Time to get closer

Look at the headlines and you don’t need me to tell you that the world feels unsettled. Wars, social disharmony, economic uncertainty, inflation, supply chain disruptions, digital attacks — the backdrop for business owners and families right now is complex, uncertain, and often stressful.

If you ask your clients what keeps them awake at night, it’s rarely a tax return. It’s their cashflow, their ability to look after staff, their own energy levels, their family’s security. They worry about the things that affect their lives, not just their ledgers.

And yet, if you look at many accounting firm websites, the emphasis is still compliance-first: accurate accounts, efficient tax, timely returns. Important? Yes. But in difficult global and economic times, that’s not what earns you the title of trusted advisor. That comes from being closer, more human, and more connected.

So, what does “getting closer” really mean for accountants, and why is it more critical now than ever?

What getting closer means for the accountant

Getting closer to your client is not about flooding them with more reports or dazzling them with complex analysis. It’s about giving them what they may not find anywhere else right now: someone who will listen, understand, and guide.

Google “Trusted Advisor” and you’ll see words like:

• reliable, dependable, respected, credible
• confidant, supporter, partner, guide

That’s not a compliance checklist. That’s a relationship.

Being a trusted advisor requires a shift of mindset:

• Listen first. Ask the questions that go beyond the numbers. How are they coping? What’s keeping them up at night?
• Support as a human being. Sometimes your client doesn’t need a spreadsheet, they need to talk it through with someone who understands their world.
• Bring clarity. Use your professional skills not just to “deliver work” but to interpret, explain, and give confidence.

The good news is that you don’t need to choose between being efficient and being closer. The tech that drives your efficiency in compliance gives you the time and space to build the conversations that matter. But you have to choose to use that space for listening and supporting, not just producing.

This is about culture again. If you, as a leader, take the time to be present with your clients, your team will follow. If you dismiss client worries as “not our job,” your team will do the same.

What getting closer means for the client

From the client’s side, imagine the difference.

In turbulent times, they don’t just want someone who files their tax return. They want someone who:

• Understands their pressures
• Explains clearly what the numbers mean
• Gives them confidence to make decisions
• Offers a safe space to ask the “silly” questions
• Reminds them that they’re not alone in this

If I’m a business owner, and my accountant listens to me, supports me, and helps me feel in control despite the chaos outside, then I don’t see them as a cost. I see them as my ally.

And yes, I’ll pay more for that — not because of the compliance work itself, but because of the trust and confidence you give me.

Building trust in difficult times

So, don’t underestimate the role you can play. You’re not just balancing books, you’re helping balance lives. In a world full of uncertainty, clients don’t expect you to solve every global or economic challenge. But they do want someone they can talk to, someone who listens, and someone who uses their professional skillset to cut through the fog.

That’s what makes you a trusted advisor.
That’s what makes clients stay.
That’s what builds stronger firms for the future.



Time to get closer