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Interviewing a potential client……..
When you receive a call from a potential client, their main interest is what you can do for them. Chances
are, they’re probably shopping around or plan to contact other bookkeeping firms in order to see who can
offer them the most for their money. And when a potential client finally decides upon your firm and wishes
to set up an initial consultation, it’s not just the client’s opportunity to see what you have to offer, but your
chance see if this is going to be a dream client or a dead duck. Here are some pertinent questions which I
ask a potential client during an initial consultation:
1) What is your current bookkeeping system? Obviously, a potential client is contacting you because a) they
have a bookkeeping system that isn’t working or they just can’t keep up with or b) they have no
bookkeeping system at all. I always make this my lead question because it gives me a good idea of whether I’
m looking at maintaining the current system or having to re-invent the wheel. Depending upon their
answer, I ask “Are you happy with the system or are you looking to streamline it? Are you computerized, or
do you do things manually? If manually, do you wish to computerize”.
These questions open up the doors of communication between myself and a potential client – and they’re a
bit clever. Not only will the answers allow me to learn more about the client, but it allows the client to talk
about their business. I’m letting them have the floor by speaking without them thinking they’re the ones
being interviewed!!
2) What results are you looking for? Is your potential client a household that wants their monthly check
register data entered so they know how much they’re spending for groceries, insurance, dog grooming,
tuition, etc? Are they a contractor wanting to know their profit and loss on individual jobs? Are they a
retailer who wants to track inventory? Letting the client tell you what they expect can help you to design
exactly what they need.
3) How often do you need someone? My niche is sole-owned or small businesses who don’t have need for a
full time bookkeeper or even someone for a few hours a day. My clients range from once a week to once a
quarter. Perhaps this client doesn’t know how often their bookkeeping needs to be kept up because they
never had a system to begin with! Assessing a potential client’s time needs will allow you to decide whether
or not they’ll fit into your current schedule.
4) How will the work be received? This is very important, especially if work will be performed off-site. The
work you perform for this client will depend upon how it’s presented. This is where specific timelines
should be spelled out in your client agreement. If you agree to pick the work up, state a specific day of each
month (say, the 15th) that you will pick the work up by. This puts the onus on the client to have everything
ready for you. I have several clients with this pick-up deadline and I always e-mail them a week before to let
them know I’ll be by on such and such a date to pick up the work. If I have to wait for a client to deliver it
to me (either by overnight or scanned e-mail documents), I still send them a courtesy e-mail a week before
letting them know that the bookkeeping for the prior month is due.
5) Is there anyone else I will be answering to? Does this client have a partner who wants to be kept in the
loop? Is there a wife or husband who demands to know who that stranger is who comes once a month and
walks away with a box of stuff? I always ask this question so I know who I should be discussing private,
financial information with and who not to. I once had a client’s new assistant call me asking for my Client’s
credit card number. She needed to order toner for the copier and the Client was at a meeting out of cell
phone range and couldn’t contact her. This assistant knew I had the number from the copies of the credit
card statements that the client furnished to me. She got huffy with me when I wouldn’t give it to her until I
verified it with my client. Of course, in the end it was all legit, but the client did let me know that she
appreciated me checking first.
6) May I contact your accountant/CPA directly?: I have an ‘on call’ CPA whom I defer to for anything that I
cannot answer as a bookkeeper. However, I always ask my client if I may contact their CPA with any
questions, scenarios, etc. with regards to anything pertaining to my client’s bookkeeping. By doing so, it lets
them know that I am pro-active about being as accurate as possible, it also allows me to establish a good
relationship with the CPA. By asking his advice, I’m silently showing him respect by keeping him in the
loop.
Of course, there can be a myriad of other questions to ask a potential client that may depend upon the
uniqueness of the potential client’s business. After a while, you’ll get the feel of what to ask to make both
their decision process, and yours, a happy and successful one!
Best!
Elena
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