Being BETTER client collaborators

One to screw in the light bulb , three to review and complete the checklists about screwing in the light bulb , six more to peer review the process and 27 more to point out the faults and the failures within the process that actually happened .

Yeah , how do we work and connect with our clients and and that kind of stuff in the way , when I think of this in a collaboration with a client context , yeah the way I really think about it is like it's not just like we're here to do the work and that's it , but it's like how do we actually work together . How do we empower our clients ?

How do we make sure that we're just not doing all the heavy lifting and our clients are complaining about it ? I think it's a really big one and I think sometimes because I'm a big fan of like saying hey , I'm here to serve my clients but , I , think by serving them , we can collaborate with them . So I want to hear from you , ali .

First of all is communication them , and then we can like break them down or you can ask questions . It first of all is communication . Communication is key communicate , communicate , communicate . You can't over communicate .

I don't think consistency also a superhero power here being really consistent with your clients and consistent expectations , foundations and delivery , always keeping the customer in mind , so walking in their shoes , showing empathy , um , active listening , collaboration , boom , boom .

And , from my perspective , if myself and my team focus on these can't say no to CCs , then that's going to deliver a great collaboration , a great partnership with our clients , and it is about putting them first but also making sure that you know it's customised . It's about what works for everybody .

So I think at that senior advisor level it's very easy to collaborate with a client because you're working with them on really strategic matters , you're getting that banter backwards and forwards , you're understanding them implicitly and helping to guide and you really have built that partnership , whereas maybe when you're starting , collaborating with a client is maybe

responding to a query within the right time frame or having a phone call with them rather than ghosting . And so I think collaboration does change . It also changes based upon the value

of the client .

the client getting too involved in this because they don't understand or comprehend it now particularly when it comes to , like , tax compliance side of things as opposed to , maybe , business advice and advisory .

I think that side of thing is where collaboration really starts to come in a fair bit more yeah but at the same time , I think there's some things that are really important when we're collaborating with clients that we have to be careful about right , so the first first one is it's my way or the highway ?

So I know there's actually a lot of incredibly high value of creating rigid and good quality process and structure within our business so that we're efficient and we deliver consistently good quality results . However , sometimes those processes can get in the way of a good client experience or a collaborating experience .

It could be where it's like well give me the thing and piss off and let me go do my thing , or it might be done in a way where the client doesn't feel as involved in the process . They might actually be involved but they might not feel like they are .

I often refer to , um , you know some of my experience taking over my parents business of like , all right , we've got this thing that we want to deal with , and me and dan , my business partner , we'd kind of workshop what it is and then we'd come to like my dad and be like , hey , this is what we're thinking . What do you reckon ?

and he'd be like oh , this is what I think , and we then we'd go and make a decision . Now he , what it would be like is we'd come to him and we'd say hey , what color do you think it should be ? He says green . We end up making it blue . He cracks the shit , but he didn't know that we're going to make it red before we spoke to him .

So a lot of that was like a process . So we , I think , about the process we go through in collaborating with clients . At what point do we involve them ? And it's important not to involve them at too early , when we're doing like little ground stuff .

But we can't wait too late to involve them because either they might have some really integral , important information that could impact the result that we deliver , or they might feel disrespected and left out as a result of not being part of the process and don't have the full picture in mind when they're contemplating and collaborating with us .

, if we are engaged to do technical , complex things , it's like I can't put myself too much in their shoes because I'm going to lose sight of actually the role that I play within this . But if you don't walk in their shoes , then you don't know how to deliver correct .

So you have to walk in their shoes because you know yours . You need to understand where they're coming from and providing those really innovative solutions . Like you know , I think that's super important and that's what builds the collaboration . That's what builds that strong partnership and that is what allows us to then be better .

And I think when you actually engage with a client and you get success from the collaboration , it then empowers you to to continue to do that in each and every client relationship , and sometimes it might feel a bit uncomfortable , but the moment you step into it is the moment that you actually start to get empowered by it .

So , and then it allows you to do it .

So , if I'm thinking about when I'm delivering some advisory meeting kind of stuff , like I'm about to hold an advisory meeting , for me that's a very collaborative environment whilst they might definitely be looking for me to say a , b , c or d . We actually have to work that together because I need to understand why it's a , b , c and d .

So I always want them to actually deliver the advice , as opposed to me .

But if I haven't done any prep work , if I haven't sent you know uh , you know , maybe a questionnaire , if I haven't gathered some information , if I haven't involved them a questionnaire if I haven't gathered some information , if I haven't involved them in laying the foundation of the conversation , when we start that conversation , they're starting from absolute bare one

. It's like , oh , where are we at ? And if you're already coming in hot going , all right , we've got an hour . I gotta smash this out so I can get it done . They're just gonna be like they might love and appreciate it .

But then I always wonder , like the less collaborative we are , the more we're treating our clients like they're children , like they're not adults like they're not smart enough , they're not capable , and I wonder at what point in time will our clients go ? you know what ?

It's great , you deliver great advice and that kind of stuff , and I really appreciate it all , but I just don't feel as involved in it and I think there's a different type of personality where they have that too . Some as involved in it and I think there's a different type of personality where they have that too . Some people don't care .

Well , no , no , don't care . Some people don't want the responsibility of involvement Just tell me what to do , but I think more and more these days like the Australian dream of owning a home is now the Australian dream of running a business has been my opinion for a number of years .

Yeah right , yeah , you've said that before so much more of an entrepreneurial mindset and you see , like I remember like 10 or so years ago , when I was , like you know , learning business and like I was things are going well and like I can share some thoughts because I work .

Not only do I run a business , but I help other people run businesses and then I started seeing like an interior designer like run commentary on like how to run a business . And then I saw like a landscape garden doing . I was like what the fuck ? How do these people know ? I'm like , hold on a second .

There is a much bigger mindset in business that I think we forget like these people that run businesses know what they're doing some of them don't don't get us wrong some of us don't know what we're doing , but I think if we don't involve in that process we're really losing out on the value that they can add to it which I think in turn , we learn a lot

about you . I don't know about you , but a lot of the advice I give these days I've learnt from clients from past .

I think if you walk in the room thinking that we're both going to learn something and both going to help each other , I think that that really is the power in the meeting and we can't and this is actually common feedback I get from clients that are coming on board- is that their prior accountants were condescending or spoke down to them or talked in a language

they didn't understand .

I think we need to walk in thinking that we both have different skill sets and this is about merging and joining those skill sets so that we can basically become a powerhouse together . Okay , and each client will come in in a different way and you need to collaborate with them in a different way .

And this is where , in my ccs , having that customer in mind , um is really about customizing to that particular person , not breaking all of the processes and the rules , because that's not what we're talking about . We're just talking about collaboration . How do we collaborate with them as an individual , as a business , with their larger team ?

And I think when you have that customer in mind mentality , it takes it off of you , it takes it off of that self , and puts it on to them so that we don't come across as being condescending or rude or , you know , trying to one-up them , if that makes sense .

We're going to take a moment , kick back , grab a whiskey , get a wine , have a cup of tea whatever your thing is and have a listen to some words from our amazing , amazing sponsors . Ali , I'm sure you get asked all the time , just like I do . Who do you use for digital signatures ? And I know we use the same team the crew at Fuse Sign right .

As you all know , marketing , branding and identity is something that's extremely important to me personally , as well as my business . Illuminate Ali , I know it is for you as well .

I want to pose a bit of a thought process around this idea of collaborating with our clients , because I feel like there are there are definitely a lot of times where we're sitting in meetings or reading through emails or on a phone call or trying to do something for a client and we're like fucking doing my head in , like I'm , you're getting pushed back or

they're not listening or that kind of stuff , and you're really struggling in that kind of space and I think there's a bunch of things that that could cause that . But but but I I guess there's one thing I want to pose here Instead of pushing forwards and let's collaborate more , I wonder if we need to take a step backwards .

And take a step backwards and look at that client and potentially look at that client base that you're sitting in and going . Have I got the kind of clients ? that work well with me . Are they the kind of clients that I can communicate with .

And so you know , it's like being in a relationship but you don't really like the person . I mean it's never going to work . And so , yeah , I completely and utterly agree with you and that's so foundational .

And the second component , I think , is communication . I think we all think that we're great communicators and we're most probably not . We're most probably weak in some areas and strong in others , and so we can't see our own blind spots .

And so when I say communicate , communicate , communicate , I mean being open as far as you can and like sometimes I think we communicate but it's in our heads or we assume that the other person knows what we're talking about .

And so really focusing on communication and , you know , getting into that mindset of active listening and then asking them , you know , once you've provided some advice , what did you hear , what did you get from that , what can I help you with ? Because so often we hear it through our own lenses , and so that communication piece is super important .

I'm going to send it to you because it's it . Look , it looks like marriage vows and I kind of had a bit of a giggle about it . But then I actually thought to myself maybe , just maybe they're onto something . I wouldn't do it in the way that they've done it , but it's really just about setting these clear guidelines and expectations .

I've used that language a lot in the past .

But there's a role that you play and I think you know setting that from the start , like if you go back to the client base that you've got , either maybe you've got the wrong client or two , or maybe when you took them on board you didn't communicate enough in the early days of what this relationship looks like and yeah , and and I often refer to like , you've

got your marital spousal relationship , you've got a business partner relationship . I would refer to us as a professional relationship . We are here to assist with our professional knowledge and expertise to help you to run a better business . But to that you need to play your role and I need to play my role .

And this is what those roles look like and if we don't play them well , shit goes bad , and I think it's really important to do that day one , because that means then you can get way more collaborative with your clients in day three , four and five .

Like sometimes I think we presume or assume that that's what a client's going to do , but actually putting it in front of them and making them kind of sign off that hey , like this is a two-way thing .

Talk about that stuff , yeah I thought oh , maybe this is , maybe they're onto something you had a giggle at first and then you went oh , hold on I did , I did , and then I was like oh , hang on next week we're gonna load , load up all an advisory's website .

