BLACK BART Posted March 12, 2016 Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 Since many of my clients (and me) are getting a bit long-in-the-tooth, I find it best to avoid the mention of medical matters when possible in order to expedite their exit. However; (pick one) human kindness/ a wish to "grease up" a high-fee customer/ temporary insanity, prompted me to ask a client reaching for the doorknob (another no-no) "How's your health?" Stopping in his tracks, he turned, said "You haven't heard?", and launched into a complete one-hour recitation of all the dreadful details re his prostate operation from incision to recovery. Dazed, and only by mentally repeating over and over "$900, $900, $900," did I manage not to fall from the chair. He says a thousand pleasant things, but never says "Adieu." --- J. G Saxe 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfassett Posted March 12, 2016 Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 Shows your character that you bothered to ask. My clients, as are yours, are not tax returns or dollars, they are real people with real every day issues. We step outside of ourselves when we invite them to share. You are to be commended for neither falling out of your chair not dozing off. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry D EA Posted March 12, 2016 Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 Yep, do this all the time. It is nothing less than amazing how rapidly a decline in health occurs due to a medical condition or simply aging. I have one couple who I have literally watched decline in health each year. Last year they could climb the steps to my office. This year they couldn't navigate one 6 inch step coming through the door. The gentleman is legally blind but can see objects with little or no clarity. Was a great golfer. The ball looked like the size of a soccer ball to him so he would never miss it but had no idea where he was aiming or where it was going. Now, they are both plagued with the gambit of medical problems. My wife assisted and escorted them down the one step and to their car. No he doesn't drive but his wife does which is probably the one last thing she has left. Like you said, they are more than clients or tax returns. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted March 12, 2016 Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 Not always that old. Breast cancer, prostrate, bone cancer, by-passes, stents. Then there's adult children on drugs, died, rehab. Not pleasant. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredazcpa Posted March 12, 2016 Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 Or watching a client's wife come down with alzheimer disease, and them him dealing with her and then having to place her in a home. Every time we meet and I ask, this year you could see the sadness in his eyes, very tough But for the grace of God go I. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAXMAN Posted March 13, 2016 Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 In our office with almost the same client flow each year we tend to think of them as our extended family. It is amazing when you ask about things that don't apply to tax. We had one that at this point has beat breast cancer twice. we always inquire and she is quite appreciative of the question. Of course we always tell her she looks great. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLACK BART Posted March 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 19 hours ago, rfassett said: Shows your character that you bothered to ask. My clients, as are yours, are not tax returns or dollars, they are real people with real every day issues. We step outside of ourselves when we invite them to share. You are to be commended for neither falling out of your chair not dozing off. Cold, crass, and calloused, eh? Well, my clients too have many ailments which are becoming more noticeable with each passing year and we DO chat with each about whatever comes up; be it medicine, money, or politics. While I don't doubt your nobility, neither do we view clients as objects any more than you do, but we're a strictly walk-in business and there's a point when talk must stop to serve the next waiting person before they fall out of the chair. You're saying you have NO inconsiderate windjammers you wish would shut up so you could get some work done? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanmcq Posted March 13, 2016 Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 Sometimes they don't know what's deductible; I had a conversation regarding medical stuff with clients I meet offsite because one of them cannot manage steps. They didn't know that all sorts of medical stuff is deductible, from canes, to glasses, to dental, to wheelchairs. So I told them about my clients that are deducting a pool, and another an orthopedic mattress (yes I saw the prescriptions). I always take a little time to visit. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfassett Posted March 13, 2016 Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 3 hours ago, BLACK BART said: Cold, crass, and calloused, eh? Well, my clients too have many ailments which are becoming more noticeable with each passing year and we DO chat with each about whatever comes up; be it medicine, money, or politics. While I don't doubt your nobility, neither do we view clients as objects any more than you do, but we're a strictly walk-in business and there's a point when talk must stop to serve the next waiting person before they fall out of the chair. You're saying you have NO inconsiderate windjammers you wish would shut up so you could get some work done? There is a very visible line between "time wasting idle chit chat" and visiting with the client at a deeper level. The fact of the matter, I have oft said that my practice is 65% counseling and 35% tax and accounting - and I lament (in a joking manner) that I should be charging professional counselor's hourly fees instead of those of a lowly accountant. I did not imply that I do not chase anyone out. I did imply that I will take whatever time it takes with a client that needs a caring listening ear. And I certainly did not mean to imply that anyone here is cold, crass and calloused. I was simply commending the original OP for taking the time with a client that needed it. We each have our own practice with a unique culture. Yours works for you - and mine works for me. