H&R Block tax professionals develop strong relationships with clients. They build trust by showing clients that they care and by establishing a track record of client satisfaction. Five years ago, Rachelle Noel prepared her own tax return and visited an H&R Block office in Chicago to use the express filing service.

“When I was going over her return, I noticed errors and askedher some questions,” recalls Bruce Allen, a senior taxadvisor. “I corrected the return for her, and she got a lot more money back. We then prepared amended returns for the previous two years, and she received more money back for those years, as well.” Since then, Rachelle has returned every year, relying on Bruce to prepare her tax return.

	"What I like most about serving my clients is the feeling I get when I look in their eyes and see that they're totally satisfied with the results."
	Bruce Allen | senior tax advisor | Chicago | associate since 1994

Seeking to offer a wider range of services to their clients, many tax
professionals have taken training and obtained licenses that qualify them to give financial advice. These tax professionals are designated as tax professional financial advisors. Tax professional loan assistants have been trained to give clients information about home mortgages.

Debra Roadarmel, a tax professional since 1982, is a tax professional financial advisor. When a tax client mentioned that he was planning a career change, she gave him some financial advice that enabled him to proceed with his plans.

Her client, Walter “Deet” James, Jr., had worked in a factory for 20 years, but his dream was to pursue a career in conservation. “During tax season, he told me he was thinking of a career change, so I called him in the summer to follow up. He told me about the volunteer work he’d done in conservation. You could just see in his face and hear in his voice how passionate he was about the field,” Debra says. “During our meeting, he made the decision to roll-over his retirement plan. I felt so privileged that he trusted me to help secure his finances and to help him create a better future for himself,” Debra says. “He told me at the end of that meeting, ‘I wasn’t sure what I was going to do when I came in here. I just wanted to talk. But after talking to you, I feel
confident about investing my retirement money with H&R Block.’”

Long-term relationships are based on trust. “Trust is what’s most important about the client relationship,” says Anthony Chau, senior tax advisor, Pasadena, Calif., and a 14-year Block associate. “Clients trust me because they know I completed the return correctly the prior
year and they had no problems with the IRS. They also know I do a comprehensive analysis and offer appropriate advice.”

Shirley Lewandowski, a tax office coordinator in Duluth, Minn., has been an H&R Block associate for 40 years. She has client relationships that are more than 30 years old. “I think my clients come back each year because I’m interested in their lives. We sit and talk about different things in their lives besides taxes,” Shirley says.

Long-term clients usually want to see the same tax professional every year. “We bend over backwards to accommodate long-term clients. These relationships are important because clients reveal sensitive information when having their taxes prepared, and they need to be able to trust the person who’s across the desk from them,” says Ken Sprake, office manager for H&R Block in Calgary, Alberta. Ken has been with the company 10 years.

Meeting clients’ needs is key. “You have to make clients happy, or they won’t come back. If you take care of the client, everything else works out,” says Don Dickerson, a franchisee from Tecumseh, Mich. Don has been a franchisee since 1970.

“We work hard to build relationships with clients and to bring a more personal touch to our service,” says Hannah Leach, client manager at the tax office in Bath, England.

Listening to clients is part of the relationship-building process. “As a tax professional, I served clients by really listening. As a trainer in the tax school, I do the same for associates. Together, we continually find ways to better serve clients,” says Michelle Bull of Balcatta, Western Australia.

And close relationships within the company also help the client. “We’ve built strong relationships with H&R Block Financial Advisors and H&R Block Mortgage in our district, enabling clients to benefit from a wider range of services,” says Steve Hardy, district manager, Chicago.

Software and online solutions give clients a wider range of options. “It’s not about wowing people with technology and dazzling graphics. It’s about providing fast and easy access to the information and services that help clients who are solving a problem,” says Ric Moxley, manager, Interactive Content.

“Whether that’s to locate the nearest H&R Block office, purchase tax software, get forms, calculate their withholding amount, or do their taxes online, our Web site is rich enough in content to provide accurate answers, smart enough to help clients find what they need with ease, and clear enough to be understood,” Ric says.

“Our software products are an integral element of H&R Block’s strategy to provide digital solutions that help clients reach their financial objectives,” says Sabrina Wiewel, assistant vice president and general manager, Software. “Clients who prefer to do their own taxes appreciate that our software offers speed, convenience and the access to H&R Block’s professional expertise.”