It would be a rare thing to find a business that hasn't gone through a difficult financial period at some point. It happens to most businesses and when it hits yours it can be stressful, often leaving you feeling isolated and even demotivated.
Right now I am working with a few of my clients who are going through their own difficult times; for myself and the ethos of my accountancy practice, this is our time to shine and demonstrate to our clients how we can support them through their challenging time.
What does this look like in practice? Well, it could be just as simple as a meet up for coffee (and cake) and some good old fashioned listening. We can be a sympathetic set of ears as we know it can be hard to sit and talk through business woes with your family and friends. It may be that we have more frequent 'check ins' , sometimes giving a client a prompt to talk rather than waiting for them.
Sometimes it can even mean we take a hit ourselves. Potentially we could offer lower fees for a period of time, or even a fee free period. Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating working for free, but recognising and supporting a client through their down time can bring rewards in business at other times.
I genuinely want to see my clients succeed and it feels satisfying to offer a service in my practice that can support them in the tough times as well as the good.
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