- "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
HMRC speeds up its call helpline target
HMRC is to spend £34 million over the next two years to hire more staff and reach call centre targets two years earlier than planned.
It forms part of a promise to a Parliamentary Treasury Select Committee to improve levels of service, with HMRC pledging to spend an additional £9 million this year and up to £25 million in 2012/14.
Up to 1,000 additional call centre staff are to be recruited in a bid to answer 90 per cent of all calls first time round.
HMRC's chief executive Lin Homer said: "Our contact centres receive around 60 million phone calls a year and how well we operate this service is of huge importance to our customers."
"It is vital that when customers call us for help their call is answered - and in a reasonable time. The feedback we get is that the quality of the advice we give when people get through is good, but we haven't been answering enough calls."
The decision to invest in extra staff was made following a consultation with the Joint Initiative on HMRC Service Delivery (JIHSD) which involves professional bodies and tax charities. Homer said that the decision to speed up its promise from the original 2015 deadline was made after suggestions from customers, stakeholders and its own staff.
It said that the investment would be made by reprioritising 'without impacting our other core customer services.' It is hoped that the additional staff will also reduce call waiting times drastically.
HMRC answered just 48 per cent of call attempts in 2010/11, although this improved to 74 per cent in 2011/12.
It has come under criticism in recent years following the 2005 merger between the Inland Revenue and HMRC which saw the department's total budget reduced by 14 per cent and a reduction in employee numbers.
The Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT), which is involved in HMRC's Joint Initiative, said the move to speed up call targets was 'very welcome news'.
Chairman for the Low Income Tax Reform Group (LITRG) Anthony Thomas said: "Improving service at call centres is an important way to make the tax system easier to understand and use for ordinary taxpayers."