Comments for Ric Payne's Blog http://theconsultingaccountant.com Confessions of a Lazy Accountant... Fri, 09 Jul 2010 03:13:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on Feedback by Ric Payne http://theconsultingaccountant.com/feedback/comment-page-1/#comment-609 Ric Payne Fri, 09 Jul 2010 03:13:43 +0000 http://theconsultingaccountant.com/?page_id=237#comment-609 Thank you Omar. I visited the site and smiled at your comment regarding the infrequency of my posts. I need to lift my output. Thank you Omar. I visited the site and smiled at your comment regarding the infrequency of my posts. I need to lift my output.

]]> Comment on Are all your clients profitable to service? by James Gustafson http://theconsultingaccountant.com/2010/04/are-all-your-clients-profitable-to-service/comment-page-1/#comment-608 James Gustafson Thu, 08 Jul 2010 21:36:49 +0000 http://theconsultingaccountant.com/?p=609#comment-608 An excellent analysis of a critical and widely underestimated issue for our industry. Does time-based billing actually serve any useful purpose? It is the measure of value of the service to the client that is a far better indicator of the "fit" of a client with a firm and thus the overall profitability. An excellent read, thanks Ric. An excellent analysis of a critical and widely underestimated issue for our industry. Does time-based billing actually serve any useful purpose? It is the measure of value of the service to the client that is a far better indicator of the “fit” of a client with a firm and thus the overall profitability. An excellent read, thanks Ric.

]]> Comment on Are you thinking about the future of your firm? by 21 Questions: How to Start Thinking about the Future of Your Accounting Firm : CPA Trendlines http://theconsultingaccountant.com/2010/05/are-you-thinking-about-the-future-of-your-firm/comment-page-1/#comment-581 21 Questions: How to Start Thinking about the Future of Your Accounting Firm : CPA Trendlines Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:27:10 +0000 http://theconsultingaccountant.com/?p=746#comment-581 [...] via Ric Payne’s Blog. [...] [...] via Ric Payne’s Blog. [...]

]]> Comment on Are you thinking about the future of your firm? by Ric Payne http://theconsultingaccountant.com/2010/05/are-you-thinking-about-the-future-of-your-firm/comment-page-1/#comment-564 Ric Payne Thu, 27 May 2010 10:10:24 +0000 http://theconsultingaccountant.com/?p=746#comment-564 Will do Chris. I'm glad you like to read my stuff and hope that it occasionally makes sense. Will do Chris. I’m glad you like to read my stuff and hope that it occasionally makes sense.

]]> Comment on Are you thinking about the future of your firm? by Chris Foster http://theconsultingaccountant.com/2010/05/are-you-thinking-about-the-future-of-your-firm/comment-page-1/#comment-563 Chris Foster Thu, 27 May 2010 09:49:20 +0000 http://theconsultingaccountant.com/?p=746#comment-563 Hi Rick Always great to read your insights. As always there is continuing pressure to create the crisis to force change. Keep up the challenges Cheers Chris Hi Rick

Always great to read your insights.

As always there is continuing pressure to create the crisis to force change.

Keep up the challenges

Cheers

Chris

]]> Comment on When is the best time to plant a tree? by Bruce http://theconsultingaccountant.com/2010/01/when-is-the-best-time-to-plant-a-tree/comment-page-1/#comment-557 Bruce Wed, 19 May 2010 20:55:10 +0000 http://theconsultingaccountant.com/?p=595#comment-557 I agree: We're never too old to learn and it's never too late to start (anything)! I agree:

We’re never too old to learn and it’s never too late to start (anything)!

