I have been a bookkeeper in practice for over 30 years but never had a week like this one.
Monday- farmer client, mother made a new will and son does not approve as it will endanger his livlihood. It is my job to get them around a table to discuss and arrange for professional advise and then go back to the solicitor to re make the will.
Wednesday- client engaged in confrontation with HMRC and some very raised voices and dreadful language. Manage to calm things down and smooth things over
Thursday- husband announces his business (together with 3 other directors) has been advised by their account to go into voluntary liquidation. Looks like I am going to have to be the breadwinner in the future.
Friday- client and his wife burst into tears as their 16yr old daughter just announced she is gay and they had had no suspicion of it nor can they handle such a situation. Make the coffee several times and have a long discussion to try and make things better.
Working as a sole trader I have always been there to help people discuss things they want to get off their chest but this week really has been exceptional and I am contemplating a career change but as I am probably going to have to keep the family I guess I will stick with being a bookkeeper when not doing the counselling
Had a client come in because he needed help with inheritance tax forms. He's been a client for a couple of years with his sole trader business. The deceased was his best friend and we spent 30 minutes on the forms and an hour drinking coffee and chatting about how much he missed his best friend.
Another client has breast cancer and her husband uses me as a listening ear when he's upset.
I've had many discussions about another client's son with learning difficulties, a client whose mother has just passed away, discussions about child custody with a recently divorced client, a phone call from a client in hospital to say that he'd just had a heart attack, another client is involved in a current high profile sexual assault case (this lady also discusses all her family difficulties with me.
I wouldn't have it any other way. I think that the relationship a client has with their bookkeeper/accountant is actually quite a personal one. How many other people know how much money you earn or how and where you spend it? When you trust someone with all of that information it becomes very easy to discuss other intimate details with them. For some people they need to share information with someone who won't pass it on and if they know you are trustworthy you may become that person.
I also have clients who share nothing except finances with me. That's fine too. It's the way the cookie crumbles and it's my ability to distinguish between the two types of client and react accordingly that ensures that I have a vibrant and busy practice and a very loyal clientele.
I may not be the fastest bookkeeper but I have very high standards but the one thing I have always built my business on is confidentiality and I think this is the main reason why are clients poor their hearts out. It can also have a benefit to us when we have problems and need someone to listen to us who is not family. Likewise, I would have it no other way and I love all aspects of being a bookkeeper. As I said this week was a bit of a drain on my emotions and thankyou for letting me get it of my chest.
Think we all have to manage our client's emotions to a certain degree. A good skill is being able to listen.
So my (pretty regular) use of the line "And that's my problem how?" is right out then!
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
Never really thought about it but having done counselling during teacher training it came naturally with clients. I think the trust thing is probably why clients confide in book-keepers and, unlike some on fixed monthly rates, I charge by the hour so if they want to talk it costs them!!!! Maybe I should charge more for the counselling though as I'm sure professional counsellors charge more per hour and book-keepers.
