Better Client Onboarding for Tax Professionals and Financial Advisors

First impressions are everything, especially when onboarding a new client. 

Clients expect their financial advisors and tax professionals to be organized, efficient, and always on top of their game. They want seamless communication, timely responses, and the confidence that their financial matters are being handled with the utmost care and precision. 

After all, dealing with finances can be stressful for most people. From wanting to ensure you’re making sound financial decisions for your future to simply just not wanting to get audited by the government. Trusting someone with your finances is a big deal for clients. 

A smooth onboarding process sets the tone for a successful long-term relationship, and with automated scheduling, you can give your clients a seamless and professional experience from the get-go.

Financial services scheduling software streamlines every aspect of onboarding, ensuring that each meeting is perfectly timed, every document is prepared, and every follow-up is scheduled without a hitch. This attention to detail not only saves you time but also builds trust and credibility with your clients from the very beginning.

Overcoming common client onboarding challenges as a finance professional

Dealing with finances can be stressful, especially for the everyday person. Whether they’re saving for the future, filing their taxes, or investing their hard-earned money, they need to know you’ve got their back. 

Your onboarding process should make it crystal clear that you're there for them now and will continue to be there every step of the way. As financial advisors and tax pros, you work hard to make sure your clients feel taken care of, but there are a few common issues everyone runs into during onboarding, like:

Time Management

Most financial professionals juggle client appointments, administrative tasks, and everything in between. Coordinating schedules, following up on appointments, and handling cancellations can eat up a lot of time, leaving less for strategic planning and client interaction.

Data Collection

Gathering all the right information can be a pain. You need comprehensive and accurate data to give the best advice, but traditional methods can be slow and error-prone. Plus, most people don’t even know what paperwork they need to bring to the meeting. This can cause delays and frustration for both you and your clients.

Communication

Communication mishaps, like missed messages or unclear instructions, can further complicate things. Clear and consistent communication ensures clients know what’s expected of them and keeps them in the loop. Miscommunications can lead to incomplete documentation, missed deadlines, and an overall poor client experience.

Luckily, there’s a super convenient solution for the common headaches associated with the financial advisor onboarding process: workflow automation with automated scheduling. 

Automated scheduling makes client onboarding a breeze 

Automated scheduling can make all the difference in your onboarding process. Here’s how: 

It helps you save time

Most financial professionals juggle client appointments, administrative tasks, and everything in between. Coordinating schedules, following up on appointments, and handling cancellations can eat up a lot of time, leaving less for strategic planning and client interaction. 

With automated scheduling, clients can see your availability and book their onboarding sessions at their convenience.

With scheduling software like YouCanBookMe, you can also automate important touch points like:

• Customizing your booking form to collect vital information to help with lead qualification
• Personalizing pre- and post-meeting communication
• Offload scheduling your client's next appointment to the client

It lets you get the right paperwork before the initial meeting

Gathering all the right information can be a pain. Whether you need tax forms, pay stubs, trusts, wills, or even just proof of employment, you’ll need comprehensive and accurate data to give the best advice. Unfortunately, most people don’t even know what paperwork they need to bring to the meeting.

An automated scheduling software makes this way easier (for you and for your clients!) You can include document checklists in your booking form, or request clients fill out pre-appointment forms. With YouCanBookMe’s Dropbox integration, you can trust that everything you need is in the right place at the right time.

It streamlines communication

Communication is key for every relationship, but it’s especially crucial to keep things clear when discussing someone’s finances. 

Automated scheduling sends reminders and follow-ups, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks. This reduces the risk of incomplete documentation, missed deadlines, and a poor client experience. This can include communication like:

• Meeting confirmation emails
• Meeting reminder emails
• Meeting follow-up emails
• Progress update emails
• Check-in emails in-between appointments 

But most importantly, it shows clients you mean business

By integrating automated scheduling into your onboarding process, you set a professional, positive tone from the start. 

Automated scheduling shows clients that you’re serious about providing excellent service—and that you value their time.

…and it’s super easy to set up!

