Why you can’t rest on your laurels

Richard Brewin • March 27, 2019

It’s great to see increasing numbers of accountants seeking to deliver much more to their clients than just the standard compliance services. Websites and social media today reflect a profession looking to actively engage with business leaders and entrepreneurs in more value added ways.

Unfortunately this makes it even more frustrating when I come across well-intentioned firms who end up shooting themselves in the foot by not living up to their ambitions.

Take a wander through accountants websites and you will see many examples of firms promising a new level of client service, seeking to inspire their clients, actively helping them grow their businesses….and yet the website itself is painfully and obviously out of date.

It takes only minutes to find sites that were once trailblazing but now show no new posts in months, even years, outdated team pics, old budget downloads, no fresh advice or information.

I understand all too well the pressures of running a firm, especially one that has quite possibly grown quickly off the back of the partners’ earlier ambitions and drive, but to fail to properly manage and systemise your own business so that it goes stale in the eyes of the outside world leads to a situation where you would’ve been better off not trying in the first place. Visibly failing to deliver on your own promises is worse than setting lower expectations from day 1.

Are you one of these firms?

Take a look at your online presence, your offices, your behaviour today. Are you living up to the expectations that you’ve set?

With the outsourcing opportunities and software resources available to all firms, there is very little excuse for not keeping up with the pace you set yourself. Lack of focus brought on by the time pressures of growth is the most common cause, in which case, have a dedicated member of your team take responsibility for overseeing activity. Keep your eyes, and your firm, on the ball.

Don’t let yourself down for lack of attention. You are right to set high expectations but you must also set the discipline, and systems, to maintain them.

Why your accounting firm is unique

By Richard Brewin • June 5, 2025
All accountants are the same! We’ve all heard it said. It’s nonsense, of course, but, when you are asked what it is that your firm does that differentiates it from other accounting firms, it can be a challenge to come up with something tangible.  Accounting firms tend to offer similar services, that’s what makes them accounting firms. Differentiating from competitors based upon services provided is therefore an issue.

Will MTD ITSA be the next big gift from the accounting profession

By Richard Brewin • April 2, 2025
Question… Should accountants charge for the additional work and obligations they will have when MTD ITSA finally comes into play next April? Not sure? Let me ask another one… Should business owners and taxpayers be expected to pay for the work that their accountant does for them and for the expertise that they receive? Put down in black and white, the answer seems obvious but there are many in the profession who are losing sleep over this issue.

“Accountants can’t or won’t sell”

By Richard Brewin • February 25, 2025
Accountants selling to their clients is a topic as old as the profession itself. I regularly hear criticism from those looking to monetise the accountants’ relationships with their clients that “accountants can’t sell”. I also come across an attitude within the profession that “accountants shouldn’t sell to their clients…it’s unprofessional…it’s not what my clients expect”.  Let’s tackle the issue.