‍Introduction

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Are you spending too much time chasing clients for information? On average, accountants spend nearly a third of their workday doing just that. It isn’t just a minor inconvenience—it's a significant barrier to your firm's growth and profitability.

What if there was a way to reclaim that lost time and streamline client collaboration? Judie McCarthy, founder of Client Hub, showcased precisely that in a recent Earmark Expo webinar. She demonstrated how Client Hub is revolutionizing how accounting professionals interact with clients, addressing top pain points within a single, secure platform.

In this article, we'll explore how Client Hub is:

1. Revolutionizing client communication with a user-friendly portal and mobile app
2. Simplifying document management with secure file sharing and e-signatures
3. Enhancing internal workflows with AI-powered tools and comprehensive task management

Whether you're a solo practitioner or part of a larger firm, these insights could be the key to unlocking new levels of productivity and client satisfaction.

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Revolutionizing Client Communication

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At the core of Client Hub's innovation is its Client Portal, which transforms how accountants interact with clients through three main components: client tasks, conversations, and links.

• Streamlined Client Tasks: Client tasks are a game-changer for accountants struggling with information collection. Judie explained: "On average, accountants and bookkeepers spend about 30% of their time waiting for clients or chasing them down for information. That was a staggering number for me." Instead of sending lengthy emails, accountants can create specific, actionable tasks for clients. During tax season, for example, you can request individual documents like W-2s or 1099s. Clients can upload each document as they receive it, with automatic reminders reducing the need for follow-ups.

• Mobile App Convenience: The mobile app's functionality enhances this convenience. Judie noted, "We're the only client collaboration and workflow management solution with a mobile app where your clients can communicate and respond to their client tasks." Clients on the go, like contractors, can snap a photo of any document and upload it directly to a task from their smartphone.

• Secure Conversations and Quick Links: The conversation panel offers a secure messaging system within Client Hub, centralizing all client communication. If a client has a question about a task, they can ask it directly within that task's comment area. The links panel provides quick access to apps & resources clients might need, such as links to their tech stack,  bank login pages, how-to articles, or instructional videos, further streamlining their experience.

By reimagining client communication, Client Hub sets a new standard for efficiency and clarity in client collaboration and takes the client experience with the firm to a whole new level

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Simplifying Document Management and Approvals

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Efficient document management is crucial for any accounting practice. Client Hub's File Manager addresses this need by organizing and securing client documents while separating client-accessible files from internal-only files.

• Centralized File Management: Judie demonstrated how the File Manager consolidates all files: "Anything that we ask for from the client through a client task is going to land right here into the folder that I indicated." This automatic sorting saves time and reduces the risk of misplaced documents.
• Integrated E-Signatures: The e-signature feature streamlines document workflows. Clients can securely sign documents directly within Client Hub, speeding up processes like engagement letter signings and providing a clear audit trail.
• QuickBooks Online Integration: One innovative feature is Client Hub's integration with QuickBooks Online for managing uncategorized transactions. Judie explained: "Whenever I post a transaction to a mapped account in QuickBooks, it triggers one of these special client tasks here in Client Hub." Clients can categorize transactions, which the accountant reviews before Client Hub automatically pushes the update to QuickBooks. This ensures accuracy and provides clients with a learning opportunity.

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Enhancing Internal Workflow Efficiency

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Internal workflow management is as important as client collaboration. Client Hub's Jobs Dashboard provides a comprehensive view of all assigned work across clients.

• Comprehensive Jobs Dashboard: The jobs dashboard displays jobs sorted by due date, with filter options using the tag feature. It offers two views: a Kanban view, where you can update job statuses with a drag-and-drop, and a card/list view, which offers additional filter options. Judie highlighted: "This is where most firms are going to run their day from... the list of all the work that's been assigned to me." In addition, Admin users have an expanded view, allowing them to monitor the status of work assigned to specific team members or across the whole team.

• Integrated Tasks and Custom Views: The system combines internal tasks and client tasks within a single job. For instance, a payroll job might include reviewing time sheets (internal) and approving hours (client). Custom-filtered views and batch actions enhance efficiency. Judie showed how to create views for specific work types: "If I have a job tag for sales tax, I can go in and say, 'Show me all my work with sales tax.'"

• AI-Powered Templates and Email Integration: The AI-powered "magic template" allows for quick job template creation. Judie created a comprehensive 1099 processing job template with just a few clicks. Email integration ties everything together. It allows users to create tasks or jobs directly from emails, ensuring nothing gets lost in the inbox.

By streamlining internal workflows and integrating them with client-facing tasks, Client Hub boosts productivity for accounting firms.

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Transform Your Practice with Client Hub

Client Hub is transforming how accountants interact with clients and manage their practices. Ready to transform your practice? Watch the on-demand Earmark Expo webinar to see Client Hub in action.

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