Looking for ways to save time and simplify the day-to-day tasks of your tax business? You have a host of user-friendly, affordable tech at your fingertips that can help. Here are 10 ways your tax business can go digital and save time.
1. Answering the phone
Automated phone answering can ensure that your clients get a prompt, professional answer to every call and are quickly directed to a real person. Some popular services among small businesses include Nextiva and Grasshopper.
2. Scheduling appointments & meetings
Scheduling software like HubSpot Meetings Tool or Calendly allows clients to create their own appointments online, automatically filling in your calendar and sending you notifications. You can still easily add appointments manually when clients call to schedule a meeting.
3. Virtual meetings
Virtual meetings were already gaining popularity among tax preparers working with long-distance clients, but they’ve become an increasingly essential tool for tax preparers everywhere. Software like Zoom will automatically send invitations and reminders to you and your clients when you create a meeting.
4. Client reminder emails
The client retention database included with TaxSlayer Pro Premium and TaxSlayer Pro Classic keeps track of which clients have already filed their return for the current tax year and which haven’t. It creates two separate lists, allowing you to quickly send thank you notes to returning clients and reminder emails to those who haven’t filed yet.
5. Scheduling email responses
Schedule send features are automatically built into Gmail and Outlook and other email services. They allow you to write emails whenever you have time and schedule them to be sent later, so you never have to bother clients on evenings or weekends.
6. Onboarding new clients
Onboarding a new client often involves repetitive tasks. The client enters their information into a form, and you manually add their information to a client database and send a welcome or thank you letter.
With a digitized process, the client’s information can be automatically added to your database as soon as they fill out the form. Tools like Zapier can automate several processes at once, creating a new client file, sending welcome emails, and helping new clients schedule their first meeting as soon as they enter their information on your electronic form.
7. Recurring payments
Many tax professionals serve businesses year-round and receive recurring payments. A system like Square or PayPal can help you and your clients arrange automatic recurring invoices and payments, saving time for both of you.
8. Tracking business travel mileage
There are several apps that can help you track mileage related to your business. Most will automatically start tracking as soon as your car starts moving and stop once you’ve reached your destination. You can then categorize your trips as personal or business-related. If you don’t travel for business often, you can usually change the settings to only track the trip if you open the app.
9. Getting signatures
Electronic signature pads make it easy for clients to add signatures to their electronic returns in your office, cutting out the hassle of printing, signing, and scanning documents.
10. Document management
Digitizing your documents is one of the most important steps you can take to stay organized and efficient as a tax preparer. With TaxSlayer Pro software, going paperless is easy as you can export and save all client documents and returns as PDFs . The TaxesToGo™ mobile app enables paperless document sharing and signing, so clients never have to scan or email their tax forms, and you never have to print or download them.
Ready to learn more about how TaxSlayer Pro can make your life easier? Give our sales team a call at 1-888-420-1040 or download a demo today.
