In June 2009 I wrote a blog piece titled: "The future of compliance services for accountants" I didn't go for big headlines in 2009. I didn't say anything outrageous and I didn't look to attract attendees at high-priced seminars to help accountants survive and thrive in a brave new world. I did
If you've been following me for a while you'll know I like to debunk the hype around many issues addressed by other commentators. Sometimes they are right on the money but often they are way off the mark - and this can be for any of a number of reasons. Are you
The biggest issue facing accountants in practice these days isn't the rise of robo-accountants, AI or cloud computing. The challenge that seems to hold many firms back is the same old chestnut it's always been. It's the difficulty in finding good people to join the firm. Almost every week I get approached by the
Another journalist approached me recently, this time wanting some quotes for an article intended to help accountants who have been running their practice for one year. As usual I made some notes to inform my quotes and, as usual, I'm now able to share these on my blog. You should find the
Accountancy firms need to evolve to address the changes that the future heralds. What changes? Well, there’s lots coming but the changes that will most impact your life and your practice depend on many factors. It is just daft, if not lazy, to suggest that the same issues will affect ‘all’ accountants
When I write and talk about the future for accountants I debunk the hype (and fake news) that suggests that compliance work is dying. It's NOT. However I do believe that within ten years or so, most of the compliance focused work currently done by general practitioners will no longer be required.
When we talk about the future most of us struggle to recognise what changes are coming and the impact these will have on our lives and work. There is a common tendency to think only about the next year or two and to dismiss anything beyond that as science fiction. In my
A journalist asked me this question last month. “What will accountants be doing differently in 2019?” Before replying I gathered my thoughts which I now share below. For reasons which will become obvious I didn’t say all this when I spoke with the journalist! As usual there’s an implicit assumption in the
What is the real reason you are in practice as an accountant? This is a question many accountants struggle to answer when I ask them. Why do you do what you do? What is the first thing that comes to mind as to your motivation to be in practice as an accountant?
During my talks about the future for accountants I sometimes share a famous quote from Bill Gates. Before repeating it here, let me just offer some context. There has long been a tendency to over-hype new ideas and initiatives. Some accountants jump on the bandwagon early which is great. I don’t do
A Thomson Reuters survey of 350 UK accountants in June 2018 revealed six key areas to consider "as you step into the next decade". I have added my own commentary and views to the headline topics below: 1. Accept business model change The accountants believe that compliance will continue to sit at
Another day, another commentator bemoaning what they perceive as accountants’ resistance to change. I don’t see it that way at all. Busy accountants running busy firms have to prioritise. And preparing for the future is not a priority (yet). The accountants I talk with are tightly focused on keeping their best clients
When we go to see a local GP we expect them to fulfil 3 primary roles. We need them to diagnose our problems, to prescribe solutions and to care for us. There is a direct parallel with the role of accountants. There is also a similar prospect of patients/clients adopting AI solutions to address
There is an old adage that says if your practice fails to grow it will stagnate. Is that true actually? I think, it depends on what one means by ‘grow’. Grow the client base? Turnover? Profits? Range of services? Efficiency? I prefer the word 'evolve' as I'll explain below. Many years ago
Most smaller practitioners are focused on offering a compliance focused service to clients. Lots of people are saying you must start offering advisory services; and plenty of accountants think they already do this to a degree. In my talks I often reference 5 types of non-compliance service and how it will take
Having been asked this question recently I thought I’d share my reply here. Do you see increased automation as a threat or an opportunity for accountants? Let’s start by clarifying what we mean by ‘automation’. For the purpose of this blog post I suggest that automation means new technology that is becoming
This blog post contains something I rarely do. It references a book I have read and want to recommend to accountants who are looking to the future. The Digital Firm is written by an accountant, Will Farnell, who also published it in 2018. The book is subtitled: How to change your accounting
I was asked this question in the context of the new talk I started presenting earlier this year: 'The rise of Robo-accountants - and how to beat them' In fact I don't think I have ever said that I am 'excited' about the future for accountants and I have two problems with
Why are so many consultants telling accountants that they need to start providing advisory services to clients? You've been doing this for years haven't you? Or else your clients don't want, don't need or can't afford to pay for such services. Hmm. Have you really been doing this for years? I know many
Contrary to many predictions I've seen, you are not at risk of being replaced by a robot. Equally I do believe that the rise of Robo-Accountants is going to have a big impact on what you do in your firm - but not overnight. My newest talk is titled 'The Rise of
Whenever I talk with accountants about cloud accounting I suspect that many suffer from FOMO. Sometimes their FOMO has worked in their favour and prompted them to take action. More often their FOMO is holding them back from making a decision. And the constant deferral of that decision is slowing down the development of their
When I talk with accountants, which I do a lot, I often sense an unspoken concern about increased ‘uncertainty’ in their world. It is clear to me that many business clients are uncertain, many private clients are uncertain and also many accountants themselves are uncertain. Business clients They are uncertain about future sales and
Do you ever think about how your practice and your client base might be impacted in the next few years by changes in technology? Historically most clients stay with their accountant for many years. They generally move only when they feel their accountant doesn't care enough about them, puts their fees up significantly or messes
My conversations with sole practitioner accountants over the years suggest that many are happy enough once their business has plateaued. 'Happy enough' is hardly an enthusiastic summation of how things are going. It suggests a degree of reluctant acceptance. The underlying message perhaps is that things could be better but the accountant is used to
If there was ever an award for the most obvious predictions in finance, I might have won with those that I made in 2009. At the end of my presentation at the Mercia Partners' conference, I did, as I had been asked, and offered my predictions as to what would happen in the coming two
