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What separates good firms from great ones? It’s not just the quality of the work — it’s how the work gets done. Great firms deliver answers before clients ask, provide an easy-to-navigate place for collaboration, and make every interaction feel seamless, secure and personal.
A recent survey of 1,000 accounting clients conducted by TaxDome found that less than half (48%) were satisfied with their accountant. However, 77% who said they were completely satisfied noted that their accountant was innovative with technology.
The numbers speak for themselves: client satisfaction is closely tied to how firms use technology. Firms that want to create an experience that brings in new clients need to listen to what clients are saying.
What Today’s Clients Expect
In the survey report, one thread strung through from beginning to end — clients want tech-led convenience and speed. Three out of four clients say they want a single platform for all communication and document sharing. It’s not just about convenience. A centralized hub eliminates back-and-forth, reduces confusion and accelerates turnaround times.
And clients are willing to pay for that speed. One in five say they’d pay up to 50% extra for faster service. That’s not just a preference it’s a signal that experience has direct revenue implications.
Clients also say that centralization improves efficiency, providing the increased speed they want. In fact, 79% of clients say using a portal for tasks like document sharing, e-signatures, payments and messaging is more efficient. When the entire client journey happens in one place, it speeds up the process and cuts out unnecessary friction on both sides.
Accessibility matters, too. Half of clients say mobile access is important for communication and document-sharing. Just like they expect to shop and manage their finances on the go, they now expect the same ease from their accountant.
What Top Firms Are Doing to Exceed Client Expectations
For firms looking to close the gap between what clients want and what they’re currently delivering, technology isn’t optional - it’s essential. Here’s what top-performing firms look for in the tools they use to elevate client experience:
- Automating repetitive tasks to improve turnaround time: Speed matters and automation is one of the fastest ways to improve turnaround time. Whether it’s automated reminders, pre-built workflows or recurring task templates, automation helps reduce delays and ensure work moves forward without constant manual follow-up.
- Delivering a client-focused user experience: Great client experience doesn’t stop at internal efficiency it extends to the front end. Look for practice management software that offers a clean, intuitive interface and a best-in-class mobile experience for clients. Clients want access to their documents, messages and payments wherever they are - and top firms are making that happen.
- Consolidating client touchpoints into a single platform: Today’s clients expect simplicity. Instead of juggling emails, portals and third-party tools, top firms bring everything into one place communication, documents, e-signatures, task lists and payments. A centralized system not only improves efficiency on the firm s side, it also creates a more cohesive, professional experience for clients.
- Investing in Support that helps them get the most out of their tools: The right software can only take you so far without the right support behind it. Leading firms pay attention to how vendors treat their users and choose platforms that offer responsive, knowledgeable help when it’s needed most.
Client expectations aren’t rising — they’ve already risen. And the firms meeting them aren’t just delivering great work. They’re doing it faster with tools that make life easier for everyone.
Client experience has become a reflection of how a firm operates. The ones getting it right are treating it like a strategy, not a side effect — and clients are responding. For firms that want to stand out, compete and grow, experience isn’t just part of the work. It is the work.
Access the 2024 TaxDome Client Satisfaction Survey at taxdome.com/industry-report-2024.