Apparently our country is finally coming into the 21st century as far as credit card fraud is concerned. U.S. banks are implementing the chip and signature system (new here, but over ten years old everywhere else.) Accounting Today gives details with a post from Warner Johnston from the ACCA US (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) on new card replacement: http://www.accountingtoday.com/news/liability-insurance/credit-card-companies-change-technology-to-fight-fraud-71828-1.html With the banks and credit card companies having to foot identity fraud liabilities (the US is apparently the credit card fraud capital of the world because of older fraud protections), they have suddenly decided to update things (one of my credit cards just updated – so one down, four to go.) Now the discussion is leaning toward chip and pin numbers, the next stage in the security cycle, which we don’t do yet. (great.) For financial, accounting and tax musings, You can count on us to count for you! Email: bstonercpa@sbcglobal.net Phone: 818-317-6035 Website: www.briantstonercpa.com Android and the IPhone: Has been Featured On https://twitter.com/bstonercpa
Burbank CPA Musings: The True Price of Customer Service
When you have a business to run, it is a constant balancing act. There are only so many hours in the day, but you want to give great customer service. The article below from The New York Times by Jay Goltz talks about the problems of a framing shop, but it could apply to any business: http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/21/the-true-price-of-customer-service/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 I know I have had this same problem of service vs time (especially this last year as my CPA firm business has grown.) The old addage of the three things your business can do applies too well: You can get work done timely, you can get work done professionally, you can get work done cheaply, and you can do two out the three well. Always remember that when your business has these problems. For financial, accounting and tax musings, You can count on us to count for you! Email: bstonercpa@sbcglobal.net Phone: 818-317-6035 Website: www.briantstonercpa.com Android and the IPhone: Has been Featured On https://twitter.com/bstonercpa
Business Musings of a Burbank CPA: Summertime Strategies for Your Business
Summer is a great time of year for most businesses to pause for just a little while to take stock, congratulate yourself on what you’ve accomplished so far this year, and make big plans for your future. Here are five summertime strategies to help you regroup, reassess, and rejuvenate your business. 1. Mid-Year Review If your business runs by the calendar year, 2014 is already more than half over. This is a perfect time to stop and reflect where you’ve been, what you’ve accomplished, and where you want to go next. You can make this process as informal or formal as you want. Some firms hold complex retreats; you may simply need some quiet time on a weekend where all your family is busy doing something else. If you’ve never done any planning and feel like you need a guide, consider the book, The One-Page Business Plan written by Jim Horan. 2. Take a Vacation There’s nothing better to rekindle your creative juices than to get away from the business for a while. Summertime is when most people take vacation, so if your business is not having its busy season, this might be a good time to go away for [...]