Client Service Guide: How We Work Together
This short guide explains our approach and sets expectations for working together. Our focus is on making the process simple, transparent, and as stress-free as possible for you.
Our Team
-
As the owner of the firm, I focus on high-level review, overall oversight, involvement in complex transactions or unusual situations, and strategic guidance. I am not the primary day-to-day point of contact.
-
Each client is assigned a dedicated Managing Accountant who serves as your main point of contact and team lead. They handle routine communication and questions, coordination of your work, requests for information and document delivery, and day-to-day support.
-
A Junior Accountant supports the Managing Accountant on your account by assisting with data entry, preparing workpapers, performing initial reviews, gathering supporting documentation, and helping ensure accuracy and timeliness throughout the engagement.
-
Our Office Manager handles all administrative tasks for the firm, including scheduling, billing and collections, client onboarding coordination, maintaining firm records, portal questions, filing tax returns, and supporting the team with general operational needs.
Communication & Collaboration
-
We strongly encourage ongoing communication throughout the year, we'd love to hear from you whenever questions or issues arise.
-
We aim to be proactive: We provide periodic check-ins, reminders, and educational updates (such as tax law changes or planning opportunities) to help you stay ahead and avoid surprises.
-
We prefer written communication (through the client portal or email) as it allows both of us to clearly document questions or issues, reduces the chance of misunderstandings, and gives time to prepare thoughtful, accurate responses resulting in better service for you.
-
Primary communication channels (in order of preference):
-
Through the client portal (for questions, requests, document sharing, etc.)
-
Email
-
Scheduled appointments (phone or video calls)
-
We receive immediate notifications of phone messages and prioritize them accordingly. Please avoid unscheduled calls so we can reduce phone tag and increase efficiency. Our normal response time is two business days.
-
For portal messages and emails, we aim to acknowledge receipt quickly (often the same day).
-
Thank you for your patience during our busy season, we work hard to respond as promptly as possible.
Client Portal & Document Exchange
-
We handle all document exchange, delivery of tax returns, financial statements, workpapers, client requests, and questions through our secure client portal powered by Canopy.
-
The portal is available 24/7, mobile-friendly, and includes encrypted file uploads/downloads, version tracking, and secure messaging so your information stays protected and organized.
-
For bookkeeping and ongoing clients: We request read-only (or view + transaction download) access to your online bank and credit card accounts. This allows us to work efficiently and accurately without you having to manually send statements each month.
-
If you prefer not to use the portal for any reason, let your Managing Accountant know, we can discuss secure alternatives (e.g., encrypted email for small files), though the portal is strongly preferred for security and efficiency.
Our Process & Expectations
-
We begin every client relationship with the expectation of a long-term partnership built on mutual trust, clear communication, and shared responsibility for success.
-
Timely, accurate, and complete information, along with all required documentation, is the biggest factor in letting us deliver your work on schedule and avoid unnecessary revisions. We establish due dates for submitting information (e.g., April 1 for personal tax returns) as it helps us stay on track and serve you better.
-
Additional services — If new projects or significant extra work arise outside our agreed scope, we’ll discuss them together and agree on any adjustments (such as fees or timelines) before proceeding. This helps ensure everything stays aligned with your goals and our capacity.
-
Your needs and circumstances evolve over time so we invite you to take a look at our complete list of services whenever it feels relevant, in case something new aligns with where you are now.
-
Our greatest compliment is when clients like you are happy with our work, it’s how most of our new clients find us. If you ever feel like sharing us with friends, family, or colleagues, we’d be truly grateful.
Thank you for choosing us as your trusted advisors. We look forward to a long and successful partnership!
|
