In a world in which the differentiation of businesses is becoming increasingly difficult, the importance of relationships has never been greater. The fact is, most people choose to do business with organizations and people they know. No where is this more so than in the professional services. Despite what the partners might say, distinguishing between […]

In a world in which the differentiation of businesses is becoming increasingly difficult, the importance of relationships has never been greater. The fact is, most people choose to do business with organizations and people they know. No where is this more so than in the professional services. Despite what the partners might say, distinguishing between accounting firms or law firms is virtually impossible. Some are different in terms of speciality or reach  etc, but in the main they offer people with similar qualifications, offering similar services, with a similar approach and at a similar cost. Furthermore, where there is a difference the market is rarely well informed enough to understand that difference and take it into account in the selection process. This highlights the importance of relationships. More often than most would care to admit or probity auditors would recognise, professional service organizations are engaged on the basis of relationships.…