Busy season shouldn't mean a full voicemail.
In spring, the phone rings all day and you still have returns to finish. AlloPlace answers in English or French, books consultations into Google Calendar, and takes clear messages for anything that needs an accountant.
The calls you get
"Are you taking new clients?" "What do I need to bring?" "Can I drop my papers off on Saturday?" "Did you get the documents I sent?" "Where's my return?" "I got a notice in the mail, can someone look at it?" "How much do you charge for a personal return?" Most are logistics. A few need you today. The trouble is telling them apart while you're in the middle of a file.
What it does for you
Books first meetings and drop-offs. Consultations, document drop-off times and review meetings go into Google Calendar, at the lengths you set.
Answers the checklist questions. What to bring, your hours in tax season, whether you take self-employed or small business clients, and your fees if you choose to share them.
Doesn't give tax advice. If a caller asks whether they can deduct their home office, it says that's a question for the accountant and notes it in the message.
Keeps sensitive numbers off the phone. Tell it never to ask for a SIN or SSN, and to tell callers not to read one out. It doesn't take card numbers either.
Takes messages you can act on. Name, number, whose file it is, what they need and by when.
A typical call
Late April in Trois-Rivières. A self-employed graphic designer has never been your client and calls at 8 p.m. to ask if you can still take her return. Your rule says new clients get a first meeting on Saturday mornings, so AlloPlace books one, reads her your list of what to bring, and sends a confirmation text. She asks whether she can claim her car. It tells her that's for the accountant and puts the question in the summary.
TBD: replace with a real call once a customer agrees.
Rules you might write
- "Never ask for a SIN or SSN. If someone starts to give one, stop them and say we'll collect it at the meeting."
- "Don't answer tax questions. Take a message for the accountant on the file."
- "From March to April, only book new clients on Saturday mornings."
- "If someone says they have a deadline tomorrow, transfer to my cell."
Good to know
- Calendar or software: books into Google Calendar only. Outlook and Microsoft 365 calendars aren't supported yet, and it doesn't connect to tax or practice software. If your firm lives in Outlook, talk to us first.
- Recordings: every call is recorded and transcribed in your inbox. Recordings are deleted on a schedule, and you can delete one yourself.
- French: it switches between French and English when the caller does. More on that
What it costs
Starter is US$30 a month (about CA$43) for 150 minutes. If tax season pushes you past that, extra minutes are US$0.20 each, and a spending cap keeps the bill in check. Full pricing