This week I was reminded of something we bookkeepers quietly forgot somewhere between the 2020 lockdowns, Zoom fatigue, and learning how to unmute ourselves: the absolute magic of meeting a client in person.
Since COVID, most of us have pivoted beautifully into remote‑everything. We’ve built entire practices from our laptops, perfected the art of the email thread, and become frighteningly efficient at sending Loom videos at 11pm. And honestly? It works. It’s flexible, it’s scalable, and it keeps the wheels turning.
But last weekend, I had to be down south for a meeting and thought, “Why not pop in and say hi to a newish client?” So, I visited the delightful Millie Herd of Millie Herd Makeup and Brow Studio (https://millieherd.com.au/) in Unley, South Australia. Millie has been a Beachy Bookkeeping hero for about a month now, and up until that moment, all our communication had been phone calls and emails.
Walking into her beautiful studio was like stepping into the missing chapter of a book I’d been reading. Suddenly, everything made sense - the brand, the vibe, the energy, the why behind the numbers. There’s something incredibly special about a business owner proudly showing you what they’ve built with their own hands. It adds flavour, texture, and heart to the work we do behind the scenes.
It also got me thinking. What else have we been missing by locking ourselves in our bookkeeping silos since 2020?
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not suggesting we all go back to full‑time onsite work. No thank you. My coastal office and I are very happy together. But those quick pop‑in chats? They might just be the secret ingredient we’ve been overlooking.
Here are three advantages of pop‑In chats with clients
1. You see the story behind the numbers
A P&L tells you what happened. A studio tour tells you why it happened.
Seeing the space, the customers, the workflow — it gives context that no spreadsheet ever will.
2. Clients open up in a different way
There’s something about standing in their world that makes business owners share more honestly. You hear the real goals, the real worries, the real “I’ve been meaning to ask you…” moments.
3. You spot opportunities you’d never see over email
A quick glance at their setup might spark ideas for better systems, smarter processes, or small tweaks that make a big difference. It’s like bookkeeping intuition gets supercharged.
In a world where everything is digital, the humble pop‑in chat feels almost… rebellious.
And honestly? I’m here for it.
Stay cool and hit the beach!
