Ad-ology Research recently updated their Industry Marketing Insights report for Accounting Services. The following are the predicted Top 3 Opportunities/Challenges from the report for this industry for the upcoming 12 months:

• About half of surveyed accounting firms, of all sizes, identified retaining clients, as a top concern in 2010. This concern has replaced the previous top concern of retaining talent and is linked to general economic conditions.
• Accounting firms are differentiating themselves by adding niche services such as business valuations, litigation support and forensics/fraud.
• The financial reform bill of 2010 is expected to generate new jobs and opportunities for the accounting industry. Businesses will need to hire accountants to help the clarify the meaning of new regulation and to audit internal operations to prove that they are meeting the requirements of the law.

The Industry Marketing Insights report for Accounting Services is available on Ad-ology.com (Research Store) for $195 USD with local market data for any U.S. market.

[Source: Ad-ology Research. July 28, 2010]

Earlier this month, I blogged about a MetLife report that discussed how small and medium size businesses can compete for employees by improving their benefits packages.  A new study on the topic of vision benefits indicates that more insurance companies and brokers will be promoting this specialty package to employers of all sizes, as well. The report comes at a time when more employees, especially those over age 45, are reaching for corrective lenses to see what’s on the computer screen.

Though many consumers believe eye care is a critical part of overall good health, they often do not follow through on recommended levels of care. For example, they:

• Do not get an annual eye exam: 50%
• Do not wear sunglasses to protect their eyes from the sun: 42%

However for consumers who have stand-alone vision plans that include both exams and eyewear, the annual exam rate is 33%.  This rate compares positively to the 13% who have eye exams covered by their health care plans.

Currently 17% of employers offer vision coverage as a benefit. The average annual cost of this benefit to employers is about $80 per employee.  And employers say the following about providing eye exams for their employees:

• Extremely important: 37%
• Very important: 34%
• Important: 23%

Industry experts are encouraging vision carriers to join forces with local providers to make the eye exam experience as easy as possible. Local brokers can then market policies to employers and emphasize the benefits of plans that extend beyond simple vision correction. Vision problems which are caught and treated early can result in lower medical costs and improved quality of life for employees. Diagnosed vision problems include:

• Diabetic retinopathy – especially high for Hispanic-Americans
• Glaucoma – especially high for African-Americans
• Ocular cancer

As the focus on preventive health care increases across the U.S. , more insurance carriers and brokers will be promoting vision plans to employers.

[Sources: NAVCP User Survey. Vision Monday. 19 Jul. 2010. Web. 26  Jul. 2010; Communicating the Value of Vision Benefits to Employers. Healthy Sight Working for You. ]

Back-to-school season is right around the corner. But this year, consumers under the age of 21 might not be the only ones working on their reading, writing and math skills. The latest American Management Association survey finds that businesses require excellence in basic skills along with other competencies that fewer employees seem to have these days.

According to the 2010 Critical Skills Survey, business executives expect their employees to have specific abilities – often called the 4 Cs – that extend beyond the traditional literacy component. In addition, employers measure employees on this basis during performance reviews at the following rates:

• Communication skills 80.4%
• Critical thinking 72.4%
• Collaboration 71.2%
• Creativity 57.3%

As the economy improves and businesses begin to hire, executives believe the 4 Cs skill set will be necessary to:

• Keep up with the pace of change in business 91%
• Maintain an edge in the increasingly global business environment 86.5%
• Accomplish needed work in new ways 77.5%
• Thrive in new organizational structures 66.3%

The problem is executives consistently say only about half of their employees rate higher than average when it comes to critical thinking or collaboration. In addition, fewer than half of executives believe their employees excel in effective communications or creativity and innovation.

To address this problem, employers are turning to one-on-one coaching, mentoring, professional development and training, and in-house job training. The gap between existing competencies and desired skill sets means that educational institutions and consultants have an opportunity to market their programs to businesses to improve the bottom line.

[Source: AMA 2010 Critical Skills Survey. American Management Association. 15 Apr. 2010. Web. 30 Jul. 2010]

In a time when many people feel increasingly distant from the means of production for what they eat, artisan foods carry inherent value by granting consumers an opportunity to know where their food comes from, to see the hands that made it and to understand how it is made.

Powering this artisan food trend are several important drivers that revolve around local and seasonal eating, a love of handmade and authentic food, a quest for exciting new flavors, a desire to engage with food and producers, and eco-consciousness, according to Artisan Foods: Culinary Trend Mapping Report from the Center for Culinary Development (CCD) and leading market research publisher Packaged Facts.

“Consumers, manufacturers, and restaurant operators all recognize that artisan is synonymous with quality when it comes to ingredients and preparation,” says Kimberly Egan, CEO of CCD. “The appeal lies in the stories that connect products to consumers which in turn offer deeper meaning and connects to personal values.”
Artisan food trends are emerging across all five stages of CCD’s Trend Map. They include:

• Gastropubs: This hybrid breed of pub mixes a wide selection of often-artisanal beers and spirits with high-quality housemade comfort food and a casual, community-oriented atmosphere.
• Condiments, Preserved Foods & Heirloom Produce: These locally sourced and home-grown foods are made using traditional cultivation and preservation methods, bringing consumers closer to the sources of their food and appealing to eco-minded people seeking to go green.
• Boutique Booze: Small-batch spirits appeal to consumers seeking liquor with diverse and unique flavors.
• Handmade Ice Cream: Using old-fashioned methods and organic and local ingredients, these ice cream innovators offer extraordinary versions of a familiar favorite.
• Butchery: “Rock star butchers” are raising interest in meat, hosting meat cutting classes and demonstrations while placing an emphasis on locally sourced and heritage options.
• Artisan Pizza: An Italian classic turned American staple gets an artisan makeover, as pizzaiolos take the craft to a new level, perfecting wood-fired crust, incorporating more high-quality ingredients and going global with toppings.
• Reinvented American Cheese: Indulgent, hand-crafted and all-natural, artisan cheese is easily incorporated into a diverse array of dishes or enjoyed on its own.

These exciting trends are redefining quality for consumers. The report highlights strategic applications relevant for food manufacturers and restaurant operators seeking to capture this excitement in new product development products.

[Source:  Artisan Foods: Culinary Trend Mapping Report.  Center for Culinary Development (CCD)/Packaged Facts. 19 Jul. 2010.  Web.  29 Jul. 2010.]