So often we can get frustrated , but you have to kind of sit back and say , well , where are they coming from ? Do they even understand the concepts that I'm talking about ? Because ? And say , well , where are they coming from ? Do they even understand the concepts that I'm talking about ? Because maybe they're frustrated too , and that's what's coming through .

So I'm really just trying to break it down and try and come at it from like a bigger picture perspective and not just into that nitty-gritty detail . And I think that that's what helps with collaboration and respecting the other person . You know , I think that's foundational .

So , there's definitely an educational element , but I think there's also a diversity element that kicks into play here , and it's one thing that we're kind of lucky with at illuminate , where I've got you know four or five other you know senior team members who can and to be honest , they do . I don't do much client work anymore .

I'm some part-time retired , yes , but um , but because we have that like we have , okay , great , who do we think this client's going to work well with ? And ? And it's not that we we take on clients that are like , okay , that one's a piece of shit , but oh , they'll be fine over there .

We're taking it's not that we take anybody , it's more that I know I was in it today like , oh , we got this client . They have a bit of this approach you know they might be .

You know this particular client was more open to things in like um , uh , like eastern medicine and and , and , and you know know , meditation and regular healing and these kind of things that sometimes some you know structured accountants might be like well , that's a bit weird . But we have a broader perspective of team .

You go great , I know that you will connect well with them . I know that you'll either appreciate what they do or respect what they do more , and I know they'll have a better experience , which means you can collaborate better . Good approach I think that's something we're . Quite .

Fortunate here is that , whilst we do still fit within the box of what an accountant kind of might act or behave like , we have diversity within the team yeah , I think , if you keep trying to hire the same people within your team that think , act , behave and do like what you do .

It can somewhat pigeonhole the type of clients you can take on board which might not be a bad thing , depending on what you're looking to do , but if you're looking to grow and scale and have a bigger business , you need the diversity you need people who can connect with other people .

You know , you need the males , the females , the youngs , the old , the lefts . You need that broad diversity .

But they were talking about how to collaborate more with your clients using technology . So , are they on slack ? Are they on teams ? Are you gonna , you know , dm them ? Are you gonna phone , use a phone , email , whatever , whatever ?

So I think there's also as part of this conversation on collaboration can we leverage the tech to also be a part and help on that collaboration space ?

versa um how do we collaborate when an idea pops into my head but you're not like yet working in that space , so that async communication , all that , all those kind of things come through ? There's , I think there's a

there it isn't there .

But I know that for me to be a better collaborator and a better advisor is I have to respect and understand that sometimes my advice will not be taken because it is not my decision to make those actions . So I think what to be better collaborators , we have to be better at at not getting what we want .

Because particularly I think when you're entrepreneurially minded , like we might be running our own businesses and we've seen all these things and we've done all these things , and I might look at a client's business , be like great , bang , bang , bang , do this , this would be great . And they don't do that .

Initially you can be like , oh , you freaking idiots , why don't you listen to what I said ? Like we , you know , but it's like you know what at the end of the day , I'm doing my best to empower you to make great decisions . If you didn't make a great decision and it didn't go , well , that is okay .

If I have a conversation with you next , I shouldn't be sitting there going . Well , you didn't bloody listen to me . We go cool Well that didn't quite work . What do we think we can do now ? And I think for me that's a big thing is understanding that just because I have an opinion or advice that I want to give doesn't mean it's going to be action now .

It's different if it's like technical , like that is a capital gain , you have to pay tax on it that's different . If someone wants to try and commit tax fraud because I don't want to take it right , that's very different yeah , I'm talking more collaboration around advisory .

I think I'll be structured this way and like I had a client meeting today and they're like oh , you know , I'm a soft trader , you know , I think I should become a company . I I'm like well , let's walk through that .

I've given you everything I possibly can . I will support you and I'll look after what it needs to be . I'm going to let you know vehemently that I think you're making the wrong call , but I respect your decision to make and .

There is what I like to call ask holes , where they ask and that's like see , there's some phrases you say that I'm like ellie , that makes you sound like I'm like 75 years old , but an ask hole , an ask hole .

So I think we need to kind of yeah , if there's somebody that is in your client base and you're in the advisory space and they're constantly not listening and they're just whinging and being the victim , that's a different play .

But if they have evidenced and shown that there is this collaboration between you , and every now and again they'll do something differently , I think that's okay . And then that's when you need to learn oh hey , I've just got to let this thing go . You know , play the Elsa Frozen music .

So I think , in that regard , like we need to be very careful about it and I think that's just experience . Like I don't think our juniors would be able to do that .

They might get very upset , but when you've been in the advisory business for a long time , you know that not everyone's going to listen and in fact , it gets the point where I actually have clients that do absolutely everything that I say , and they are the minority in my client base and I love and adore working with them .

One thing I wanted to land as we finish up is don't forget that when you are collaborating with clients , more can come from that . There can be more opportunity , more perspective .

When you do that well , more referrals come through absolutely opportunities to do extra work with clients come through , good stuff comes , and so don't shy away from it , because you never know what it might bring the opportunity that you might get and the joy that you get from it , and the joy that your clients get from it too .

And I mean that's what we're here to do is to do fucking good work for good bloody people .