"Bookkeeping is a commodity. My accounting software can be a commodity. So how do we strike that emotional cord and how do we give the confidence that we are the right choice going forward? We're not a commodity. We are differentiating. We're building that difference."
-Melanie Spillman
Melanie Spillman, Vice President of Sales for Sage US Medium Businesses, shares practical ways bookkeepers can build stronger client relationships—through listening, follow-up, and authenticity. She explores how trust is earned, why active listening matters, and how to keep human connection alive in an increasingly automated industry.
In this interview, you'll learn:
- How to build trust quickly & consistently with clients
- The art of active listening & letting silence do the work
- Why understanding your client's past & future builds connection
Connect with Melanie on LinkedIn.
To learn more about Sage, click here.
Time Stamp
01:41 – How to build trust quickly with clients
03:34 – The power of timely follow-up
05:19 – Setting expectations & communicating clearly
06:33 – Teach, tailor & take control in client conversations
07:53 – How to ask better questions & listen actively
09:23 – Staying present & focused during meetings
12:22 – The value of silence in communication
13:54 – Showing authenticity & passion with clients
15:53 – How to build trust in the first meeting
17:22 – Asking about a client's past & future to deepen connection
20:09 – Why focusing only on history limits your impact
21:15 – How to stand out in a competitive market
22:29 – The "front door" story: lessons in emotional connection
25:39 – Why people buy with emotion & justify with logic
27:31 – Turning services from a commodity into a connection
29:34 – Keeping the human touch in an automated world
31:27 – Using AI to free time for more meaningful client work
33:22 – Understanding what really motivates clients
36:48 – Make every client interaction meaningful
38:46 – How Sage uses AI to empower bookkeepers
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
The Brothers Ortiz
The Brothers Ortiz is the story of two brothers–both successful, but in very different ways. Gabe Ortiz becomes a third-highest ranking officer in all of Texas while his younger brother Larry climbs the ranks in Puro Tango Blast, a notorious Texas Prison gang. Gabe doesn’t know all the details of his brother’s nefarious dealings, and he’s made a point not to ask, to protect their relationship. But when Larry is murdered during a home invasion in a rented beach house, Gabe has no choice but to look into what happened that night. To solve Larry’s murder, Gabe, and the whole Ortiz family, must ask each other tough questions.