Accountants are becoming trusted advisers to small business

DTI's Achieving best practice in your business looks to add value to the mission of the organisations we work with. One successful approach has been with accountants.

Bearing in mind that an accountant should be regarded by businesses as their trusted adviser, the DTI believes that Achieving Best Practice material can really add value to that relationship. This can be achieved by supporting accountants in offering advice and guidance to their business clients. Case studies as well as generic advice on a wide range of relevant topics can help accountants explain to their clients the advantages of learning more about the best business practices that have worked for others. The provision of such independent material can provide extra value to their portfolios.

The growing influence of accountants was acknowledged by the Daily Telegraph (6 July 2004). It was reported that recent research from the DTI found that in addition to basic accountancy services, 72 per cent of accountants in business provide general management advice to the small business sector on a regular basis, as do 52 per cent of practice accountants.

In the same article, Alastair Reid, Achieving best practice spokesperson, was quoted saying, "We see accountants as occupying a key role in terms of acting as a channel to the business community." Achieving best practice in your business can help to bring benefit to your clients, partners, customers or members. Take a look at the Best Practice guides which can be downloaded from www.dti.gov.uk/bestpractice or hard copies ordered via www.dti.gov.uk/publications or via orderline on 0870 150 2500. You could order some for yourself and for the people you represent, or pass this on to them so that they can check it out themselves. If you are interested in working with the DTI on spreading the best practice message, please contact david.williams@dti.gsi.gov.uk.