Have you ever talked to someone and got the impression that they weren’t really listening to you? If this has happened many times with the same, you’ve probably stopped hanging out with that person as much, if at all. It’s frustrating to be ignored. It’s no different when you’re being ignored by your accountant. Well, actually, it’s much different. Accountants are seen as trustworthy business advisors so being ignored by an accountant feels like a particularly hard slap in the face.
Why your accountant might be ignoring you
Before you write your CPA off as a bad accountant, it’s important to understand that there could be a variety of non-malicious reasons behind their behavior. Also, it’s worth being honest about whether you’re unintentionally contributing to the problem from your end. Every story has two sides, as they say.
- They might be too busy. This can be true during tax season when, if your accountant is managing too many clients without the proper systems or staff in place, their workload will be unmanageable and communication will be delayed.
- They might be retiring. Many in our industry are reaching retirement age and those who haven’t transitioned clients to a colleague in the firm or referred their clients to another firm are starting to see clients leave because of slow response times and late work.
- They might not understand your industry. If your accountant is regularly avoiding questions or pushing off meetings, it could also be because they’re unsure of how to handle your specific needs.
- They haven’t scaled to meet evolving needs. If your business has grown but you feel your accountant hasn’t adapted to your new needs, you might find that they’re reluctant to talk with you because they don’t have the expertise or systems in place to help you.
Are these bad client habits making you part of the problem?
While it’s easy to place the blame on your accountant, sometimes it’s a client’s behavior that can contribute to things like communication breakdowns and late tax returns. This is not to say that your accountant is entirely blameless. However, it’s always best to be as objective as possible when trying to work through a problem with your accountant, especially before you go through the work of changing accountants.
- You may have unrealistic expectations. Accountants need time to analyze financials, research, and provide accurate advice, so pressuring them with unrealistic deadlines can lead to delays or frustration.
- Your communication is inconsistent or poor. If you’re unresponsive or unclear when providing information to your accountant, you make it hard for your accountant to provide you with timely, accurate work. Inconsistent communication, missed meetings, and late replies to requests for information all impact your accountant’s work and speed for you.
- You regularly provide incomplete or disorganized information. Your accountant relies on accurate data to do their work well. If you’re regularly providing incomplete or disorganized financial records, you’re unintentionally slowing them down. For example, waiting until the last minute to provide tax documents can result in late taxes (they’ll probably do an extension, but the fact remains that your taxes will be filed much later than the original return due date).
- You regularly ignore or challenge their advice. All good accountants expect, and even welcome, questions about their advice from clients. But if you’re frequently ignoring your accountant’s advice because of what you’ve heard on social media, from a friend, or simply because you disliked it, you’ll soon find yourself without an accountant.
How to stop being ignored by your accountant
Besides setting expectations when you first work with an accountant, the best way to stop being ignored by your accountant is by clearly communicating with them about it.
First, lay out your expectations about communication, deadlines, and the scope of work. It’s important to hear from them about what and when they need information from you so they can provide you with the best accounting and tax services.
Next, stay in contact with your accountant when they ask you for information. Even if you can’t get them the information, it’s still helpful so they know what’s going on and can have an estimate of when you’ll be able to provide it. Plus, they might be able to offer you help or advice to help you through any obstacles you’re encountering.
If you’re concerned about your accountant’s fees, it’s still best to be upfront with them about your budget for their services. They might suggest a different scope of services, offer training for you or one of your staff members, or help you migrate to another professional who can work within your budget.
Also, it’s best to be proactive in addressing problems with your accountant. If you notice communication slipping, deadlines being missed, or an ineffective tax plan, don’t wait to address it. Speak with your accountant as soon as possible so the issue can be resolved quickly.
Contact us for an accountant who never ignores you
Before rushing to switch accountants, it’s important to be clear on why your accountant is ignoring you before you switch accountants. Otherwise, you may find yourself in the same scenario as you’re in right now.By the way, if you’re looking for a professional, responsive accountant who won’t ignore you, contact MBS Accountancy to get the support and attention your business deserves.