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FDNY Posted March 13, 2016 Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 I find one of the best things about this profession is the opportunity to garner personal relationships with people as we are involved with the intimate details of their financial lives. We see their kids grow up, their parents getting old and the clients opening up to us as a trusted friend and confidant. That's why they call us all year. We are not only helping our clients, they are helping us to be better caring people. I think that is the essence of rfassett's post, especially the 65% counseling part, so very true. But there will always be the talkers, that talk and talk, that's OK after 4/18. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanmcq Posted March 13, 2016 Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 I always day that my degree in psychology really helps in this profession! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted March 14, 2016 Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 13 hours ago, joanmcq said: I always day that my degree in psychology really helps in this profession! And my 2nd Bachelors at a small church school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfassett Posted March 14, 2016 Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 2 hours ago, Randall said: And my 2nd Bachelors at a small church school. And my advanced degree from the School of Hard Knocks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gfizer Posted March 14, 2016 Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 I have been at this nearly 30 years and many of my clients are like family. It is sad to see them decline and pass on and sometimes I stop and remind myself that they are also seeing changes in me. There are a few of my clients that are no longer able to leave the house and so I make a house call. I'm glad to be able to offer this small service and I am always happy to see them. That being said, there are also those that make me cringe when I see them coming through the door, but the good far outweigh the bad. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaB Posted March 14, 2016 Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 On 3/12/2016 at 3:53 AM, BLACK BART said: You're saying you have NO inconsiderate windjammers you wish would shut up so you could get some work done? Well, I certainly do. The one that comes to mind is the jackass that always says, "I don't know why I don't do this myself. I could do it in 15 minutes." He hands over his stuff and proceeds to chat for 30 minutes about all the candidates for POTUS, how everybody should tithe (but he doesn't - hello) and how ObamaCare screwed him over last year. The thought bubble that I hope was not visible over my head: Oh, yeah, because you applied for the subsidy all by yourself because you are so smart and then had to pay it back. Oops. Tell me again how you should do this tax return yourself. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gail in Virginia Posted March 14, 2016 Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 54 minutes ago, RitaB said: The thought bubble that I hope was not visible over my head: Oh, yeah, because you applied for the subsidy all by yourself because you are so smart and then had to pay it back. Oops. Tell me again how you should do this tax return yourself. My assistant was just saying today that it was a good thing video phones have not become standard for communicating since clients could tell by my face what I was thinking when I answered their calls. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted March 14, 2016 Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 6 minutes ago, Gail in Virginia said: My assistant was just saying today that it was a good thing video phones have not become standard for communicating since clients could tell by my face what I was thinking when I answered their calls. It really helps, when dealing with annoying clients, to be able to roll your eyes or make faces at the phone! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaB Posted March 14, 2016 Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 41 minutes ago, Catherine said: It really helps, when dealing with annoying clients, to be able to roll your eyes or make faces at the phone! And now my thought bubble will have "you windjammer" at the end. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WITAXLADY Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 i am considering having an open house in JUne so they can come visit then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLACK BART Posted March 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 On 3/12/2016 at 7:29 AM, rfassett said: On 3/11/2016 at 6:53 AM, rfassett said: Shows your character that you bothered to ask. My clients, as are yours, are not tax returns or dollars, they are real people with real every day issues. We step outside of ourselves when we invite them to share. You are to be commended for neither falling out of your chair not dozing off. There is a very visible line between "time wasting idle chit chat" and visiting with the client at a deeper level. The fact of the matter, I have oft said that my practice is 65% counseling and 35% tax and accounting - and I lament (in a joking manner) that I should be charging professional counselor's hourly fees instead of those of a lowly accountant. I did not imply that I do not chase anyone out. I did imply that I will take whatever time it takes with a client that needs a caring listening ear. And I certainly did not mean to imply that anyone here is cold, crass and calloused. I was simply commending the original OP for taking the time with a client that needed it. We each have our own practice with a unique culture. Yours works for you - and mine works for me. To rfassettk: Sorry. I took your first reply as sarcasm, but apparently I was mistaken and overreacted (it's hard to read facial expressions on a message board ). I think you're right about the "counseling percentage" - we had a younger guy in today (50-ish; which is young to me) who was recently laid off from his long-time job. We're doing his taxes (whenever he can get his 1095 form), but he's single, not a "sociable" type, and has nothing to do and no place to go. So he stayed for a long time and we talked politics. I felt good about helping him pass the time and so did he. And, come to think of it, I'm guessing that we average about 30 minutes of chit-chat every time somebody picks up their taxes, so yes, I guess there's something of the "bartender listening" that comes with this job. About the "You haven't heard!?" guy from the other day, though; I now feel somewhat vindicated. When he was here, another man waiting got up and left after about 20 minutes. He brought his papers back in today and, laughing, said "I bet you won't ask him THAT again, will you?" 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.