It’s July. Again.
Your phone won’t stop ringing. Clients are suddenly remembering they need tax returns done. Your admin team looks exhausted – they’ve been manually sending hundreds of follow-up emails this week alone.
And you’re sitting there wondering why this same nightmare happens every single year.
Here’s what one practice owner told me: “Last July nearly broke our practice. We had three admin staff sending 400+ emails manually, chasing clients for basic info. There had to be a better way.”
She was right. Re-engagement season only kills firms that let it happen to them.
The Annual Nightmare You Don’t Have to Live
Picture this: It’s 4:30 PM on a Friday in October. Sarah from reception walks into your office looking defeated.
“We’ve sent 347 re-engagement emails this week. Only 23 clients have responded. The ones who did respond are missing half their information. David’s working his third consecutive Saturday trying to catch up”.
That’s not busy season. That’s poor planning dressed up as “being in demand”.
What Real Firms Discovered
“Onboarding our clients is so much easier now, Seamlss captures all our client data and integrates perfectly with XPM. Definitely recommend Seamlss for its ease of use and the support from their team.” – Trudi, Xero App Store review
That insight comes from firms who’ve cracked the code. They discovered something crucial: The practices thriving during busy periods aren’t working harder. They’re working systematically.
One firm told us: “This year we have also used Seamlss for EOFY Client Checklists, which has been a huge improvement in the client experience. Absolute no-brainer for all accounting firms.”
The Real Cost of Winging It Every Year
Most firms treat re-engagement like a fire drill:
- Wait for clients to panic (losing control of timing)
- React to whoever screams loudest (priority by chaos)
- Send generic “please respond” emails (manual work begins)
- Start jobs before they’re ready (incomplete work, delays)
- Sending Excel templates over email (insecure and annoying)
- Work weekends to catch up (team burnout)
Here’s what this actually costs: If your admin team spends 20 hours per week during re-engagement season chasing clients manually, that’s 240 hours over 12 weeks. At $35/hour, you’re spending $8,400 on work that could be simplified and automated.
But the real cost? Your accountants starting incomplete jobs, working inefficiently, and delivering rushed advice because they’re constantly firefighting.
Why “Hope Is Not a Strategy”
The fundamental problem isn’t capacity. It’s planning.
Here’s what reactive firms do wrong:
They Don’t Map Their Universe
- Who needs October 31st deadlines? (early returns)
- Who needs March 31st work?
- Who needs May 15th lodgements? (returns)
- Which jobs take 2 hours vs 20 hours? (Capacity planning)
- Which clients pay immediately vs 90 days? (Cash flow reality)
They Let Clients Control the Schedule
Instead of strategic outreach, they wait for clients to call. As a result, everything becomes urgent. Furthermore, the firm operates in permanent panic mode rather than systematic delivery.
They Use Generic Communication
“Please send your information” isn’t re-engagement. It’s wishful thinking. Additionally, clients don’t know what information, when they need it, or why it matters.
How Smart Firms Turned It Around
Let me tell you about a firm that transformed their re-engagement using systematic workflows.
Before:
- Re-engagement started in September (too late)
- 200+ manual emails from overwhelmed admin
- 40% of jobs started without complete information
- Weekend work through November
- 15% of clients missed deadlines
After implementing Seamlss re-engagement tools:
- Process starts in June with strategic planning
- Seamlss can streamline and autom with admin handling exceptions only
- Jobs don’t start until prerequisites are complete
- Normal working hours maintained
What changed? They stopped reacting and started planning.
The Strategic Re-engagement Framework
Here’s how winning firms approach this differently:
Phase 1: Intelligence Gathering
Map your client universe systematically:
First, export your client list with entity types and deadlines from the ATO. Next, categorise by complexity (simple/medium/complex). Then, identify capacity requirements for each segment. Finally, plan cash flow based on payment patterns.
Phase 2: Strategic Outreach (July-September)
Contact clients strategically, not randomly:
July: ITR Season, Complex jobs requiring early starts or people who need loans
- Screaming client that need a mortgage or refinance
- Basic individual returns
- Straightforward sole traders
- Multi-entity groups needing significant work
- Clients with complicated structures
- International compliance requirements
August:
- Standard companies with straightforward affairs
- Trusts with rental properties
- SMSF compliance work
September:
- Clients with October 31st deadlines
Phase 3: Automated Collection (Ongoing)
Use technology to eliminate manual chase-ups:
Instead of individual emails, create automated re-engagement sequences. Additionally, use progressive information collection rather than asking for everything upfront. Furthermore, implement digital submission portals with automatic follow-up for non-responses.
Phase 4: Quality Gates (October Onwards)
Don’t start jobs until they’re ready:
- All required information submitted and verified
- Documents reviewed for completeness
- Client contact confirmed and responsive
- Engagement letter signed digitally
- Payment terms agreed and documented
The Admin Liberation Strategy
The biggest bottleneck in most firms? Admin time spent on manual follow-ups.
