Busy Season Kudos
If Marcum were a retailer, the period between March 1 and April 15 would be our holiday season.
During this 46-day period, we literally need to service each and every one of our clients in some way, shape or form. Whether it’s an annual financial statement, a tax return or a tax extension… for an individual or a business… a public or private entity… all of our clients need service and attention during Busy Season. Depending in which office or department a Marcum team member works, some of us start putting in 60 or more hours per week sometime in January, and that annual rev-up continues straight through mid or late April without a break, in order to meet Busy Season demand.
Now, don’t misunderstand my intent here, because this is not a complaint. Far from it. Quite frankly, this is the time of year when, as in retail high season, we are running at our utmost profitability. Rather, I am using this posting as an opportunity to thank each and every person at Marcum for his or her contribution during this incredibly high-stress, high-pressure time of year.
Unless you’ve worked a holiday season in retail or a peak period in another cyclical business, it can be difficult to appreciate the time commitment and the daily pressure our staff faces in order to get the job done for our clients during Busy Season. Many start early in the morning, take a quick break for lunch, and then work through the evening, trying to get it all done. If we’re lucky enough to get home a couple of nights a week to have dinner with our families or put our children to bed, technology has made it possible (or inevitable) that we’re back on the computer late into the night, trying to finish something we started earlier in the day or, just as likely, catching up on the day’s unanswered emails.
While acknowledging the hard work and sacrifices our people make this time of year, the reason we push ourselves so hard is equally or even more important to me. We are committed to excel in providing the level of service and responsiveness our clients have come to expect from Marcum. I know from personal experience that, as we juggle projects and come up against deadlines, it is sometimes exceedingly difficult to meet our own standards of excellence. But if you’re a Marcum client, you should know that we are making every effort to meet or exceed your expectations. All of us at Marcum value your business and strive on a daily basis to deliver not only what you expect from us, but more. If we’re not succeeding, please tell me so we can make whatever mid-course correction may be necessary. Our team’s not happy until you are.
I know I don’t do it often enough, but this is my forum this year to publicly offer the much-needed pat on the back that the entire Marcum team deserves. I wish I could do it personally, but with as many people in as many offices as we now have, it’s no longer possible. So from me to all of you, thank you. You are the best.
