If asked, most senior managers in accounting firms would likely say that they would love to have an endless stream of client work.
They might imagine an idealised scenario where revenue increases and the people in the firm are able to feel the benefits of having stability in their career prospects.
The reality for many firms is that an increase in client demand and ongoing recruitment and retention challenges are resulting in a situation where firms have to decline work.
No firm should be in the position of having to miss out on promising opportunities, so it is worth determining whether there is a way to empower your team to handle more work.
Are more accountancy firms turning away work?
Accounting firms in the UK and across the world are struggling under increasing pressures to meet the changing needs of clients.
Research conducted across the UK, Australia, Canada and the USA found that 73 per cent of accountants were having to turn away potential clients due to an inability to meet demand.
The same number also noted that talent shortages were having a severe impact on the profession, with 74 per cent expressing concern that workloads were becoming too high.
While staffing issues have been a factor in the profession for some time, 45 per cent of firms claimed that the situation had worsened over the last three years.
Globally, it may be that the aftermath of the pandemic and the way it reshaped working life has had a lasting impact, while measures like Making Tax Digital have increased the workloads of UK accountants.
Societal attitudes may also be influential, as there is a general trend towards faster responses and immediate gratification in many aspects of life that could be mirrored in how clients engage with accountants.
While many firms might feel the only solution is to hire additional employees, provided suitable individuals could be located, taking on more staff can stifle the potential growth of the firm and of those already working there.
Is technology able to replace people?
While technology is not in a position to replace people, nor would it be helpful for livelihoods if it did, adopting novel solutions can be a way to ease the burden on existing employees.
Much of the work that is being piled on accountants is tedious, low-value exercises that consume time and energy, resulting in staff quitting the firm or profession due to frustration at not being able to utilise their skills effectively.
Technology is well-positioned to siphon off this work and give accountants the time they need to get stuck into the work that they enjoy.
For senior managers, this could signal a shift in workplace culture and the ability to take on more clients or work more closely with those already onboarded.
However, not every piece of technology is equal and trying to incorporate an ineffective solution is likely to just frustrate your team and make client work more of a challenge.
Fortunately, Glasscubes was designed with this dilemma in mind.
Glasscubes aims to cut through the inefficiencies that are stopping your firm from taking on more clients by streamlining workflows and boosting client engagement.
Rather than forcing clients to manage a dedicated portal, Glasscubes provides secure access without the need of an account.
This makes sure your clients feel confident in providing information in a timely way so you do not waste time trying to get it out of them.
Automated reminders further support this process as your team no longer need to write email after email to get everything they need.
Reminders can be set at the cadence that best works for your team and your clients, ensuring they do not bombard people with requests but giving you the scope to no longer stress about deadlines.
Within the team, the visibility over workflows ensures that nothing slips through the cracks and anyone can easily see how much work needs to be done for each client.
Glasscubes gives you and your team back the time you waste on inefficient, tedious tasks.
Whether you use that time to onboard new clients, offer deeper advice for existing ones or stare at the window in a state of mindful bliss, the choice is yours.
If you want to help your team manage more clients without overpopulating the office, book a demo today!
