Accountants are usually a good source of business advice and they should most regularly provide guidance for their clients, but what can we accountants learn from our clients?
New start-ups and small businesses are usually very good at knowing who their customer base is and understanding exactly what they want. Having this knowledge is key to the continuing success of any enterprise. Accountants should learn what the client wants and make sure they give it to them. This is good business philosophy and accountants should be no different from any other business.
However, as accountants, it is one thing to think you know what services your client needs, but as clients have you ever been asked by your accountant what services you may require?
At Charterhouse we recently sent out a questionnaire to our clients to find out exactly what they expect from us as their accountants.
Believe it or not the most common things clients expect from their accountants are:
Getting to know them better
Prompt replies
To be proactive
To have strong technical ability
To offer more value-added services
Does your accountant currently deliver these services?
By David White, Partner, Charterhouse, based in Beaconsfield
