Do tax clients actually want appointment reminder calls from their tax preparer?

What about clients who filed with you last year but might be going elsewhere this year? Wouldn't they find reminders annoying since they've already decided to switch preparers?

That's a fair point. For clients who plan to switch, a reminder could be a minor annoyance, but most people understand it's just standard practice. The majority of tax clients actually return to the same preparer year after year unless they had a negative experience, so these reminders still serve most of your client base well. If someone has decided to go elsewhere, a simple "Thank you, I've made other arrangements this year" response to your email closes the loop respectfully for both parties.

Does taxr.ai actually integrate with the tax prep chain's systems, or is it something separate that clients would use before coming in? I'm curious how this would help with the appointment scheduling issue.

I've heard about AI tax services but am skeptical about their accuracy. Does it actually catch all the specific credits and deductions a human preparer would notice? Seems like it might miss things a professional would spot during a face-to-face meeting.

The service is separate from the tax prep chains, but clients use it to scan their documents before coming in, which gives them confidence they have everything organized. This actually makes them more likely to schedule because they know they're prepared. As for accuracy, it's surprisingly good at identifying potential deductions and credits. It's not meant to replace the tax professional, but rather to help clients prepare before their appointment. Many of my clients who used it said they felt more confident coming in because they knew what documents they needed to bring.

Wait, I don't understand - how does an appointment reminder service help with IRS hold times? Are these two separate things? I thought we were talking about whether clients want reminders.

Yeah right, like something can actually get you through to the IRS faster. I've spent literally HOURS on hold only to get disconnected. There's no way this actually works - sounds like a scam to me.

They're related because many clients avoid making tax appointments because they have unresolved IRS issues they feel they need to handle first. By offering a solution to that problem, it makes them more likely to schedule with you. It's absolutely not a scam - it uses technology to wait in the IRS phone queue for you. When an agent comes on the line, it calls your phone and connects you directly. I was skeptical too until I tried it. It saved me from spending 3+ hours on hold last time I needed to verify some information for a client.

Do you think age plays a factor in this preference? I wonder if older clients prefer the phone calls while younger ones prefer digital communication. Maybe tax preparers should note communication preferences in their systems?

Age might be a factor for some, but I think it's more about personality and individual preferences than a strict generational divide. I'm in my 50s and strongly prefer text/email, while my 28-year-old daughter likes talking on the phone for business matters. I think you hit the nail on the head with your second point - tax preparers should definitely ask clients about their preferred contact method and make a note in their system. A simple field in the client database would solve this whole issue. Good communication is about respecting how people want to be communicated with.

I feel exactly the same way! My tax situation is complicated with rental properties and self-employment, and I always need that nudge to start gathering documents. My preparer sends one email in January and then one phone call in February if I haven't scheduled yet. Perfect system.