<p>This thesis treats how accountancy companies works to maintain customer relations. This is getting more important in the accounting business because there are several inner and outer factors available that may affect customer relations in this business area. The main question with the thesis is: How works accountancy companies with keeping customers?</p><p>The purpose with the research was to investigate and identify which inner and outer factors that may be important from a company perspective to keep customers. Another purpose was to investigate if there existed any differences between the companies in how they are handling different factors like for example a law change and how it could affect customer relations. The method that has been used is the qualitative method in form of personal interviews with 5 accountants who works with customers on accountancy companies in Umeå. The five interviewed companies are KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte, Ernst & Young and Grant Thornton. The research method belongs to the hermeneutic knowledge where understanding is very important.</p><p>In the conclusion of the study there is evidence that there exist some inner and outer factors that may affect customer relations in an accountancy company. In this thesis the inner and outer affecting factors is: service quality, the company´s brand, to participate in the customers business, that the accountant is proactive, that there exist trust between the accountant and the customer, to create extra value for the customer, that it exists a good communication between the accountant and the customer. The outer factors as a law change also had some effects on the companies but also competitors and price. Factors that was specific important for customer retention was: Commitment, communication, to do a good job, to exceed expectations, that the auditor is available and active and to create more value for the customers.</p> / magisteruppsats

This thesis treats how accountancy companies works to maintain customer relations. This is getting more important in the accounting business because there are several inner and outer factors available that may affect customer relations in this business area. The main question with the thesis is: How works accountancy companies with keeping customers? The purpose with the research was to investigate and identify which inner and outer factors that may be important from a company perspective to keep customers. Another purpose was to investigate if there existed any differences between the companies in how they are handling different factors like for example a law change and how it could affect customer relations. The method that has been used is the qualitative method in form of personal interviews with 5 accountants who works with customers on accountancy companies in Umeå. The five interviewed companies are KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte, Ernst &amp; Young and Grant Thornton. The research method belongs to the hermeneutic knowledge where understanding is very important. In the conclusion of the study there is evidence that there exist some inner and outer factors that may affect customer relations in an accountancy company. In this thesis the inner and outer affecting factors is: service quality, the company´s brand, to participate in the customers business, that the accountant is proactive, that there exist trust between the accountant and the customer, to create extra value for the customer, that it exists a good communication between the accountant and the customer. The outer factors as a law change also had some effects on the companies but also competitors and price. Factors that was specific important for customer retention was: Commitment, communication, to do a good job, to exceed expectations, that the auditor is available and active and to create more value for the customers. / magisteruppsats