From January 15 through April 15, small accounting firms see 3-5x normal call volume. Most firms try to solve this with seasonal hires, but the math is brutal: $4-8K/mo for a temp who doesn't know your client roster, doesn't know your engagement structure, and adds liability risk by booking the wrong client type. By April 16 you're laying her off and lost most of the inquiry pipeline anyway.
Vet-tax intake every potential client needs: (1) individual or business return? (2) state(s) involved? (3) prior-year complications (audit, amended, IRS notice)? (4) typical engagement fee range — does the client's budget fit? AI asks these consistently on every call, captures the answers, books the consultation only for fits. Tire-kickers get a polite 'we're not the right fit' and exit. Quality-of-pipeline goes UP, not down.
Average tax engagement: $600 individual return, $2,500 business return, $5K-$10K complex multi-entity. 30 missed calls/month in February × 25% fit rate × $1,500 average = $11K of typically-lost revenue in ONE month. Compound over Jan-April = $35K-$50K typically lost in tax season alone.
May-December: AI handles audit-defense inquiries, IRS-notice walk-ins, bookkeeping prospects, year-round payroll questions. Volume is lower but the customer-acquisition cost is also lower — AI captures every off-season inquiry without seasonal-hire overhead.
$797/mo Pilot, year-round. Break-even: 1-2 recovered tax-season engagements pays for the year. Test the line: +1 (877) 640-3761. Run your numbers: free 5-min audit.