Boundaries are rules and limits that set behavioral expectations in a relationship. When a business and its clients agree on clear boundaries, trust grows and everyone saves time.
In this guide
- Introduction
- 1. Set Expectations Early
- 2. Be Aware of Scope Creep
- 3. Trust Check Clients
- 4. Refund, Disengage, and Refer Elsewhere
- 5. Use Boundary Building Tools
- 6. Boundaries Go Both Ways: Firms Have a Responsibility to Protect Client Data
- 7. Allow Exceptions to Boundary Rules
- About the expert
Introduction
Boundaries are rules and limits that set behavioral expectations in a relationship. In other words, they define what someone is (and isn’t!) comfortable with. Boundaries aren’t just for personal relationships, though. You can, and should, set them in professional relationships too. They protect the emotional health and productivity of everyone involved. When a business and its clients agree on clear boundaries, trust grows and everyone saves time. What’s not to love?
Clear boundaries and effective communication show professionalism and respect. They also show that a business believes in its work and in its clients. When you set and keep healthy boundaries, you avoid the resentment, disappointment, and anger that build when clients push limits.
Clear expectations build trust between both parties. They also make client onboarding and retention easier. Clients can’t respect boundaries that nobody has made crystal clear.
Now, let’s discuss the 7 key areas that strengthen client boundaries.
1. Set Expectations Early
Set boundaries as early as possible in the client journey. Doing so lays the groundwork for a great working relationship.
Why early boundaries matter
“Boundaries are super important because they allow you the space and the flexibility to run your practice in the best way possible,” said Nayo Carter-Gray, Owner and Founder of 1st Step Accounting LLC.
Hubdoc named Carter-Gray one of the top 50 cloud accountants in North America, and she takes client boundaries seriously. “It’s very difficult to be able to handle all the things and wear all the hats as a firm owner if you’re constantly being bombarded with requests for information or you’re being called all the time. When do you have the time to actually do the work? If we start allowing our clients to overrule the things we put in place, what happens is they start running our firms for us, not the opposite way.”
Listen during the first conversation
Keep an ear out during the first conversation with a potential client. Notice how they work and what they expect from a business relationship. Say a potential client stresses that they “need someone they can count on at any hour.” That client will almost certainly text their accountant’s personal cell at 3 am about a “tax emergency.” A little expectation-setting prevents this kind of sunrise surprise.
Put boundaries on your website
“Boundaries start at the initial contact. As soon as your prospective client is looking for your services, that starts the boundary. Are you using your website effectively? Does it have information about your business hours? Does it have some frequently asked questions? Do you have a ‘schedule an appointment now’ button? These boundaries are in place so you don’t have to spend a ton of time trying to find an appointment for a potential client,” says Carter-Gray.
Boundaries to set early
Here are some examples of boundaries to set as early as possible.
Working hours
Make it crystal clear that you only work within certain hours each day. This prevents unnecessarily burdensome communication from clients.
Methods of contact
Phone calls and emails are standard communication tools. Some people are also okay with clients contacting them on Instagram, Facebook Messenger, or elsewhere. But it quickly becomes overwhelming when clients use every tool available. It’s also too easy to drop the ball on responding when messages spread across multiple platforms. Pick one or two secure methods of communication, tell clients, and stay consistent.
Response time
We’ve all seen a business with a bad rating on Yelp or Google because of slow response times. Prevent this type of client complaint by establishing that clients should never expect an immediate response. It’s perfectly okay, and healthy, to tell clients you won’t answer emails, phone calls, and messages right away. Whether your response time is 2 minutes or 48 hours, make clients aware of that boundary so they can respect it.
Services offered
Be very clear about the services you offer and what you will and won’t do for clients. If you don’t make this clear from the beginning, clients may ask for, and expect, more than they pay for. As Nayo Carter-Gray says, “Time is one thing you cannot give back. It is a privilege for someone to be able to absorb your time. They should be paying for it.”
Payment terms
Compensation belongs in any discussion about boundaries. Firms must spell out how much services cost, which payment methods they accept, when payment is due, and what happens when clients pay late or miss a payment. Put it in writing before you start any work, and side-step money miscommunication.
Unplanned communication
Many clients think it’s okay to make multiple “quick” calls throughout the day. They check on progress or ask seemingly simple questions. But these so-called “quick” calls eat into the time you need to finish client work. A policy for last-minute or unplanned communication saves hours, if not days, of productive time.
2. Be Aware of Scope Creep
Scope creep is work that goes beyond what two parties originally agreed upon. It happens when someone adds services to a project without accounting for the extra time, resources, and money those services need. Without proper communication and boundaries, clients can easily ask for more and more. That leads to unplanned, unapproved changes and project delays. Here are best practices for managing scope creep before it happens:
Address client concerns early on
Scope creep often starts when a firm asks clients for feedback near the end of a project. If a client then makes additional requests or wants to change something, the firm spends extra time and money on adjustments. Communicate early and check in throughout the whole project to head off this problem.
Refer back to the existing scope regularly
A project scope statement defines the goals of a project, expected deliverables, tasks, deadlines, and costs. Refer back to it regularly to stay on track. If a firm discovers it’s doing more work than planned, it’s probably time to re-scope.
Have a change management plan
Have a plan ready for when a client requests changes or new services. It can cover how you will monitor change requests, what they will cost, how you will carry them out, and the effect they will have on the project or client relationship.
3. Trust Check Clients
Trust checking means testing whether a client will respect your boundaries. It’s a great way to see if new clients understand expectations and will be a good long-term fit.
