Vol. 5 No. 4, April 2007

Contents (Sources)

*Survey on Accounting Firms’ Problems
Problems vary by size of firm. These charts tell interesting stories. (AOMAR)

*Billing Rates Survey
How firms of different sizes plan to increase rates this year. (AOMAR)

Give Feedback to Employees to Retain Them
Evaluating staff—what to say and when to say it. (AOMAR)

How Accounting Students Select Firms
Results of AICPA survey. (The CPA Letter)

Succession Planning and the Value of the Firm
Successors should be identified among staff as well as partners. (Accounting Today)

How Staff Feel About the Firm and the Profession
Results from Steve Erickson’s survey of 1,400 CPAs. (Inside Public Accounting)

Compensation—How to Implement a Performance-Based System
One firm experienced a 75 percent increase in partner income as a result of implementing a performance-based system. (Inside Public Accounting)

Turnover—A Positive Spin
Turn departed employees into assets for the firm. (Accounting Today)

Outsourcing
L. Gary Boomer says accounting firms should be more positive toward outsourcing, and not just for tax preparation. (Accounting Today)

Case Study—A Unique Consulting Engagement
Non-traditional understates the uniqueness of these services. (Journal of Accountancy)

Engagement Letters—When the Client Won’t Sign
A list and description of options. (Mutual Interest)

Using a Dashboard to Drive the CPA Firm
Get flash reports on five to 10 key performance indicators. (CPA Practice Management Forum)

Principal Technology Concerns by CPA Firms
ICPA’s 18th Annual Top Technology Initiatives Survey. (The CPA Letter)

Key Benchmarks for CPA Firms
A survey of 100 firms. (CPA Practice Management Forum)

Using Analytical Tools
What they do and where to find them. (Practical Accountant)

Nine Success Factors for Accounting Firms
Based on research by David Maister. (Partner’s Report)

The Balanced Scorecard on Individuals
Will accountants soon be rated by a JD Powers-like system? (David Maister Blog)

How to Keep Clients
Personal relationships may be the strongest method for many firms. (CPA Insider)

Why Clients Leave
A survey of accountants in industry shows why they leave and what CPAs can do to prevent this. (CPA Insider)

Developing a Practice by Becoming a Niche Player
How to select and develop a unique niche. (Insight)

SEC Chairman on the Accounting Profession
Chairman Cox talks about SOX, independence, financial reporting, and more. (Journal of Accountancy)

Report on Mobility
The AICPA recommends federally mandated mobility. (The CPA Letter)

Losing When You Think You Have Won
Prospects rarely tell the truth about why they have selected someone else. (The CPA Journal)

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