PCPA Update.

PCPS 2000 Member Survey

PCPS has just received the results from its 2000 Member Survey. PCPS conducts this mail survey of its entire membership population every three years. The survey aims to gather information about management and practice issues facing local and regional firms in the profession. Here are some of the highlights:

Tech savvy: The survey found that a full 96% of member firms have Internet access in their offices. Firms use this access mostly for email and online information gathering, using search engines and electronic news services.

Service offerings: Most firms are still offering traditional accounting services: tax planning and compliance, audit and review, financial services, and assurance services. When considering practice growth, a large number of firms plan to grow by adding new services. Some of these expected new service offerings include litigation support, M&A valuation, business performance valuation, compensation and employee benefits, eldercare, and operations management.

Retirement planning: About one-third of all PCPS member firms have succession plans in place, and a similar number have funded retirement plans in place. However, 14% of member firms are considering setting up plans.

Most pressing issue: The survey found that staffing is the most pressing issue for responding accounting firms. They are addressing the staffing shortage in several ways. Firms hope to attract new staff by offering flexible schedules, changes in pay scale, bonus systems and new incentives. Respondent firms also expressed concern over meeting growing client demand, keeping up with technology, standards compliance, marketing and succession planning.

The survey was distributed to the full PCPS membership - about 6,500 firms. PCPS received more than 1,400 responses, an extraordinarily high rate of about 22%. The questionnaires were distributed to managing partners at firms in all 50 states, DC, and Puerto Rico, representing five regions of the U.S. (West, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast, Northeast).

PCPS uses the findings of its Member Survey to tailor products and services to member firms. In polling its membership, PCPS hopes to identify ways it can best help its firms to compete and succeed in a changing competitive marketplace. One idea that has already surfaced is the "Top Talent" Staffing Survey (see below), which will identify ways firms can effectively attract and retain talented staff.

Staffing Survey

PCPS has just...