The flagship shop first opened on 289 Aylsham Road, Norwich in 2002. TaxAssist Accountants has reached another milestone in its success story as its first shop turns 20 years old. TaxAssist is known for changing the landscape of the accountancy industry through retailing tax and accounting services, which has become the cornerstone of the franchise’s success over the last two decades. As an effective way to attract and retain business clients, property landlords and high net worth individuals, the shopfront model has been successfully rolled out globally, and there are now 260 TaxAssist Accountants shops operating in the UK, Ireland, Australia and North America. James Mattam, Group Business Development Director, explains more about the concept and its enduring appeal. “When the first ‘shop front’ in Norwich was launched, our main intentions were to create a modern, welcoming, branded office, with the aim of departing from the look and characteristics of traditional accountancy practices. The strategy always focused on the client experience and we created a place clients would like to visit and feel comfortable to share their business plans and share their challenges with us so we can help resolve this and satisfy their needs. “Visibility, credibility, walk-in business and brand reinforcement are the key benefits that operating from shop front premises brings to our accountancy network. Not only is this a place of work for our tax and accounting experts to run their franchise from, it is a permanent advert that performs day and night, right throughout the year, that has supported our growth and served us well.” James continues, “The most recent client satisfaction survey found that 78% of clients said that they prefer to meet their accountant in person, making the shop front location the ideal setting for building relationships. High streets are continually evolving and choosing the right location means that TaxAssist Accountants, with its ever growing range of services, stands out as the one-stop-shop for clients in each area we operate in.” Robin Johnson runs the franchise’s flagship Norwich North shop. Robin is also celebrating a personal milestone in 2022, having purchased the practice ten years ago this year from a former franchisee and continues to highly value the shop’s role in his practice’s success. “The shop really stands out and is incredibly well located, which continually drives new walk-in business. Clients love the open, warm, friendly feel of the shop which makes them feel at ease and provides just the right atmosphere for our meetings,” confirms Robin. “The shop is so noticeable, with its bright blue and yellow colours, when we roll out marketing campaigns in the area and online, potential clients already have a familiarity with the brand which makes conversions and referrals a much simpler process.” If you share a passion to open a TaxAssist shop in your local community, a TaxAssist franchise can provide the systems and support you need to be successful. Regular Virtual Discovery Days are held, where you can find out more about the technical, marketing and business development support on offer. Call 0800 0188297 or submit an enquiry here to register your interest.