Yes we are living in challenging times.

Winning new high-value clients for your accountancy firm is getting tougher.

Retaining existing high-value clients in your accountancy firm is getting tougher too.

But which gets your best attention, your best energy and your focus – client care or winning new clients?

Compare and contrast…

One is a run-of-the-mill, day-to-day, steady-as-she-goes activity – client care.

The other has the rush of something new, more fees, more profit, more capital value – that’ll be winning new clients.

Yes, both need to be part of the mix in your accountancy firm.

But should client care ever take a back seat to winning new clients, even if they’re high-value new clients? Should you ever postpone a diary appointment or file review for an A-grade client in favour of seeing a new client? I think not.

Yes winning new clients injects some optimism, excitement and verve into your firm. But successfully retaining clients re-affirms your firm’s reputation and trustworthiness.

Every time I would argue for client care first new clients second.

It becomes a so obvious and necessary priority when you acknowledge that the number one source of new high-value clients tends to be recommendations by existing clients.

Client care first new clients second is the order of things if you’re committed to long term success.

Dull and day-to-day it might be but the capital value, future profits and future growth of your accountancy firm depends on the quality of your firm’s customer care.​