Setting up YouCanBookMe is super straightforward. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Sign up
2. Integrate it with your favorite financial advisor software, whether it's accounting software, Google Analytics, or your CRM
3. Connect the systems in your optimal way
4. Test out your automations

Now you can quickly and effectively implement workflow automations that enhance your client onboarding process. You can even customize and optimize your booking form!

Customizing your calendar = smoother onboarding

With a customized calendar, you can take full control of your schedule, making onboarding smoother and more efficient. YouCanBookMe lets you: 

• Set availability: You can define your hours and days for consultations, ensuring clients can only book during your available times. This way, you can be sure clients know exactly when they can schedule their appointments, reducing double bookings or scheduling conflicts.
• Define appointment types: Create different appointment types for various services, to clarify their purpose. This helps clients understand what to expect and prepares them for their appointments.
• Buffer times: Add buffer times between appointments to avoid overlaps and ensure you have adequate preparation time. 
• Set up automated reminders: Use automated email or SMS reminders and confirmations to reduce no-shows.

Tailoring the scheduling system to your needs helps you get a smooth and efficient client onboarding process. 

Get the right info way before the meeting

Automated scheduling systems can make client onboarding a breeze by including intake forms during the initial booking process! 

Not only is this a great way to qualify incoming leads, but by having a deeper understanding of what your clients hope to achieve, you'll be able to deliver a better, more personalized onboarding process for clients. That way, you can provide them with enough detail to prepare them for the meeting without overwhelming anyone.

As you build your booking page, it's important to understand what clients ultimately look for when they're booking an appointment. Dealing with finances can be stressful for anyone, so it's important that your booking page doesn't add to that. 

Instead, use an appointment software that enables you to deliver the best customer experience through:

• Simplicity: Clients love a straightforward booking process. Avoid complicated or lengthy forms, which can be a turn-off.
• Efficiency: Keep the booking process quick and easy. Clients are more likely to complete forms if they know it won’t take too long.
• Transparency: Explain why each piece of information is needed and how it will be used. Being transparent builds trust and encourages clients to provide accurate information.

• Easy: Ensure that your clients are able to easily find an available time that works best for them. YouCanBookMe's overlay ability helps you do just that:

Key information financial advisors need from clients before meeting

Most of our financial and tax advisor customers commonly ask their clients for information like: 

• Personal details: Name, contact info, and address.
• Financial details: Income, expenses, assets, liabilities, and financial goals.
• Goals and objectives: Understanding the client’s financial goals, risk tolerance, and long-term objectives helps advisors tailor their advice effectively.

By collecting this through automated intake forms during client onboarding, you can thoroughly prepare for initial consultations, ensuring you deliver personalized and effective advice from the first meeting.

Easily keep clients in the loop

Ever booked an appointment and then felt totally in the dark because there was no follow-up? Clear communication during the onboarding process is key to building trust and setting up a solid relationship with your clients.

Your clients are probably just as busy as you are, and a little reminder can go a long way. YouCanBookMe makes it super easy to keep in touch. With automated emails and SMS reminders, you can keep your clients in the loop about their appointments, reducing no-shows and making sure everyone is prepared.

By keeping clients informed and engaged from the get-go, you show them that you're organized, reliable, and considerate of their time. This sets the stage for a positive and productive partnership right from the start.

Create reminders that work

You can easily create effective reminders, too. Our top tips for effective reminders are:

• Be friendly: Express enthusiasm about the upcoming meeting by using warm and friendly phrases like “quick reminder,” or “checking in.”
• Personalize it: Make sure you address the client by their name and include their specific appointment details. You should also sign it yourself. 
• Get specific: Clearly state the exact time, date, and location/link.
• Include your contact info: Make yourself available to your clients by providing them with contact information. 
• Use a clear subject line: Keep subject lines simple but informative. 
• Send it at the right time: For in-person meetings, we recommend sending the reminder 24 hours in advance. Online meetings have a bit more leeway, and we recommend sending them an hour before your scheduled meeting time. 
• Automate everything: YouCanBookMe lets you automate your reminders, saving you time and bandwidth

Set up automatic reminders with YouCanBookMe

Setting up automatic reminders with YouCanBookMe is a breeze. Simply customize your reminder templates, set the timing, and let YouCanBookMe handle the rest! Your clients will receive personalized emails and SMS reminders, keeping everyone on the same page effortlessly.

