Check out our March newsletter!
5 Strategies That Help Set Expectations How to Ace Your New-Client Onboarding IRSProb.com︱ (833) IRS-PROB︱(214) 214-3000 MARCH 2023
When I get a new client, my main priority is ensuring they have a great experience with us. I view my relationship with my clients as a partnership, with them supplying valuable information for my team and me to perform our jobs as smoothly as possible. But new clients can enter with differing expectations — or none at all — when dealing with the IRS. Individuals dealing with the IRS for the first time may be filled with fear and anxiety about their situation, while others may be a little more apprehensive about sharing their stories with us simply because they’re embarrassed.
of paperwork, they will likely forget some of the questions they wanted to ask you or tune out and become apathetic halfway through. Attention spans are short, so it’s crucial that your initial meeting covers essential things your client needs to know while working with you. Convey information in digestible chunks. Only some people can read and digest 12 pages of information in one sitting, especially when dealing with complex legal or financial issues. That’s why the information you present while onboarding should be delivered in bite-sized chunks. Leave out the nitty gritty. When you first meet a client, they don’t need to know every minute detail of your business. In fact, that information is often overwhelming for many people already dealing with an issue of their own. Focus on conveying information relevant to each client’s case in a way that’s clear and easy to understand so your client doesn’t get lost in the weeds. Provide a timeline. The art of onboarding is one of prediction, and one of the most common questions you will surely receive is, “How long will this take?” So, provide all new clients with a map of the next 12-18 months, with details of what your business will do for them along the way. We recommend including approximate milestones where the client can expect to hear from you again with updates or results. Obviously, you can’t predict precisely when these things will happen, so it’s essential to label the milestones, not exact dates. Creating a timeline also tells your clients that you’ve handled issues just like theirs and have navigated them successfully. Include a ‘Bill of Rights.’ Refrain from assuming your clients will understand your expectations. Clearly outline what you expect of them and what they can expect of you during the process. For instance, if part of your job is inquiring about personal finances, make sure that’s clearly stated so clients won’t be surprised by your questions. Similarly, state any rules you have regarding communicating with your business. A smooth onboarding process can significantly increase your ability to form a meaningful relationship with your clients, allowing you to complete your job more successfully. What’s most important is your onboarding is clear, concise, and honest, so your clients will always know exactly what to expect!
The key to overcoming these obstacles with clients is an efficient onboarding process.
An efficient onboarding process predicts the things a new client may need assistance with and sets clear expectations before getting started. By staying one step ahead of your new client’s questions, you can provide them with the information they need to feel comfortable and confident about working with you. This feeling of ease will improve your work with and for your client, as they’re more likely to be open and honest with you. In essence, it helps create a partnership. However, not all onboarding processes are equal — or good. If your onboarding process is too rushed or brief, it may leave your client with more questions than they started, but if it is too long and dense, it can cause them to check out. So, here are a few strategies that I use at IRSProb.com to ensure the onboarding process for new clients is helpful and informative for everyone involved. Simplify your initial meeting. New clients are likely filled with various questions and concerns when they come to your business. If your initial meeting is filled with an hour and a half
–Randy Martin
IRSProb.com︱ 1
Work From Home? Tips to Ensure You Aren’t Overworked According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of people who work out of a home office has tripled between 2019 and 2021. This massive increase is mainly due to the pandemic. Prior to COVID-19, it was believed that if workers were not in an office setting, they would slack off while working remotely. However, the opposite has proven to be true. In fact, some studies show that many employees working from home are overworked as their personal and professional lives start to blend. When their home is also their office, do they ever really transition out of work mode? If you have adopted the remote work lifestyle, here are some tips to help ensure that you are not overdoing it. Stick to a start and stop time. In an office setting, employees are instructed when to show up and go home. Some even clock in and out, even for lunch breaks. If you are working from home, maintain regular working hours and avoid the urge to “check just one work thing” outside of your set hours. Log all overtime. On that note, if you do end up working after-hours or more than your slotted hours in the day, record it and “flex” your hours on a different day to balance out the overtime hours. Even if you are just putting in an extra 15 minutes on a Wednesday evening, mark it down — this way, you know just how much extra work you put into a particular task or project. Be vocal. If and when you become overwhelmed, it’s important to say something. When employees are outside of a traditional office setting and faces and body language can’t be observed throughout the day, it can be difficult to know when someone has too much on their plate and is on the verge of burning out. To bridge this gap, be vocal about your workload!