Here’s how to eliminate 80% of that work:
Before: Manual Email Hell
Your admin sends individual re-engagement emails. Clients respond with questions via email. Admin manually tracks who’s responded. Accountants get incomplete jobs. Everyone chases missing information.
Use other tools like Zapier and FYi to automate the sending of Client Smart Links.
After: Systematic Automation
Automated email sequences trigger based on client segments. Smart forms collect the right information for each entity type. Jobs only start when prerequisites are met. Admin focuses on exceptions, not routine work.
Real-World Technology Stack
Here’s what the transformation looks like practically:
Client Segmentation Tools
- Practice management software reporting (XPM, FYI, etc.)
- Client database analysis by entity type and deadline
- Review last year job dates, lodgement dates and ATO deadlines
- Capacity planning dashboards like Dashboard Insights
Automated Outreach Systems
- Email marketing platforms (MailerLite, Mailchimp)
- Automated reminder sequences
- SMS integration for urgent follow-ups
Information Collection Platforms
- Smart forms in Seamlss
- Document portals with Client Smart Links
- Digital signature systems for engagement letters
- Integration with practice management software like XPM and LodgeIT.
The Transformation Timeline
Focus on simplifying one outcopme/process, don’t tryand implment and change everything all at once.
Week 1: Data Analysis Export and analyse your client database. Next, categorise clients by complexity and deadlines. Then, identify your highest-value segments.
Week 2: Workflow Design Create client journey maps for each segment. Additionally, design information collection requirements. Furthermore, build engagement letter templates.
Week 3: Technology Setup Configure automated email sequences. Then, set up information collection portals. Finally, create integration workflows.
Week 4: Team Training Train admin team on new processes. Additionally, set up exception handling procedures. Furthermore, create client communication scripts.
Week 5: Pilot Testing Start with one client segment. Then, refine processes based on results. Finally, scale to additional segments.
Success Metrics That Matter
Track these indicators to ensure your transformation works:
Efficiency Metrics
- Time to complete re-engagement per client (target: 50% reduction)
- Admin hours on manual follow-ups (target: 50% reduction)
- Jobs started with incomplete information (target: <5%)
Quality Metrics
- Client response rates (target: >90%)
- Deadline compliance (target: >85%)
- Client satisfaction scores (should increase with smoother process)
Business Metrics
- Cash flow predictability (earlier engagement = better forecasting)
- Staff stress levels (measured through team surveys)
- Capacity utilisation (smoother workflow = better resource allocation)
Common Implementation Roadblocks
“But Our Clients Won’t Follow New Processes”
Reality check: Your clients already follow processes everywhere else. Their bank makes them complete forms online. Their insurance company requires digital submissions. However, you’re the only professional service they deal with that wings it. They want you, the tech making your job easier is not a roadblock you should be moving.
“We Don’t Have Time to Set This Up”
Counter-argument: You don’t have time NOT to set this up. Additionally, the setup time pays for itself within the first busy season. Furthermore, every year you delay costs you more in manual labour and stress.
“Our Firm Culture Is More Personal”
Truth: Nothing is less personal than generic chase-up emails and rushed service delivery. However, systematic processes enable MORE personal service because you’re not constantly firefighting.
The Strategic Advantage
Firms implementing systematic re-engagement gain significant competitive advantages:
Operational Benefits:
- Predictable workflows instead of seasonal chaos
- Higher client satisfaction through professional processes
- Better staff retention by eliminating burnout
- Improved cash flow through systematic timing
Business Growth:
- Scalable systems working with 200 or 2000 clients
- Capacity for additional services during busy periods
- Premium pricing justified by premium processes
- Competitive differentiation through professional delivery
The Choice Is Yours
Re-engagement season only “kills firms” if you let it.
The firms thriving during busy periods have replaced reactive scrambles with strategic processes. Additionally, they’ve moved from hoping clients respond to ensuring they do. Furthermore, they’ve eliminated the annual death march through systematic planning.
Two paths forward:
Path 1: Keep running the annual chaos
- Continue manual follow-ups and weekend work
- Accept burnout as “just part of the business”
- Lose clients to firms with better processes
Path 2: Build systematic re-engagement
- Implement automated workflows and strategic timing
- Focus team energy on high-value activities
- Deliver professional service that commands premium pricing
Your admin team, your accountants, and your sanity depend on which path you choose.
The question isn’t whether systematic re-engagement works. The question is whether you can afford another chaotic season.
Ready to transform your re-engagement process? Check out our re-engagement tools and templates to see exactly how firms are implementing systematic workflows. Additionally, explore our automated email systems that eliminate manual follow-ups.