Soft skills for accountants: communication skills

An accountant's ability to communicate clearly, effectively, and efficiently sits at the core of their capacity to successfully serve clients. If your communication technique isn’t as effective as possible, you could miss opportunities, potentially lose clients, and fail to deliver accurate and valuable advice.

So, what are successful accounting practices doing to ensure excellence in communication skills? And how can best-in-class accounting practice management software, including client management software, help to enhance communication for busy accountants.

Good communication skills for accounting practices

As part of their day-to-day, accounting practices revolve around good communication skills more than many realise.

As an accountant you may very well excel in your vocation and offer high value advisory skillsets and the capacity to add significant client value.

Where things can all fall over is in essential soft skills for accountants, particularly your communication skills. Poor communication skills, where key messages aren’t effectively communicated, can have consequences. Accounting professionals who do not work on effective communication will see their practice suffer.

Fortunately, any shortcomings can be easily rectified with essential soft skills training, learning and development, and best-in-class accounting practice management software.

What is communication in accounting?

Written communication skills in accounting

Preparing and reporting on a plethora of written documents is a large part of an accountant's job. These can include financial reports, cash flow statements and strategic plans.

Written materials are poorly written will result in a lack of clarity that reflects badly on the credibility of the accountant and their practice.

Verbal communication skills in accounting

A large part of an accountant's role is to communicate meaningful information in simple terms that anyone can understand.

This not only requires strong communication skills but also intricate knowledge of their client and what their needs are. By being prepared, a good communicator will be able to deliver their message confidently in as few words as possible, and with impact.

Additional communication skills in accounting

Here are some additional communication skills that accountants can focus on improving:

Transparency

Be upfront and direct with your clients at all times, using appropriate tone and body language. Your clients want trusted accounting advice, not ambiguity.

Clarity

Learning how to simplify a complex idea is an incredibly valuable skill. Keep messages short, simple and to the point. If you can say something important in three words instead of ten, do it.

Careful repetition

The more important a message is, the more times it needs to be reiterated. Otherwise it will be lost in the storm of information that people have to process each day.

Empathy

Someone’s business or livelihood could be at stake, it is important to respect this fact and, as a rule, effectively communicate with others as you’d like them to communicate with you.

Be yourself

Professional doesn’t equal a corporate robot. People will respond instinctively to your natural tones over what is sensed as a confected ‘business identity’.

Flexibility

Be conscious of the various personality types you’ll encounter and adjust your style accordingly. Even go so far as to keep notes in your client management software as to their preferred methods and styles.

You will also be able to track all client activities across your accounting firm to ensure you always have the most up to date information to build those all-important client relationships.

Context

If you receive client concerns, be sure to validate them and then contextualise the issue into a broader picture. Paint a larger picture of your advice or responses to client issues, don’t deflect and act defensively.

Using client management software to enhance communication skills

Client management software can significantly enhance communication skills for accountants in several ways:

Centralised client information: Client management software provides a centralised database where accountants can store and access client information, including contact details, communication history, and important notes. Having all relevant information readily available improves communication by allowing accountants to quickly retrieve and reference client details during conversations.
Efficient communication tracking: Client management software enables accountants to track all communication with clients, including emails, phone calls, and meetings. This feature ensures that no important discussions or interactions are overlooked. It also helps accountants stay organised and easily refer back to past conversations, providing context for ongoing clear communication.
Task and reminder management: Concise communication often requires timely follow-ups and task management. Client management software allows accountants to set reminders and assign tasks related to client communication. This ensures that important deadlines and commitments are met, enhancing accountability and reducing the risk of missed opportunities or overlooked client needs.
Document sharing and collaboration: Many client management platforms offer document management capabilities, allowing accountants to share files, financial reports, and other relevant documents with clients securely. This facilitates collaboration and seamless communication by eliminating the need for separate email threads or external file-sharing platforms.
Communication automation: Client management systems often offer automation features such as email templates, scheduling tools, and personalised workflows. These features streamline routine communication tasks, saving time and effort for accountants. Accountants can leverage these tools to send standardised emails, automate reminders, and schedule regular client updates, ensuring consistent and timely communication.
Analytical insights: Client management software can include analytics and reporting features that provide valuable insights into client behaviour, preferences, and needs. By analysing accounting data, accountants can tailor their communication strategies to better meet clients' expectations. Understanding client patterns and preferences allows for more personalised two-way communication.

Communicate effectively with your clients

Remember, effective communication is a two-way process. As an accounting professional it is essential that you communicate meaningful information clearly, and also work on active listening skills to respond appropriately to the needs of others.

By honing your communication skills, you can become a more effective and trusted accountant.