Accountants / Lawyers Do Yourself a Favor - What do Your Customers Want?

In my day to day practice in strategic human resource management I often come across customers looking for a 'good' accountant or 'good lawyer'. As an accountant myself the common thread for a 'good acountant or lawyer' seems to be 'I want someone who can explain things in plain english without the jargon'. This simplicity of service and communications can grow your business and ensure that you never need to look for more work! And the sad fact is that there are many practioners that just don't deliver.

So what makes a 'good accountant / lawyer'? People from all walks of life are looking for someone they can trust with their hard earnt money and that gives advice that can be understood. They aren't interested in Part IVA, debt defeasance, estopel and other industry terms or jargon and they are willing to pay for the service.

From Professionals to Blue Collar Workers it is a common question that I am asked 'Where can I go for common sense advice, where can I go and who can I trust?

Sadly, even amongst the largest service firms to the private practitioner there appears to be a dearth of pratical practitioners.

More information at http://www.biz-momentum.com

Where are they you ask? Where indeed!

The sad fact is that many hide behind their memberships and qualifications. Before you think this is all esoteric may I remind you that I am a qualified accountant and a beleiver in the profession having worked in banking, finance and commerce for 20 years before strategic human resource advising.

Here are some points to ponder and ask yourself if you are in the accounting or professional field ?

1. What do my customers really want? - In my experience, most customers want reassurance, want to be listened to and feel that you are there to help them and they will pay for this service.

2. Do you care? - you show you care by how you resond to their questions and to how you remember even the small things that are important to them.

3. Do you give them time? - we are all working at a hectic pace today, however customers want your time and will pay for it.

4. Do you follow up with them? - I recently engaged a firm of lawyers for a customer of mine. They rang me after seeing the lawyer and said how impressed they were. Why? - they hadn't seen the principal (this firm had 30 partners), however the principal had rung the next day to see whether they were being looked after. The firm now has a client for life.

5. Be practical - send a card, ring occasionally and you factor this in to your pricing.

In a world of rapid change the one thing that people appreciate is the personal touch. Your business, accounting, law or other services business can be exciting, inspiring and profitable.

Its' really not that hard - it just takes some effort, kindness and a customer focussed outlook.

You can build your practice and enjoy the journey and the fruits of your labor. The choice is mine, the choice is yours.

Philip Lye is Director of Biz Momentum Pty Ltd providing professional services in strategic human resource management, training your people to work with you and grow your business, and 'coaching you' to be a better executive.

More information at http://www.biz-momentum.com

Philip holds qualifications in Accounting, Leadership, Human Resource Management & Industrial Relations and is a qualified accountant.

Philip started his working career as the 'postage clerk' in banking and finance rising through various business opportunities to CEO and CFO of two companies before leaving to start his own business in 2002.

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Customer Service Information:

Related Articles

Customers - Hold Onto the Ones Youve Got
You probably spend a great deal of your time looking for newcustomers or clients. However, are you sure your doingenough to hold onto the ones you've got.
Outsourcing: The Unspoken Costs
Outsourcing seems to be the new-new thing and approximately 50% of our major corporations are doing it. What are the costs? The benefits? And what skills need to be managed in order to make it work optimally?Let's get a clear understanding of what we mean by outsourcing: it's the shifting of easily codified jobs - such as help desk support, call centers, system maintenance, and programming jobs - to countries that can manage them more cheaply.
The Death of the Loyal Customer
One of my classes in management focused on the repeat customer. The course stressed the importance of the repeat customer to the financial welfare of the business.
I Wont Tell My Lawyer but I Will Tell You
A general counsel of a large international consulting firm told us about his experience talking to an interviewer who had called to discuss his satisfaction level with his outside law firm. He had been using the services of a "high end, expensive" law firm out of New York.
Hit The Jackpot With Customer Complaints
Our most powerful instinct is to avoid customer complaints, but they may be the best thing that happens to your business. Here's why.
Adjustment DENIED
It's just a simple thing - I bought a new set of shelves for my office. It wasn't a real problem, but when I got the shelves home, I found dents on the front of the shelves where the package had been leaned up on some other object, the shelves had been removed from the original box and put into another box.
Customer Satisfaction and the Service Business
The relationship between customer satisfaction and success of a service business is a direct one. Customer satisfaction measurement, however, is a much more complex matter.
Dont Be Afraid To Give Problem Customers The Boot
Q: In a recent column you made the point that the customer is always right, which I agree with. However, in the same column you also said that it is sometimes necessary give problem customers the boot.
Got A Consumer Problem?
Millions of people, just like you, end up with a consumer problem that they just can't seem to get resolved. No matter what they do.
Complaining Consumers
The salesman's job is to be well informed; extremely well informed. For this information is how he earns his bread.
Transforming Disgruntled Customers into Your Biggest Advocates
"I am writing to complain about the widget I bought from your site the other day."Sell anything and eventually you will be on the receiving end of a sentence like this.
Saying Thank You to Your Clients
"Thanking your customers" - Why you should do it and how..
Listening to Customers - 5 Tips
In a strange juxtapositioning of articles, this month's UK 'Management Today' has three pieces, relating to the importance of listening to customers.Susan Rice, CEO of Lloyds TSB makes it clear how vital it is for great leaders to listen and hear.
Basic Levels of Consumer Integrity that Presently Permeates Society
Reality is not always pretty. But here is a tad bit of it for you today.
Doors by Catering to Your Clients
Clients? they are the most important influence in the success of any business. It is vital to keep them satisfied and happy.
Handling Difficult Customers - 8 Strategies
In any business our customers are one of our most important assets. Unfortunately there are days when not all customers want to be friendly or pleasant.
Call Center Services - An Ever Increasing Demand
Are your company's call center services all that they could be? Even centers that were state of the art a decade or so ago might be out of date and inadequate today. As technology expands, so do clients' expectations regarding communication.
Why Communication Skills Dont Work In Customer Service
Every time my firm conducts communication skills training, we know someone is going to object."That doesn't work.
Restaurant Owners - How Important are People Skills?
You are serving great food. Your establishment is new, spotless and inviting and yet you are not getting the repeat visits that you expect.
Turning Customer Mistakes Into Raving Fans
When you make a mistake with a customer, should you write them off as lost -- never to return again?Nope. There have been numerous studies which show that a customer who has had a problem and gotten it resolved in a timely manner and to their satisfaction is a more loyal customer than one who has never had a problem.