The Big Question: Do bigger firms provide a better service?
Despite a recent wave of accountancy firm mergers, 54% of more than 200 finance directors questioned do not agree with the age old adage that bigger is better.
Despite a recent wave of accountancy firm mergers, 54% of more than 200 finance directors questioned do not agree with the age old adage that bigger is better.
The majority of FDs said smaller firms offered just as good a service as bigger firms, and often a better one.
They cited the personal touch and the offer of specialised knowledge as reasons for their choice.
‘Smaller firms have a more personal touch. You feel as though they are giving you better personal attention,’ said Crispin Corbett, financial director of Silver Platter Information Ltd. ‘Large firms are too impersonal for dealing with small to medium companies,’ said another.
Others were more cynical in their reasons for supporting of smaller firms. ‘When has super big led to quality? The reason for amalgamation is always greater bargaining power plus higher returns for senior partners,’ said an anonymous respondent.
With 22% preferring to sit on the fence, a meagre 24% came out in defence of larger firms, but were not forthcoming with their names.
‘The quality of a bigger firm outweighs the speed of service of a smaller firm,’ said one anonymous participant. Another said bigger firms had ‘advantages in diversity and specialism of niche knowledge.’
In the past decade, the professional services industry has transformed significantly. Digital disruptions, increased competition, and changing market ...
View resourceIn recent months, professional services firms are facing more pressure than ever to deliver value to clients. Often, clients look at the firms own inf...
View resourceIn a world of instant results and automated workloads, the potential for AP to drive insights and transform results is enormous. But, if you’re still ...
View resourceThe first phase of Making Tax Digital (MTD) saw the requirement for the digital submission of the VAT Return using compliant software. That’s now behi...
View resourceGlobal spend on accountancy outsourcing up by 40% in the space of five years. News comes as accountancy outsourcing specialist AdvanceTrack reports en...
View articleFollowing a profitability review, Deloitte has decided to scale back its UK deals business due to lower returns. This strategic shift could lead to jo...
View articleUK-based Dow Schofield Watts (DSW), a mid-market professional services network, announced the creation of a new division called DSW Principal Partners...
View articleEY has been undergoing significant cost-cutting measures and streamlining its operations since the abandonment of Project Everest. The firm has made t...
View articleTransitioning from an accounting firm to a consultancy model is only one part of the puzzle. The next, equally vital piece is making the market aware ...
View articleThis framework, while providing a top-line view, underscores the importance of strategic vision, operational excellence, and the spirit of continuous ...
View articleLooking ahead, the Big 4 firms face a challenging year, with ongoing cost-of-living concerns, slow economic growth, rising geopolitical tensions, and ...
View articleLast month it was reported that Deloitte would be cutting approximately 1,200 jobs in the United States, making it the latest of the Big Four accounti...
View article