]]> Comment on When is the best time to plant a tree? by Ric Payne http://theconsultingaccountant.com/2010/01/when-is-the-best-time-to-plant-a-tree/comment-page-1/#comment-515 Ric Payne Thu, 22 Apr 2010 07:07:25 +0000 http://theconsultingaccountant.com/?p=595#comment-515 And I'd add that I recently read about some research findings relating to "happiness" that indicated that the things that were associated with people being in a happy state at work were NOT stability and the absence of change and challenge but rather a sense of growth, learning, mastery of difficult tasks, sharing a common "worthwhile" vision and working with colleagues towards its accomplishment. Does this describe the environment in your firm? Could it? Here are some thoughts: Do you have a vision that is clearly articulated and discussed? Do all your team members buy into it? Do your team know how and where they fit into the big picture? Do you encourage people to take on challenging tasks (delegate)? Do you give them room to fail in the knowledge that nothing is learned when there is no failure? Do you celebrate wins (=accomplishments of any sort no matter how small) publicly and vocally? These are the things that <a href="http://principa.net/downloads/1/articles/volunteer_mindset.pdf" rel="nofollow">turn your team into volunteers</a> as opposed to conscripts. And I’d add that I recently read about some research findings relating to “happiness” that indicated that the things that were associated with people being in a happy state at work were NOT stability and the absence of change and challenge but rather a sense of growth, learning, mastery of difficult tasks, sharing a common “worthwhile” vision and working with colleagues towards its accomplishment. Does this describe the environment in your firm? Could it? Here are some thoughts: Do you have a vision that is clearly articulated and discussed? Do all your team members buy into it? Do your team know how and where they fit into the big picture? Do you encourage people to take on challenging tasks (delegate)? Do you give them room to fail in the knowledge that nothing is learned when there is no failure? Do you celebrate wins (=accomplishments of any sort no matter how small) publicly and vocally? These are the things that turn your team into volunteers as opposed to conscripts.

]]> Comment on Are all your clients profitable to service? by Bob Bowley http://theconsultingaccountant.com/2010/04/are-all-your-clients-profitable-to-service/comment-page-1/#comment-508 Bob Bowley Tue, 13 Apr 2010 10:05:34 +0000 http://theconsultingaccountant.com/?p=609#comment-508 Ric has delivered a complete package for us all to take stock of our most valuable and precious resource and make the right decisions on how those resources should be used into the future. Brilliant! Download the spreadsheet and make it happen! Ric has delivered a complete package for us all to take stock of our most valuable and precious resource and make the right decisions on how those resources should be used into the future. Brilliant! Download the spreadsheet and make it happen!

]]> Comment on Is your product return policy customer-centric? by Ric Payne http://theconsultingaccountant.com/2010/04/is-your-product-return-policy-customer-centric/comment-page-1/#comment-505 Ric Payne Mon, 12 Apr 2010 05:27:03 +0000 http://theconsultingaccountant.com/?p=682#comment-505 For any business in a competitive environment, the extent to which you empower your team is a game winning strategy. It's practically become cliche but the people at Southwest Airlines (one of the most consistently profitable businesses in the world!) understand the following fact "...the other guys can match our fares, our frequencies, our equipment, and our facilities--but to date, they have not been able to match our high-spirited, energetic, enthusiastic, warm and caring, customer service-orientated people." It's their spontaneous, "whatever-it-takes" to delight the customer that its team members exhibit consistently ... I have never been told that "it's company policy" ... the only "company policy" that counts at Southwest is: delight the customer! And they do that consistently. For any business in a competitive environment, the extent to which you empower your team is a game winning strategy. It’s practically become cliche but the people at Southwest Airlines (one of the most consistently profitable businesses in the world!) understand the following fact “…the other guys can match our fares, our frequencies, our equipment, and our facilities–but to date, they have not been able to match our high-spirited, energetic, enthusiastic, warm and caring, customer service-orientated people.” It’s their spontaneous, “whatever-it-takes” to delight the customer that its team members exhibit consistently … I have never been told that “it’s company policy” … the only “company policy” that counts at Southwest is: delight the customer! And they do that consistently.

]]> Comment on Is your product return policy customer-centric? by Ron Ratliff http://theconsultingaccountant.com/2010/04/is-your-product-return-policy-customer-centric/comment-page-1/#comment-504 Ron Ratliff Sat, 10 Apr 2010 18:53:22 +0000 http://theconsultingaccountant.com/?p=682#comment-504 Ric, Enjoyed the article - and even during "busy season"! This may explain, in part, why Woolworth's "Five and Dime" can no longer be found on Main Street, America! As a "service provider" I know that I have to make a conscientious effort to remain visible to both existing and potential clients to remain their trusted advisor. Unfortunately, it is extremely easy to fall into the trap of being "too busy" with client work to continue feeding the pipeline. The cost of lost opportunities is too great when building a practice. Thanks, Ron Ric,

Enjoyed the article – and even during “busy season”! This may explain, in part, why Woolworth’s “Five and Dime” can no longer be found on Main Street, America!

As a “service provider” I know that I have to make a conscientious effort to remain visible to both existing and potential clients to remain their trusted advisor. Unfortunately, it is extremely easy to fall into the trap of being “too busy” with client work to continue feeding the pipeline. The cost of lost opportunities is too great when building a practice.

Thanks,

Ron

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