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Post Info TOPIC: How do you collect your customers paperwork ?


Veteran Member

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How do you collect your customers paperwork ?


Hi All,

Just wondering how everyone deals with customers paperwork,  do you collect or have them drop off, or have it posted ?

The reason I ask is that I have always popped into majority of my customers to collect their paperwork, this gives me the opportunity to build up relations and gets me out of the office -  can get a bit stir crazy sometimes working on your own !

However,  I have one customer who, despite my best efforts - phone calls, emails, texts to prompt date and time to which I will be popping in,  constantly forgets.  I am getting to the point where I need to spend more time in the office rather than travelling around these days so wondered how other bookkeepers/accountants manage their customers.

As always, thoughts and views appreciated.

Julie 

 

 

 

 

 



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Master Book-keeper

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Hi Julie
I have a mix. Visiting client premises as you say helps build those relationships and often means you find out more about what is going on before it happens, or just after it has happened rather than ages down the road when they have made an almighty mess.

Anyone who forgets an appointment more than once would be on my disengage list - they should have some respect for your time as well as their own and its just downright rude. I do hope you charge for your visits and indeed for your travel costs (at least for that one if no other). I would also hike his fee.....he might walk all of his own choice! One less hassle. Or at least compensated better for it.



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 Joanne 

Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017 

Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.

You should check out answers with reference to the legal position



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Thanks Joanne,

I am getting to the end of my tether on this one, have only just received the final bits of info I need to process their VAT return for May Qtr end ! can foresee that MTD will be a complete nightmare with this customer.

Need to have a good think about going forward with a lot of things as work / life balance is pants at the moment, but I still love my job !

Julie

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Master Book-keeper

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Hi Julie
Know what you mean about life being pants. In the same boat here. I do feel that there is absolutely no support for one man band bookkeepers/Accountants. Am selling up! Will probably carry out this year and then finish in early 2020.

I have built into my agreement (you can build it in now for next quarter as an addendum) - I need 21 days for processing the VAT as a minimum. Anything less than that and my higher day rate (complete with overtime style rate) kicks in, whether its an hours job or not. Of course, when you have no staff that doesnt help with the work pressures, but at least if you are up til midnight you are getting a decent wedge for it. Am getting more ruthless on that front to stop the mickey taking!

I would also email this client and say that there is every chance that the this quarter the VAT will be late and tell him the penalties for late payment. Entirely up to you then if you bend over backwards or just fit it into the work routine.

If it was me, I would do this VAT, get paid if you havent already, then dump the day after. He then has 3months to find someone.

That said - KEEP SMILING!!

In my case its a grimace today.



__________________

 Joanne 

Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017 

Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.

You should check out answers with reference to the legal position



Veteran Member

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Interesting, I had not thought of adding an addendum.

If I added up my average weekly hours x hourly rate .. you can guess the figure ! Yes I need to put my big girl pants on and get a grip.

Hope you are still going to Manchester Accountex, we can have a mega moan-fest.

Must be the time of year, sunny outside, everyone off on holiday and I am looking at an never ending pile of receipts.

Jx

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Jay


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Good afternoon,

 

When we first started our practice some 40 years ago I recall using the bus to collect paperwork. 

Things have progressed since then, and we no longer collect paperwork as our client base has increased over the years so there is no time to do so.

However, at our initial engagement we always make a visit to the client's premises to assist with MLR.

For clients abroad and some mainland clients paperwork is posted to us by recorded delivery. 

We also access some clients paperwork though the cloud.

Your time is valuable so as  Joanne suggests, charge for every action you take, and for inconvenience or the situation will continue.

 

best of luck

 

Jay



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Master Book-keeper

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haymac wrote:

Interesting, I had not thought of adding an addendum.

If I added up my average weekly hours x hourly rate .. you can guess the figure ! Yes I need to put my big girl pants on and get a grip.

Hope you are still going to Manchester Accountex, we can have a mega moan-fest.

Must be the time of year, sunny outside, everyone off on holiday and I am looking at an never ending pile of receipts.

Jx


Oh yes will still do the mega moan fest at Accountex oop norf! wink

Im looking at the gorgeous weather and wondering why Im stuck indoors!

 

 



__________________

 Joanne 

Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017 

Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.

You should check out answers with reference to the legal position



Master Book-keeper

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Date:

Jay wrote:

Good afternoon,

 

When we first started our practice some 40 years ago I recall using the bus to collect paperwork. 

Things have progressed since then, and we no longer collect paperwork as our client base has increased over the years so there is no time to do so.

 

 

Jay


Nowadays its hide the car round the corner so they dont have another excuse to moan about the fees wink, even if their cars are Audi TTs!

 



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 Joanne 

Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017 

Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.

You should check out answers with reference to the legal position

Jay


Senior Member

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That made me chuckle, even if its very near the truth.

Best wishes



Jay

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Veteran Member

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Thanks Jay,

.. don't mention the cloud - another complete nightmare - spend a lot of time rectifying `errors` made by clients input.


Joanne - sneaky move on the car front, I usually park mine around the corner also, but it is the element of surprise I am after when I am on the chase for unpaid bills !

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Master Book-keeper

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For me it's a mixture.  Client's can drop paperwork off at the office, I can collect if in the area, they can send by post (one client doesn't stick a stamp on so he get's charged £10 on his next bill) and recently I set up a dedicated email address to send by email, mainly for my cloud bod, but a couple of others have taken advantage.  One client sends me his CIS statements and bank statements by whatsapp, and another put's everything in dropbox and sends me a link.



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John 

 

 

 Any advice given is for general guidance and professional advice should be sought applicable to your circumstances.



Master Book-keeper

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Hi Julie
SOOOOOOOOOOOOO Sorry! See here
www.book-keepers.org.uk/t65879365/accountex-manchester/

__________________

 Joanne 

Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017 

Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.

You should check out answers with reference to the legal position

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