Survey: It's easier to get a response from a client than a co-worker

When an accountant sends an email or leaves a message, they are more likely to get a response from a client than from a co-worker at their own firm.

This is according to a recent poll conducted by cloud-based practice management solutions provider Canopy. Of 150 U.S. accounting professionals surveyed, 70% said that it is generally easier to get a response from their clients than their own coworkers. Further, among senior partners, 76% report having to "over-communicate" with staff to explain what it is they're referencing, and 60% of accountants and staff report having wasted time over internal communications.

In other words, clients can often be more friendly and respectful than colleagues.

The poll also found that while 91% of accountants regularly want to reference client messages within firm communications (think a screenshot), only 42% are sure they can do so easily; meanwhile, 51% said that forgetting to "reply all" to a message has caused delays and confusion in the past month alone. These internal snafus are more than frustrating. They can damage relationships with those same clients that are ostensibly more likely to communicate: 37% of accountants said poor staff communications have actually led them to miss a client deadline, and 37% said they missed important information because their firm uses too many communication channels.

"When you are running a business, no matter what the size, having streamlined, clear internal communications is just as important as external communications," said Larry Furr, Canopy's chief product officer, in a statement. "As the accounting profession has grappled with remote work, this has become increasingly clear. With the right technology in place, practices can dramatically improve internal communications, which in turn, allows businesses to do better work and make their clients happier."