audits. When a prospect visits your website and fills out a form to download an e-book, the software will automatically send it to the prospect, and if they don't take action, an email is then sent, prompting them to speak to a sales representative. All of this activity happens seamlessly and automatically thanks to marketing automation, while a CPA can spend their time focused on client deliverables. A CRM combined with marketing automation allows CPAs to digitally multitask — and spend their time more productively.
Exceeding client expectations will not only strengthen client relationships, but allow accountants to turn more leads into clients. They can also retain clients by creating more personalized relationships and spending their time focused on their most important deliverables, like helping their business produce more revenue. With so little time to juggle tasks during the busy season, it's important for accountants to remember to meet their clients where they are, and adapt to shifting expectations without contorting their own operations. CPAs should incorporate CRM and marketing automation for real ROI.
