- "In the last 20 years our business has changed considerably…and as the focus of our business has changed, Bird Luckin have moved with us."
Alex Tanner, George Tanner (Shalford) Ltd - "Bird Luckin has looked after us incredibly well for over 60 years, they are pro-active and innovational - meeting all our needs to help us achieve our aims."
Richard Stubbings, Cliffords Limited - "I can honestly say that Bird Luckin are the best firm of accountants and auditors I have ever dealt with - and I don't say that lightly!"
Colin Webb, Walthamstow Stadium - "It's important for us to know that we will always be able to contact the right people to give us the right advice and support."
Jane Bennett, Bennetts Funeral Directors - "Although we deal mainly with one Partner … we also know that if we need to contact someone else who is a specialist in another area, we can get the advice we need quickly and easily"
Jeremy Ruggles, J.S. Wright & Sons Ltd - "Bird Luckin got us to a stage which would have taken us months - if not years - to reach on our own, and they got us there in a matter of weeks"
Matthew Sullivan, SNC Ltd - "You can be a good accountant, but if you don't have an understanding of the industry it can be very difficult. "There are two or three people we have regular contact with at Bird Luckin who know our business well, and it makes a difference.""
Robert Church, W A Church (Bures) Ltd - "The work which Bird Luckin has done for Boddingtons over the past few months has helped shape our future direction for the better."
John Warner, Chief Executive, Boddingtons Ltd - "Bird Luckin has acted for us since our inception 10 years ago. They have a very 'can do' yet highly professional attitude - we are very appreciative of their support and advice over the years."
Marlon Fox, Outlook Property Ltd
The true value of valuable customers
As any business will know, not all customers are the same.
Some are worth more than others. This may be because they tend to spend more, tend to spend more regularly or tend to make fewer demands of the business in terms of time, effort and resources.
Surprisingly, such customers are not always self-evident. However, it is worthwhile identifying them for two reasons. The first is that the business can then make sure they devote the appropriate customer care to them. The second is that they can be used to profile the sort of new customer the business ought to be targeting.
What makes a customer valuable will depend not just on the customer but on the business too.
For some businesses, a valuable customer will be a prompt payer. For other businesses, a valuable customer will be a regular purchaser. In most cases, though, valuable customers are the most profitable.
A valuable customer will usually meet one or more important criteria such as: placing a few large orders rather than a number of smaller orders; purchasing services or goods with high profit margins; paying on time; and requiring only a limited amount of after-sales support.
To identify its most profitable customers, a business will need to analyse all its sales data. Some businesses will find that a relatively small number of customers account for much of the profit.
If a customer is not valuable at the moment, that is not to say they won't become so at some stage in the future. Growing and successful customers may well step up the level of their purchases as their own businesses develop.
Once the most valuable customers have been identified, it makes good sense for a business to shape its service and resources around their needs. Never under-service an important client or devote too little time to them. And, above all, reward important customers with excellent customer care.