Whether you have recently finished your degree and have just started your first proper job at a firm, or you have been in the business for many years and are well established, having good relationships with the people inside and outside your firm is a key ingredient to successful and congenial business.
At the end of the day, people are mainly concerned with how skilled you are. When it comes to accountancy, how well you do the job is obviously the main concern for everyone.
However, the more subtle factors of your interactions with clients, partners, and your superiors are still a vital part of your career.
The Importance of Networking
Networking is a massive part of your life as an accountant. Forming a tightknit circle of clients requires steady and caring communication, both verbal and written.
One must ensure that the flow of information between you and a client is clear, honest and invested.
This clear channel of communication, coupled with your talent and effort, will ensure that you become a renowned an in-demand accountant.
When you have developed several strong relationships, the ripple effects of your efforts begin to pay off.
The first few connections you make are the most important, as your influence and development will branch off from these foundations.
Accountant’s Reputations
Accountants have a bad reputation for being cold and pedantic people that prefer getting down to brass tacks over sentimental chitchat. It is your duty to ensure that people see otherwise.
Show them that you are friendly, outgoing and interested.
Much of accounting liaising now happens over text or email. Many accountants will work for years for people they have never even spoken to.
This can often lead to inconsistencies or even breakdowns of communication, and work begins slipping in quality, something that we all know is a death sentence in this field.
Face to face meetings are essential. They are the best means of gathering, compiling and understanding exactly what your client needs, ensuring the valid reporting back of what you have digested.
Most clients need to see value and humanity in the people they are working with. They want to know that the morals and end goals the individual and his company in general hold are worthwhile.
A failure to convey such meaning can easily lead to a loss of interest. People can easily turn away from you if they do not see dedication or the right spirit. This not only hurts you but the firm you work for as well.
The Importance of Close Relationships
Having close relationships is also important for improving your perception and judgment. The better insight you have into a client and their situation, the better you can analyse the next one. In time, you will be able to balance the risk and reward associated with working with a client.
You will be able to pick up on their strengths and weaknesses almost intuitively.
It’s all about being friendly. You can’t get anywhere in life without being committed to people, without providing the care and dedication necessary to make people feel like you have truly done them a service.
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