THE future could be orange for an accountancy firm if it wins a major national award.

Rabjohns Business and Tax Advisers will find out this evening if it has won the award for Best Customer Service in the Small is Beautiful awards, run by mobile phone company Orange.

Directors from the 42-employee firm, in College Yard, Worcester, are due to attend the gala awards ceremony, at the Institute of Directors offices, in Kensington, London.

The firm is no stranger to awards, having won the Best Service Company award at last year's Herefordshire and Worcestershire Business Festival. It was also a finalist in the UK Accountancy Age Excellence Awards, in 2002, and has been short-listed four times for the National Accountancy Awards, run by Accountancy Age magazine.

David Cornelius, director, said awards were "fantastic" but they were no replacement for "delivering the goods".

"It's fantastic to be recognised - especially by someone as well known as Orange. "Awards are great, obviously, but we've got to keep on going. If we were to win, we'd be delighted - over the moon - it would be confirmation we've got it right."

Mr Cornelius said Rabjohn's relationship with its clients - and its excellent customer service - was based on treating the client as a business partner.

"It's a pro-active relationship that looks out for the client - we're actually on their side. It isn't simply reacting to things. Because we are very, very good in service quality, we attract the top clients, but the best clients demand the best service - they demand as much from us as we do from them."

Judges for the Small is Beautiful awards singled out Rabjohns for its commitment to helping clients achieve their goals, its role as a "trusted adviser", the openness of the business - all employees have access to the company accounts.

Other factors included its strong partnership ethos and its huge investment in IT.

Earlier this month, the company became the first West Midlands firm - and the first accountancy firm in the country - to be awarded the Work-Life Balance award, administered by Investors in People.

n Above: The team at Rabjohns Business and Tax Advisers enjoyed a team-building day at Eastnor Castle, near Ledbury. Client, the Morgan Motor Company, in Malvern, donated a weekend's use of one of their hand-made cars as a competition prize.