Building trust…travel, meet people and really get to know them

By Stephen Hamlet, Chief executive officer – Russell Bedford International

I wrote an article on LinkedIn a couple of years ago, following my experience in Thailand (Perception and reality…looking beyond the cover of a book), and it went like this:

“In Bangkok, the taxi driver may FaceTime his girlfriend whilst driving me to my meeting, but we arrive safely and on time. The food at lunch may look different, but it tastes
delicious; the office may not be the most glamorous, but the people are welcoming and professional with excellent quality control.”

Having just returned from India, I could now add that a local Delhi man may climb down from a railway platform and walk across to the next, stopping to sit in the middle of the tracks for a few minutes rest, but he manages to do so safely and without incident.

Turning to our profession; your accountant should be an extension of your team. Does it matter that Lubbock Fine has amazing views of the magnificent St. Paul’s cathedral from its offices? Does it matter that the firm is celebrating its 90th anniversary? Well, to both of those – Yes.

Image and appearance are important and a longstanding history is important.

BUT… what is more important is that the people who are looking after your affairs and
giving you professional advice are trustworthy, empathetic and really care about your business, as if they were part of your business. And you will only know this once you have met them and built that relationship.

That’s what we do at Russell Bedford International. We connect people and their firms,
like Lubbock Fine, to similarly minded practices around the world so they can service their clients beyond boundaries and be confident that the treatment they receive will be of the exact same personal, professional and quality standard that they provide themselves.

It’s the same in every walk of life.

I witnessed some unique, peculiar, unfamiliar customs in India but I always travel with an
open mind and enjoy embracing these wonderful experiences. The perception of a country like India will never be that of a modern Western civilisation. Yet the people who greeted me in all cities I visited, with their immense hospitality, their genuine desire to want to get to know me and share knowledge and experience, certainly earned my trust.

We have accountants and business advisors all over the world like that, offering their services to internationally expanding businesses. They’re good. They’re really good. And they care. Trust me!

For further information about Russell Bedford International, please speak to your contact partner or to Stephen Hamlet, stephen.hamlet@RussellBedford.com