Client retention

I think branding is very important. Everyone and every business has a brand. Inattention to branding creates a brand that might not be what you would like, but nevertheless you will have a brand. Branding needs deliberate attention.

Art Kuesel on the importance of taking stock following tax season.

Accounting firms in North America are taking the risk of losing business by making their customers wait on hold for more than 25 seconds, according to new research.

What you know isn’t as important as who you know – your clients

Firms operate based on myths while enduring realities such as slow growth, low profitability, client losses and employee losses.

The organization behind the Academy Awards is weighing its next move after a partner at accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers handed out the wrong envelope for best picture, triggering the most spectacular blunder ever on Hollywood’s biggest night.

Capability, courage, commitment and confidence will help you move up the value chain.

This summer a couple of my columns dealt with developing a specialization, and I had a ton of feedback. One person I spoke to is a young accountant who is trying to figure out a career path with a specialization. She has about five years of experience and feels she needs to choose a specialization to be able to start the next phase of her career.

Acquiring high-quality clients can prove difficult -- which may help explain why so many firms are willing to serve clients that don't provide much value.

So what are the most important changes to make for the New Year, and how should accountants best implement them? A panel of thought leaders let us in on what changes need to be made and what will make the year tick.