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Accountants 'need sales skills' for future growth

28/01/2008

Bringing in new business is no longer solely the responsibility of sales teams as professionals such as lawyers and accountants are increasingly required to boost client books.

Promoting the growth of their company or firm has become a more prominent part of an accountant's job role and so the development of winning sales skills is increasingly important to recruitment success within the sector.

Winning new clients, retaining client-relations and securing repeat business now falls within the remit of most professional roles.

Sales expert, businessman and author Richard Denny commented: "I have spoken to a number of different professionals over the years, from bank managers to lawyers, from accountants to architects and from vets to surveyors; all of whom had some level of responsibility for winning business but also a shared dislike of selling."

The Institute of Chartered Accountants' 2007 Enterprise Survey found that 72 per cent of firms stated a lack of basic skills as a 'critical to moderate' barrier to future growth.

 

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