Accounting firms often get their heaviest phone traffic while staff are working through the same deadlines callers are asking about. BAS periods, tax return work and end-of-financial-year tasks can bring clusters of document questions, appointment requests and new-client enquiries. The calls still need an answer, but an interruption is not always the best way to resolve them.
An accounting answering service gives callers a first response and captures a clear next step for the firm. It might answer approved office questions, record an enquiry or route a request to the right person. It should not guess whether a document arrived, whether a return was lodged or what a client can claim.
Prepare for the busy periods you actually have
Review a few weeks of call notes or phone records and mark the reason for each call. Separate routine requests from matters that require an accountant to check a file. Common categories include appointment changes, document delivery questions, BAS or tax return enquiries, new-client calls and time-sensitive notices reported by a caller.
The pattern changes over the year, so build a seasonal brief rather than a single generic script. Before a busy period, update opening hours, staff availability, appointment types and the person responsible for each queue. When a lodgement or response date comes up in a conversation, record it as caller-reported until a staff member checks the client record.
Give each call type a safe next step
For routine office questions, prepare short answers your team has approved: how to contact the firm, where to send documents and what to bring to an appointment. Do not let a receptionist infer that a file is complete or that a document has been received just because the caller says they sent it.
For a new-client enquiry, collect only what the firm needs to decide who should follow up. This could include the caller's name and preferred contact details, whether they are an individual or business, the service they are seeking and any deadline they mention. Keep the caller's deadline clearly labelled as unverified. A team member can then decide whether the firm has capacity and what information to request next.
For an existing client, identify the person or team responsible for the matter and capture the reason for the call in the caller's words. If someone asks for tax advice, an estimate of a refund, a fee outside approved wording or a view on an ATO notice, pass the request to a qualified staff member. Reception should not improvise an answer to keep the conversation moving.
Keep sensitive information out of the first-call script
Design the intake around the next action, not around collecting a full client history. Do not ask callers to read out a tax file number, bank details or identity documents during routine reception. If the firm needs documents, direct clients to the firm's approved secure process and let staff handle any identity checks.
If your firm is covered by the Privacy Act, the OAIC's guidance on commercially available AI products recommends due diligence on intended use, access, human oversight and privacy risks. Ask a provider what information its service handles, who can access it, how long it is retained, and whether it may be used for model training. Then review your own notices and procedures with the person responsible for privacy.
Make callbacks manageable during BAS and tax work
Choose a named owner for each call category: for example, the bookkeeping team for BAS questions, the accountant responsible for an existing client, or an office manager for appointment changes. Decide how the owner is notified and what to tell a caller if the team is unavailable. A message should include a confirmed callback number, the reason for calling and any date the caller mentioned, without implying that the date has been checked.
Where appointment booking is part of your workflow, decide which appointment types can be booked and how much time they need. A supported calendar connection can be used on plans with booking; confirm the plan and setup before promising appointments. For other enquiries, a structured message may be the better first step.
Test the script with realistic examples: a sole trader asking about a late BAS, a client asking whether their return has been lodged, a caller asking what expenses they can claim and someone requesting an urgent callback about a letter. Check both the spoken answer and the message your team receives. The message should make the next action clear and preserve uncertainty where the caller's information has not been verified.
Where Wattle can fit
Wattle can be configured to answer business calls, ask intake questions, capture messages and hand calls to your team. Appointment booking is available with a supported booking connection on eligible plans. Set the script around the tasks your firm wants to handle, and route tax questions or account-specific requests to staff. Review the features and plans, then discuss your call workflow before deciding which setup fits.
Common questions
Can an answering service handle a tax-season call peak?
It can provide a first response and capture or route enquiries. Test your expected call patterns and verify the service's capacity, plan limits and escalation arrangements before relying on it during a peak.
Should reception confirm whether a return or BAS has been lodged?
Only if the person answering has an approved way to check the firm's records and is authorised to confirm that information. Otherwise, capture the request for the responsible staff member to verify.
Can the receptionist answer tax questions?
Keep the reception script to approved practice information. Questions about claims, liabilities, lodgement status or a client's circumstances should go to an accountant or registered tax agent.