Planning tools to strengthen services
The tax-time saving success of your clients can depend on your site having well-thought-out plans, putting the right staff in place, and working effectively together.
These tools can help you and your staff collectively develop a strong, customized program aimed at helping more clients achieve tax-time saving goals.
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Savings activity planning guide for tax preparation programsThis guide provides information on how to more effectively measure saving behavior at tax time. Included are recommendations on the additional information to collect, three different approaches to collecting the information, and suggestions for integrating the information collection into the tax preparation process.
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Taxpayer experience mapThis is a simple customer journey map for VITA programs to better understand what your customers see, feel, and experience at different stages of the tax preparation process.
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Idea capture and reflection worksheet
Brainstorm creative ideas for how your organization can actively encourage clients to save their refunds. Use it as a team exercise in your planning meetings or as a pre-meeting worksheet for staff.
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Effort and impact matrix
This matrix helps you review and compare your current activities to encourage saving and identify those with the most promise. Use it as a group exercise to prioritize ideas for further planning.
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Implementation plan outline
Identify outcomes and key implementation steps for one or more program activities. Use it during planning meetings for implementing new programming.
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Detailed implementation plan
Once you’ve outlined key programming outcomes and milestones, individual staff or teams can use this tool to develop detailed plans for implementing your ideas to encourage saving.
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Message triangleCraft your key messages to effectively encourage clients to save at tax time.
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Anchored message worksheetEncourage saving by employing the principle of “anchoring” to set expectations and help clients focus on a specific savings goal.