Margaret CPA in OH Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Speaking of vertical monitors - I bought one last month and successfully installed it but it was a Dell and my other one is HP. For some reason they don't play well with the mouse going from one to the other. After a couple of hours, if that long, of frustration trying to find the mouse, I gave up until after the season. Any suggestions so we can all get along? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcjenkins Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Yep...I made one last season because the client had to sit with me, although I told her she couldn't. She talks and talks. (She sounds exactly like Dr Ruth..high pitched voice with German accent). Last year I literally told her to shut up. This year, when she told me the mistake (and it was a big one...I had left off $180,000 in long term loss carryover)..I told her it was her fault because she talks so much I can't focus! She still insisted she had to sit here while I did the return. It's time to fire that one, if she refuses to leave her data with you as asked. Or raise her fee significantly. Is she really paying you enough to cover the stress she causes you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack from Ohio Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Speaking of vertical monitors - I bought one last month and successfully installed it but it was a Dell and my other one is HP. For some reason they don't play well with the mouse going from one to the other. After a couple of hours, if that long, of frustration trying to find the mouse, I gave up until after the season. Any suggestions so we can all get along? Update all video drivers for both monitors with the latest drivers that are WCL approved. Then reboot. Then in monitor setup, drag the monitors around to the configuration you want. Windows should handle transitioning the mouse appropriately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaB Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Aaaahhh! I see the problem. For us, assembly just means scan the client's records, do the envelopes, staple the clients paper copy of the return in a folder, and burn a CD of return and records. It goes even faster for those clients that are happy with just the CD and not a hard copy of the return. I charge $10 less if you forgo the paper copy. ...And I was thrilled to make $520/hr! Yes, I see a problem, too. I live in Rural TN, where the tech savvy thing is not a priority, most of my clients have zero interest in having their tax return on anything other than paper, and I would not have a single client left if I charged $520 an hour. Not many would stay if I charged $260 an hour, and they knew it. Actually, I wouldn't say I have a problem, I just have a completely different work situation here. I wouldn't trade with anybody, either. My office manager is me, and I'm ok with that, too. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacun Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Not only would I make a lot more mistakes, I really don't even want to do "simple" returns in front of a client. They start thinking, "Hey, she's ripping me off, that only took 30 minutes, I can do this myself, or at the very least, I can run all over town telling people my accountant rips me off. I wish I had her gig. I always had this problem and some of my clients told me that it only took X amount of time and I was charging them a lot. A few years, out of the blue, Mark came to my rescue. Now, I check all the information that the client brings and I ask about his address and then I say, I need to concentrate on the computer so if I have a question I will ask you. I do this because I don't like to lie to my clients. So I deeply concentrate on the computer and start checking my facebook. As a matter of fact I have been on facebook for 20 minutes... oops, my concentration time is over, let me print this guy's return now. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaB Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 I always had this problem and some of my clients told me that it only took X amount of time and I was charging them a lot. A few years, out of the blue, Mark came to my rescue. Now, I check all the information that the client brings and I ask about his address and then I say, I need to concentrate on the computer so if I have a question I will ask you. I do this because I don't like to lie to my clients. So I deeply concentrate on the computer and start checking my facebook. As a matter of fact I have been on facebook for 20 minutes... oops, my concentration time is over, let me print this guy's return now. Perfect. Think I will check Facebook, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILLMAS Posted March 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 In accounting terms, that is what you call billable time. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richcpaman Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Is the third monitor in the middle and long side vertical? That is the setup my son, software engineer, has his workstation. Contemplating a third myself. The vertical monitor allow a whole page to be seen at once. Jack: Why not have all three vertical? Scrolling is one thing, but its the drag and drop that makes a difference. JM: Tell them about your elevator table.... Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abby Normal Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Is the third monitor in the middle and long side vertical? That is the setup my son, software engineer, has his workstation. Contemplating a third myself. The vertical monitor allow a whole page to be seen at once. No but I would try making the middle one vertical if I had that option available. Next time I buy monitors I'm going to look for adjustable height and rotatable mount. It might be worth the extra money! Scrolling is a pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abby Normal Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 bf76f97862eee47d79fff5570c084de4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abby Normal Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 I always had this problem and some of my clients told me that it only took X amount of time and I was charging them a lot. A few years, out of the blue, Mark came to my rescue. Now, I check all the information that the client brings and I ask about his address and then I say, I need to concentrate on the computer so if I have a question I will ask you. I do this because I don't like to lie to my clients. So I deeply concentrate on the computer and start checking my facebook. As a matter of fact I have been on facebook for 20 minutes... oops, my concentration time is over, let me print this guy's return now. I just tell them I'm very efficient and it's less than H&R Block would charge you. Followed by a rant about how much rent, insurance, health insurance, computers, software, CPE, etc. etc. are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jklcpa Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 I just tell them I'm very efficient and it's less than H&R Block would charge you. Followed by a rant about how much rent, insurance, health insurance, computers, software, CPE, etc. etc. are. That's what I tell them too, and they all agree with me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abby Normal Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Can you post pictures of your setup? I recently bought a setup for two monitors from dell and a dell XPS 8700 I don't know if that stand gives me enough height or swivel. Here's my setup: http://imgur.com/a/3MxMp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack from Ohio Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 I am charging for more than the time I spend. I am charging for what I know, more than what I do. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcb39 Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Not only would I make a lot more mistakes, I really don't even want to do "simple" returns in front of a client. They start thinking, "Hey, she's ripping me off, that only took 30 minutes, I can do this myself, or at the very least, I can run all over town telling people my accountant rips me off. I wish I had her gig. Hey, maybe I will open a business in my home and get rich like Rita." You know that's what they're thinking... I totally agree, in addition to the stress issue. Larger business owners come back one more time to revue everything before I print and file. Had one this morning who brought kringle, a huge fern and hugs. I would rather spend that one extra hour than have to take it all apart later and redo because they found some little thing. (By the way, Rita, is there anything special that we need to pack?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaB Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 I totally agree, in addition to the stress issue. Larger business owners come back one more time to revue everything before I print and file. Had one this morning who brought kringle, a huge fern and hugs. I would rather spend that one extra hour than have to take it all apart later and redo because they found some little thing. (By the way, Rita, is there anything special that we need to pack?) Lemon Oreos. I don't think they have those in my local Cross Bar Motel yet. Other than that, we're all set. Or are we going to the Pokey in Wisconsin? I like warm weather; they have a "yard". Just throwing that out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion EA Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 I have the middle vertical for data entry, right vertical for government forms, left horizontal with email on the right half or client documents and Chrome tabs on the left half for email from two big biz clients, this and other tax prep boards and Facebook so I can concentrate hard. How do I insert a picture from my computer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsTabbyKats Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 It's time to fire that one, if she refuses to leave her data with you as asked. Or raise her fee significantly. Is she really paying you enough to cover the stress she causes you? This is how my business works..... 75 per cent of my clients are on line...I never see them and rarely speak to them. 24 per cent drop their stuff off at my husband's store...and I have telephone contact with them 1 per cent feel the must see me. My husband has a staircase leading to his store. This woman told me she can't do stairs. I said my husband would bring her things up and down. That wasn't good enough. If life goes as planned...and my husband sells his business...thanks to caller ID...I will tell her, when she calls, that I moved 3000 miles away...and she can either e-mail or fax me. Knowing that her technological skills stopped growing at the IBM Selectric...she can consider herself fired! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcjenkins Posted March 22, 2014 Report Share Posted March 22, 2014 I am charging for more than the time I spend. I am charging for what I know, more than what I do. That is so true. Think it through. The preparer who knows the least takes the longest, as he has to stop and read the form, maybe go to the instructions, etc, while the knowledgeable and experienced preparer spees through the same form, knowing what form to use, which line to use, etc. Should the slow newbie get more, because he took longer? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.