Work smarter, not harder with workflow automation

Imagine cutting out all the back-and-forth emails and phone calls just to schedule a single meeting. Sounds like a dream, right? With workflow automation, this dream becomes a reality! 

By automating tasks like booking appointments, sending reminders, and following up with clients, you can free up valuable time. No more manual entries or forgotten appointments. Everything is seamlessly managed, so you can focus on what you do best—providing top-notch financial and tax advice.

How workflow automation makes client onboarding easier

For financial advisors and tax professionals, automation can be a game-changer. Here’s how:

1. Efficient scheduling: Automated scheduling tools allow clients to book appointments directly through your website. This eliminates the need for back-and-forth communications and ensures your calendar is always up-to-date.
2. Automated reminders: Reduce no-shows by sending automated reminders via email or SMS. Clients are more likely to remember and attend their appointments when they receive timely reminders.
3. Client follow-ups: Post-appointment follow-ups can be automated to thank clients for their business, remind them of upcoming deadlines, or suggest booking their next session. This keeps your clients engaged and your schedule full.
4. Data management: Automation can help manage client data efficiently, making it easy to access information when needed. This ensures you are always prepared for meetings with up-to-date client details.
5. Task management: Workflow automation can also streamline internal processes, such as task assignments and progress tracking. This helps keep your team organized and focused on delivering exceptional service.

YouCanBookMe integrates seamlessly popular tax and financial advisor software like QuickBooks, Google, and HubSpot. Plus, with Zapier, YouCanBookME can connect with over 7,000 other apps, ensuring your scheduling system works perfectly with your existing tools. 

Keep your calendar full

Automation isn't just about saving time; it's also about maximizing your booking potential. Here are a few tips to keep your calendar packed:

1. Easy online booking: Make sure your booking system is easy to find and use. The simpler it is for clients to book an appointment, the more likely they are to do it.
2. Automated reminders: Reduce no-shows by sending automated reminders via email or SMS. This keeps clients on track and ensures they remember their appointments.
3. Follow-up messages: Use automated follow-up messages to re-engage clients after their appointments. A simple thank you or a reminder to book the next session can go a long way.
4. Optimize booking slots: Allow clients to see available slots in real-time and book instantly. This flexibility encourages more bookings and keeps your schedule full.

For more detailed strategies on keeping your appointment book full, check out our article on Ensuring Your Schedule is Full. It's packed with tips to help you make the most of your time and keep your business running smoothly.

YouCanBookMe in action: Amanda Birch’s tax season transformation

Meet Amanda Birch, the President of Birch Accounting & Tax Services Ltd. Tax season used to mean endless phone calls and a barrage of emails just to manage her schedule. But that all changed when Amanda discovered YouCanBookMe.

With YouCanBookMe, Amanda's clients can book appointments on their own, no assistance needed. This newfound efficiency was a game-changer:

The Results?

• Time Saved: Amanda saves hours each week, which she now spends on client work instead of scheduling.
• Happier Clients: Clients love the hassle-free booking process.
• Smooth Onboarding: New clients get set up quickly and stay on track with automatic reminders.

Wrapping up

Automated scheduling is a game-changer for financial and tax advisors, offering huge benefits that make client onboarding and daily operations a breeze. With YouCanBookMe, you can save time, reduce admin stress, and keep your clients smiling.

Key Takeaways:

• Time Savings: Free up hours each week for what matters most – your clients.
• Happy Clients: A smooth booking process and automated reminders keep clients satisfied and stress-free.
• Streamlined Onboarding: Professional, organized, and efficient client onboarding processes build stronger client relationships.

Imagine effortlessly managing your schedule and having more time for meaningful client interactions. YouCanBookMe transforms your workflow, making your operations  easier and more efficient.

Ready to revolutionize your daily operations? Try YouCanBookMe and see the difference for yourself. Your future self (and your clients) will thank you!