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Mitchell knew it wouldn’t be an easy “fix,” but she chose to rethink how her firm had been operating for almost two decades and thought about improving it — for her team and for her employees.
One of the first things Mitchell did was take a closer look at her tax and compliance work. She realized her firm had many clients who weren’t a great fit. In short order, Mitchell took the bold step of trimming her 1,000-client roster to 750, then to 500, and then something amazing happened. There was no change in her overall revenue! We’ve all experienced this at our firms; when you transition out the wrong kind of clients, the right kind of business fills the gap quickly.
Account Sense also adopted a personalized team approach, assigning clients to consistent teams of preparers and reviewers every year. This fostered stronger client relationships and streamlined the workflow as team members became more familiar with their assigned clients’ needs and histories. As a result, there would be continuity from year to year and the opportunity to build stronger client relationships. This was far better than assigning whoever happened to be available when the client’s documents rolled in during the compressed tax season. This decision has also done wonders for managing each team’s capacity at Mitchell’s firm.
How to communicate the new scheduled tax season to clients
Account Sense didn’t call any clients individually. Instead, they sent each client an email, PDF and informational video, letting them know about the new scheduled tax season. They explained how the new system would ensure timely and accurate tax filings, reduce last-minute stress, and provide more consistent support throughout the year. Overwhelmingly, clients said: “Great. We like you. We trust you. Just let us know what you need from us,” recalled Mitchell. Out of 500 clients, only two (0.4%) said they didn’t want to follow a scheduled tax season and left the firm. According to Mitchell, they were not great clients, i.e., good ones to “graduate” to another firm.
Implementing the new model
After alerting clients to the new approach to tax season, Account Sense started looking at when clients historically sent in their tax documents. The transition was neither quick nor easy. Mitchell and her team spent considerable time analyzing their client base, categorizing them into manageable segments and assigning specific months for their tax filings. This meticulous planning ensured each client received dedicated attention without overwhelming the team.
They tried to build capacity around those document submission patterns. They knew some clients always wanted their returns done early — even if not expecting a refund — and others they knew would automatically extend. So, they slotted them into the schedule accordingly. If you recall from the
After clients were assigned to a specific month and team, Mitchell said about 20 clients (5%) requested a different time slot. One was expecting a substantial refund and wanted to file early. Another was selling a business and needed more time to get his ducks in a row. That’s OK. When you’re confirming dates with your clients, the reason they may want to move their date up (or back) can lead to very good conversation to have in advance of tax season.
Early wins and lessons learned
Mitchell told me the results have been overwhelmingly positive. By spreading the workload, her team no longer faces the extreme peaks and troughs that once defined their work cycles. Staff morale has improved significantly, with employees enjoying a more balanced workload and work-life balance. This, in turn, has reduced turnover and fostered a more stable and experienced team. Further, the new model has allowed for more meaningful client interactions. Instead of rushing through tax filings, the firm now engages in more comprehensive planning and advisory services, adding greater value and better opportunities to build relationships with clients.
Mitchell said clients seem to enjoy the new schedule and love having a single point of contact to work with every year. Best of all, Mitchell was able to take her first spring break vacation with her family in 18 years. As the firm continues to refine its new model, Jennifer remains committed to innovation and continuous improvement.
Either way, change is hard
You can continue doing things the way you always have during tax season, which means you’ll keep losing your staff, having trouble recruiting, and burning yourself out trying to meet essentially arbitrary IRS deadlines. Tax season is hard, and will continue to be hard, every year.
Or you can follow Mitchell’s lead to change the way you do business. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. The transition to a year-round scheduled tax season will take some hard work as you get your team and your clients accustomed to the new paradigm shift. Some will be against it because their default response is always to resist change. Others will be all in.
But for most, they’ll favor the change if you can reassure them there’s a plan to handle clients who want their returns done early or at different times than the one you’ve assigned them. The difference with this kind of “hard” is that there’s a big payoff down the road if you’re willing to put the work in.”I just wanted to share my experience with you, because I would love to get the word out about a different way of doing business,” said Mitchell. “[Accountants] care so much about their clients. They work so hard. There’s potentially a better way. It has worked for me, and it could work for you.”
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