A trust check example
Say an accountant sets a boundary: they only respond to emails between 9 am and 11 am. They discuss this with their new client. But the client starts sending emails at 3 pm each day, demands immediate responses, and gets upset when the accountant replies the next morning. The accountant reminds the client of the email boundary several times. The client agrees verbally but keeps repeating the behavior. Over and over, this client shows they won’t respect boundaries or their accountant’s time. Now the accountant must decide whether this client is worth their time, energy, and resources.
How many chances to give
Expect to give second chances early in a working relationship. Giving 3rd, 4th, and 5th chances may lead to an unhealthy dynamic down the line. Decide ahead of time exactly how many reminders a client gets before you refer them elsewhere.
4. Refund, Disengage, and Refer Elsewhere
No matter how clear a business is about its boundaries, not every client is a good fit. It’s okay to walk away from a client who can’t respect boundaries.
Dream clients who listen and show respect are out there. There’s no reason to settle for frustration or disrespect, however inadvertent or unintentional on the client’s part. If a client isn’t a good fit, the professional thing to do is refund their money, disengage services, and refer them elsewhere. A client who isn’t a good fit at one firm can still have a healthy working relationship with another.
“It’s okay to say: ‘Thank you for the opportunity to work with you, unfortunately it seems that we are not a good fit. You have needs that we cannot meet. Here is your money back. Thank you so much. Here are a few accountants that would be more than willing to provide the level of communication that you need.'” says Carter-Gray.
5. Use Boundary Building Tools
Technology can help establish client boundaries by making it easier to communicate and set expectations. Here are a few tried-and-true tools:
Email scheduling
Email scheduling within Gmail or a CRM lets you send emails at predetermined times. Clients never receive an email outside business hours. That can be a saving grace when you work late but want to stay consistent with the expectations you set.
Besides scheduling outgoing messages, try creating an automatic email response that says “currently out of office,” or list business hours in your email signature. It’s good practice not to respond immediately to clients, unless they pay for immediate communication.
Videos
Short videos are an easy way to answer client questions. Here are some video creation tools:
- Warm Welcome
- Loom
- Slack’s video conferencing feature
Setting “appointment only” policies
An appointment-only policy lets firms and business owners block time for calls, focus time, and internal meetings more easily. Because who wants to take calls on a Friday afternoon? This policy helps you decide which times of day are most strategic for external meetings or returning phone calls.
Client management tools
Regular meetings with clients and efficient communication are critical for a healthy working relationship. These tools make that process easier:
- Pixie
- Karbon
- Aero Workflow
- Client Hub
6. Boundaries Go Both Ways: Firms Have a Responsibility to Protect Client Data
Accountants and their clients have to give extra attention to data responsibility, and they should discuss it when setting boundaries. When an accountant manages a client’s file, they take on the compliance and regulatory responsibilities that come with the finance industry. Securing client data is the accountant’s obligation. They should discuss the extent of that security thoroughly with the client, because trust, professional reputation, and federal compliance rules are all on the line.
Under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999, all financial institutions must follow the Safeguards Rule. It requires a written information security plan that “describes their program to protect customer information.”
Be transparent about data handling
Firms should be very clear about when clients should submit documents and how they can submit data securely. Firms should also be transparent about how they store, save, and back up client data.
The 3-2-1 backup rule can be helpful in regard to data storage
- Keep at least 3 copies of a client’s data
- Store the data on two different storage media
- Keep one data set off-site or on a cloud-based back-up service such as Rewind.
- Rewind allows firms to protect clients’ sensitive financial data in a secure, foolproof way.
“Rewind offers its customers the ability to manage team member and client permissions across the QBO company files that are linked and backed up by Rewind. As the Rewind account Owner, you can add, remove, and change permissions for your team members and clients in Rewind. This provides you with complete access control over your data backups,” says Danny Grenzowski, Rewind’s Senior Project Manager.
When it comes to data retention periods, firms may have different policies depending on their clients and the type of services they offer. Firms should always consult an attorney to understand the laws that govern their firm and its engagement, and share that information with their clients.
7. Allow Exceptions to Boundary Rules
Setting healthy boundaries can strengthen client relationships. It’s important to learn to say “No” for emotional health and productivity, but it’s not a one-size-fits all policy. Sometimes making an exception is the right thing to do.
Make every exception a conscious choice. Clients are people, and “life happens” to all of us.
“When I make exceptions, they are a conscious choice. I am not being forced into it, it’s just the extra layer of service I want to provide for these particular clients. I’ve decided that I’m the one who’s in control of who I work with and who my team works with,” says Carter-Gray.
Occasionally, breaking a boundary rule can strengthen a client relationship and help clients feel heard and understood. For example, say a firm only allows contact through an instant messaging system, but a less-than-tech-savvy client struggles with the technology. It might make sense to use phone calls as the main method of communication with that client. It doesn’t have to apply to everyone, just that client.
Strong client relationships that grow and withstand setbacks rest on genuine connection, not just transactions. When setbacks occur, remember that clients are human beings who deserve compassion, just like everyone else.
About the expert
Nayo Carter-Gray’s goal as owner and founder of 1st Step Accounting LLC is Making Accounting a Little Less Taxing® for small business owners. A self-proclaimed techie, Mrs. Carter-Gray decided a virtual accounting practice was the best way to experience her love of travel and still help small business owners across the US reduce the stress of managing their disorganized financial systems.
Mrs. Carter-Gray is an Enrolled Agent and a QuickBooks Online Advanced Certified Pro-Advisor. Hubdoc named her one of its 2017 and 2018 Top 50 Cloud Accountants in North America, and Intuit handpicked her to sit on its 2018 to 2019 Accountant Council. Forbes also recently named her one of its Top 100 Tax Twitter accounts to follow, and Practice Ignition named her one of the Top 50 Women in Accounting.
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