To all our valued clients, friends and family,
As everyone is aware, we are currently living in an unprecedented time and certainly in uncharted territory. The safety of both our employees and clients are of the upmost importance to us. However, as we are forced to alter some of our normal business practices, we do not want to lose sight of providing you, our clients with excellent client service.
The steps being taken by both the federal and state governments, while necessary and critical to the stopping and/or slowing of the spread of the coronavirus, will have negative repercussions on many of our business clients. We are here to assist you in these difficult and unusual times any way possible. We will make every attempt to familiarize ourselves with any assistance the federal and state governments are offering businesses and individuals. If you are experiencing any negative impacts, please feel free to contact us to discuss what options are available to assist you through these difficult times.
Currently, we ask that if a face-to-face meeting is not absolutely necessary, that you consider other forms of communication for both your safety and the safety of our employees. We have several other options available including video conferencing and a secure portal where documents can be both uploaded and downloaded.
We also ask that if you are dropping off your tax information at our office, that you place it face down in a designated box in our lobby area. If you need to place it in an envelope, please ask and we will provide you with one. At the end of each day that day’s designated box will be placed in our filing room, where it will remain for 48 hours before being handled by anyone in our office. (According to most experts, the coronavirus can live on paper type surfaces for 24 hours.)
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. We appreciate your business and are here to help.
Available Alternatives for Document Sharing and Face-to-Face Meetings
We understand that the various restrictions and guidelines being conveyed from the government and health officials related to the coronavirus crisis can result in both inconvenience and unrest. The safety and comfort of both our clients and employees are our highest priority during these unprecedented times. Included below are the major alternatives to dropping off documents at our office and face-to-face meetings that we have available:
- SmartVault – SmartVault is a secure document sharing client portal. All documents are encrypted while in transit and while at rest using AES-256 encryption. (The same level of encryption used by banks.) It allows our clients to upload and download documents directly into and from a private file folder. We are also able to upload documents that you can then download, view, and/or print. If you are interested in utilizing SmartVault please send an email to Amy at ajcartwright@springfieldcpas.net. Amy will then send you an “invite” email with instructions on get started using SmartVault.
The most common thing SmartVault is used for is for clients to upload their tax documentation. We can then view and print these documents to prepare your tax return. We can also upload your completed tax return where you can review it and print it if necessary. You will need some type of scanner to upload your documents.
- Video Conferencing – We have a variety of video conferencing options including Skype for business, Microsoft Teams, FaceTime, Go to Meeting, and Zoom. Video conferencing is a great alternative to face-to-face meetings. All you need is either a webcam, laptop or tablet with a built-in camera, iPad or iPhone, or a Microsoft Surface. If you would prefer to have a video conference, as opposed to a face-to-face meeting, please contact whomever your meeting will be with and they will be happy to work with you to find the most convenient and easiest solution.
- Fax – Documents can be faxed directly to our office. Our fax number is 937-325-9476.
- Texting – If you only need to relay a page or two and privacy and security is not a major concern, you can take a picture of the document and text it to us. We all have the capability to print documents directly from our cell phones.
Great client service is always a priority for us and that holds even more true during these unprecedented times. We truly appreciate the fact that you have chosen us to be your tax and accounting service provider. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.
We appreciate your understanding in this situation,
Sincerely,
Bennett, Groeber, Mullen & Feltner – BGMF CPA