The $16,522.07 Penalty Abatement How We Won Our Clients’ Well-Deserved Refund A year ago, we took on a case brought to us by a couple who severely needed our help. They had a couple of tough years due to COVID-19, and their business wasn’t doing well, on top of the issues that they were experiencing with the IRS. We immediately got to work and found this couple had a tax liability, or owed taxes. These liabilities differ for each individual, some due to missed or late payments and others due to mistakes when filing. However, these owed taxes come with expensive penalties from the IRS, which add up over time. While sometimes penalty abatements are resolved quickly, every circumstance is different. For some people, it can take up to a year to resolve their abatement, as the IRS railroads us during the process, even though it’s our right to dispute them. Today, IRS penalty abatements are much more challenging to receive than they were eight years ago. Getting the IRS to send a check back to the taxpayer is becoming increasingly difficult. But at IRSProb.com, we’re experienced in penalty abatements, and we know the law, so we worked hard to get this couple the refund they deserved. It took us two and a half months of diligent work and attention, but we got our clients a check for $16,522.07 from the U.S. Treasury for their penalties. This certainly isn’t the largest IRS penalty abatement we’ve won during 2022, but it was the most deserved and hardest fought. If one of your clients is struggling with penalties for their tax liabilities, we can help. Give us a call at (214) 214-3000 , so we can start solving their problems with the IRS.
2︱(833) IRS-PROB︱(214) 214-3000
There’s No ‘Luck’ in Problem-Solving We Use Hard Work to Win Cases
At IRSProb.com, we don’t need to rely on luck to win our cases because when dealing with the IRS, hard work and preparation allow us to win. For example, we had a client who had her paychecks levied by the IRS because of a tax debt brought into her marriage by her husband. We quickly discovered through close examination that the IRS was following through with a new initiative they had begun to punish non-liable spouses for tax issues. And while there is case law to support the IRS doing this, we went to work immediately to help her. Anxiety wracked our client, and stress from her husband’s guilt affected their marriage. We really wanted to help this couple, so we dedicated countless hours to closely reviewing her case and the laws. Through careful examination, we found an area in the law that would provide relief for the wife. This discovery wasn’t because we were lucky, and finding the solution wasn’t random. We put the necessary time into her specific case and successfully overcame the new aggressive stance of the IRS. So at IRSProb.com, we don’t need luck to win. We create our own good fortune through our desire to help people to get back on their feet. There is no such thing as random chance when dealing with the IRS — just diligent work, preparation, and attention to detail.
St. Patrick’s Day is this month, and it often brings ideas of “luck” with it. Some people believe that being involved in the IRS is unlucky, but we have found that the harder we work to solve people’s problems, the luckier we get.
Clients With IRS issues?
Do you have clients with IRS problems and don’t know how to lead them? We’d love to hear from you! Handling the IRS bureaucracy is something that most legal and tax professionals themselves don’t want to deal with, and the taxpayer trying to go at it alone can hurt themselves just by saying the wrong thing or failing to speak up at the right time. That’s where we come in. At IRSProb.com, we specialize in helping people resolve their issues with the IRS so they can start anew and have hope for their future. If you know anyone struggling with an IRS-related issue, we’d love to help. Send us an email at Info@irsprob.com or call ( 214) 214-3000 so we can get started. Se Habla Español!
TAKE A BREAK!
IRSProb.com︱ 3
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
14800 Quorum Drive, Suite 140 Dallas, Texas 75254 IRSProb.com (833) IRS-PROB︱(214) 214-3000
Inside This Issue
Tips to Improve Your New-Client Onboarding page 1 How to Avoid Being Overworked Remotely page 2 The Most Deserved and Hardest Fought Penalty Abatement page 2 We Don’t Need Luck to Win! page 3 Clients With IRS issues? page 3 The Best St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations in America page 4
Feeling the Luck of the Irish? Check Out America’s Best St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations
As we inch closer to the beginning of spring, nature around us is coming back to life. Soon, the grass and trees will return to their typical green hue if they haven’t already. Luckily, you don’t need to wait until April to see an abundance of green again. On March 17, we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, and people across the country will dress in green to honor the occasion. Certain cities in the U.S. go big for St. Patrick’s Day. If you’ve never attended a St. Patrick’s Day parade or celebration, maybe this is the year. Below you’ll find a few cities with St. Patrick’s Day celebrations worth checking out. Chicago, IL Nobody does St. Patrick’s Day quite like Chicago, Illinois. The entire city gets a makeover! This year, on March 11, Chicago will host its St. Patrick’s Day parade, which includes dyeing the Chicago River a beautiful shade of emerald green. They’ll start tinting the river around 9 a.m., and the color will fade within six hours, so make sure you get there early! Chicago’s St. Patrick’s
Day Parade is also one of the biggest in the country. You’ll see floats, Irish step dancers, and much more.
New Orleans, LA Once Mardi Gras concludes, all eyes are on St. Patrick’s Day in New Orleans, Louisiana. The city hosts a parade on March 11, and it’s always quite a spectacle. You’ll see the makings of Irish tradition everywhere, including cabbage, onions, and potatoes, so keep your head on a swivel. You can also head to the Irish Channel neighborhood on March 11 to attend an all-day block party. Plenty of green beer will be available at this event, so come ready to celebrate! New London, WI Let’s say you want to do something slightly toned down but still exciting for St. Patrick’s Day. Then, you’ll want to check out New London, Wisconsin, for one of the country’s most unique St. Paddy’s Day celebrations. Leprechauns will change the city signs from New London to New Dublin. The city also puts on an Irish funeral parody in its annual downtown parade.
4︱(833) IRS-PROB︱(214) 214-3000
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator