⁠

Phone Scripts for Accounting Firms: 5 Smart Choices

During quarterly tax filings, the phone rings incessantly, at precisely the time your staff need deep concentration to finalise accounts. Firms that implement well-thought-out phone scripts now will truly notice the difference in peace and efficiency in the workplace six months down the line. Below are 5 targeted tips to effectively structure your telephony for the entire year.

1. Choose a Logical IVR Menu Before the Busy Period Begins

An IVR menu is a spoken routing system that directs callers directly to the correct department or account manager via keypad entry. When a business owner calls with an urgent VAT query, they want to speak to the right person immediately without being transferred three times.

In the studio, I regularly hear IVR menus with too many options crammed in. Therefore, limit the number of choices to a maximum of four clear categories:

• Current client matters and tax queries
• Billing and administration
• New clients and start-up advice
• General reception

If you formulate this clearly today, you'll prevent your reception staff from having to answer calls that belong elsewhere during the busy Corporation Tax period.

2. Formulate a Voicemail Message That Gathers Information

A standard message that simply asks callers to "leave a message after the tone" will lead to a lot of wasted time in a few months. Callers often only leave their first name, meaning a member of staff first has to spend minutes searching the client management system to find out who actually called.

Therefore, politely but firmly direct the caller to leave the necessary key details:

• The company name
• The VAT number or company registration number
• The name of their usual point of contact at the firm
• The specific query

With this information, your staff member can call back prepared, with the correct client file already open on their screen. This saves a duplicate phone call.

3. Schedule Seasonal Messages in Advance

An accounting firm operates to the rhythm of statutory deadlines. A script set in January for VAT returns will no longer be relevant when the summer holidays begin or when Self Assessment tax filing approaches.

When you write scripts for the entire year in advance, you can have them recorded in a single session. This ensures the same familiar vocal tone throughout the year. In our database, we work with professional voice actors such as Johfrah, Christina, and Kristien from Belgium, or Gwenny and Machteld from the Netherlands. If a client later adds an extra message, the same voice actor can be re-engaged, ensuring a consistent sound over the years.

4. Pay Attention to the Correct Speaking Pace for Numbers and Procedures

As a director, I always pay close attention to the calmness in the voice during studio recordings. A voice actor who rushes through a welcome message will cause callers to miss opening hours or email addresses and promptly call back.

For number sequences, such as a company registration number or a specific extension number, a simple rule of thumb applies: always speak numbers in short blocks of two or three, with a clear pause in between. This gives the caller time to jot them down without having to ask for them to be repeated. Furthermore, a calm, confident tone immediately instils the trust you expect from a financial advisor.

5. Provide an Alternative During Scheduled Team Days

There are days when the entire office is on a training course or holding an internal team day. Anyone who then provides a general engaged tone is missing an opportunity.

With a temporary script, you can specify exactly when the team will be available again and where urgent documents can be sent digitally in the meantime. This keeps the relationship with your clientele clear and prevents frustration among business owners with a pressing query.