How to Successfully Work Remotely with Your Clients

When I started my freelance accounting practice ten years ago working virtually was not as widely accepted as it is today. At that time my client base was split evenly down the middle - 50% onsite and 50% offsite. Over the years I was able to migrate my onsite clients into becoming virtual clients by showing them how working remotely was really no different than working onsite and eliminating their fears.

Usually a client will object to your working remotely because they do not understand or have confidence in how the process will work. Their fears take over and believe me they can imagine all kinds of problems that will keep you working onsite at their location!

Remember, most people do not like change. So the first step to successfully working remotely with your clients involves you answering these four very important questions:

How will your client(s) get their accounting information to you?

How will you return original documents to your client?

Where will the accounting file (data) reside?

How will the accounting file be protected?

It is up to you to define the structure of how you and your company will work remotely with clients. Here are some things for you to think about as your answer those questions from above and define your remote working structure.

Structure, Structure, Structure - whether you work remotely or at the client location, creating a consistent structure of when and how work is to be completed are essential. For example:

o You work on the client account the same day of the week, every week

o You provide your client with a list of information that is needed on a regular basis and also a list of items that are missing.

o You take the responsibility to follow up on those missing items.

The less your client has to think about and the more consistency you can provide to them more likely your client will be to cooperate.

Having the Right Tools - if you want to work remotely then you need to use the tools that will make working remotely easy. This includes using a remote hosting service that allows you and your client access to their accounting file from where ever they are. Remote hosting services also offer a daily offsite back-up of all data files. This feature becomes a benefit to your client whose current back-up routine may not be as good as it should be.

Another tool you will want to consider is a scanner. As I moved to being a 100% virtual office, I incorporated the cost of a scanner into my client's set-up fee. This way my client can easily scan their documents and email or fax them to my office without incurring the cost of a delivery service.

Next year we are also looking at incorporating the program Sourcelink. Sourcelink is a QuickBooks add-on program that associates documentation to a specific transaction. The benefit here is if you need to look something up, it is right at your fingertips.

Keeping the Lines of Communication Open - when you work remotely it is very important to be in contact with your clients on a regular basis. The worst thing you could do is disappear into your remote office and forget about the personal aspect of your client relationship.

In my office, we have created a process that is followed to ensure that we speak with our clients at least once a week. Our communication process also includes the scheduling of several face-to-face meetings throughout the year.

Another tool you may want to consider is GotVmail. In my office, we use this service because it provides my company with one phone number for the client to call. They simply enter the extension of the person they are trying to reach and they are then forwarded directly to their cell phone. If the staff person cannot answer, GotVmail takes a message and emails it to you.

It does take a little trial and error to work out all of the kinks and once your clients have begun to work remotely with you, they will begin to wonder who else they can work with remotely!