How to Recover from Client Service Blunders

Source: Georgia Current Accounts

Occasionally CPA firms promise more than they can deliver. That, of course, is difficult to overcome. But sometimes the failure is a missed deadline, and sometimes it is a perceived neglect by a partner who promised to be engaged with the client. The first is a black and white issue. Either the project is completed on time or not. The second may be a matter of client perception. The partner may perform certain functions in the office—so the client doesn’t see him or her often. The partner should communicate with the client to create awareness of the extent of his or her involvement.

If a missed deadline is the fault of the firm, it may be the result of some problem that is unlikely to recur. Explain this so the client doesn’t expect further missed deadlines. If the missed deadline was the result of a controllable problem in the firm, steps should be taken to correct that problem.

For the complete article, click here then click on “How to Minimize Client Dissatisfaction” in the May/June 2008 issue.

From Georgia Current Accounts, Georgia Society of CPAs, www.gscpa.org.

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