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Running a successful accounting practice means meeting the needs of clients, growing the business, managing people, and dealing with all of the tasks associated with one of the most heavily regulated professions. As a practice grows, accounting tasks can quickly become more time-consuming and complex than planned, putting pressure on people and margins.
While delivering work using an in-house team may have worked well in the past, there often comes a point when outsourcing makes sense.
But how do you know when you’ve reached that point?
Here are some of the key signs your practice could benefit from outsourcing accounting work.
Teams are working long, unsocial hours 01
Many accountants rely on a small team working tirelessly to achieve deadlines for delivering work to clients and filing information with Companies House and HMRC. While working late occasionally is part of running a busy accountancy practice, if it becomes the norm, it’s usually a sign that workload has outgrown available resources.
Reliance on a small in-house team presents a high risk of service failure should individuals leave at short notice, and if a suitably qualified or experienced replacement cannot be found. With an outsourced solution, accountants have access to a team of experienced professionals who can help boost capacity when it is needed.
Teams are stretched at peak times 02
When teams are stretched, routine tasks quickly become urgent. Deadlines get tighter, errors more likely, and senior members of the team spend their time working through backlogs instead of focusing on the wider business.
Hiring temporary or permanent staff may seem like an obvious solution, but it comes with a price: recruitment costs, training time, variable quality, and compliance risks.
Outsourcing offers a reliable, flexible solution that allows accountants to quickly increase capacity without the overheads and administrative burden of new appointments. Outsourcing work enables accountants to stay agile, efficient, and competitive throughout the year. Over time, outsourcing becomes not just a reactive solution to seasonal peaks in work, but a proactive strategy for sustainable growth.
Accountants are spending too much time on recurring tasks 03
If valuable time is being spent on chasing clients for information, completing recurring work, or getting clients ready for month, quarter, or year-end closure, then it is time to look closely at how the accounting cycle is being managed.
Recurring tasks such as updating accounting software, preparing quarterly VAT returns and year-end accounts are resource intensive and reduce the amount of time available for serving clients and growing the Practice.
Outsourcing recurring tasks allows accountants to focus on the work that generates most revenue while expert professionals deliver deadline driven work offshore.
The Practice is growing too rapidly 04
One of the clearest signs a practice needs additional support is having to say no to new business because capacity is limited. New clients are arriving, advisory services are growing, but the resources needed to deliver work are finite. Common indicators growth is becoming a problem include:
- Difficulty recruiting suitably qualified staff
- Increasing salary expectations
- Rising employment costs
- Higher staff turnover
- Capacity constraints during busy periods
- Pressure on fees and profit margins.
Processes that worked perfectly when a practice was starting out may no longer be sufficient as client numbers increase. Outsourcing offers access to resources and expertise without having to build a larger in-house team.
The benefits of technology are not being secured 05
Accountants are increasingly using tech-driven solutions to deliver bookkeeping, management accounting, forecasting, and data analysis. Most modern accounting software platforms now incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) capable of processing financial data instantly and significantly faster than manual methods.
While technology continues to evolve and AI “learns” through automation and algorithmic improvement, it cannot yet replace the need for human expertise, professional judgement, and client-focused work.
For many smaller practices, the investment required to implement and maintain technology often represents a barrier. Integrating technology requires ongoing investment in software, training, systems integration, cybersecurity, and internal process redesign.
Without the necessary skills and operational support, accountants may struggle to realise the full benefits of the investment made in technology. Outsourcing provides access to qualified professionals with technical expertise and practical experience. This can be especially valuable during busy periods, staff shortages, or periods of rapid growth where additional in-house recruitment may not be viable.
Offshore accounting teams can manage delivery, review work, and provide the operational support onshore practices need to scale effectively.
Access to talent is limiting growth 06
For many practices, the recruitment market remains challenging. Risks are evident across a number of fronts, including:
- Skills shortages
- Fewer people are entering the accounting profession
- Rising recruitment costs
- Training and development costs
- Retaining staff in high demand roles.
Recruiting experienced accounting professionals can be challenging, particularly when support is needed quickly. The recruitment process can take weeks or months, and there is no guarantee the right candidate will be appointed, leading to expensive mistakes which take time to rectify.
Outsourcing provides immediate access to a broad range of qualified professionals. By working with a specialist outsourcing partner, accountants can:
- Access talent immediately
- Avoid recruitment costs and HR management
- Leverage UK accounting expertise
- Scale flexibly.
With cloud accounting and digital systems, outsourced teams can seamlessly integrate with onshore workflows with minimal disruption.
Margins are increasingly squeezed07
With an increasing workload and the required staffing and operational costs, margins may not improve as much as expected. Outsourcing improves profitability immediately by reducing employment costs sustainably with a ready-made workforce. The result is:
- Higher margins on recurring, compliance work
- Improved utilisation of senior staff
- Better margins and improved profitability.
Is it time to outsource?
If you’re working long hours, turning away new clients, struggling with deadlines, or spending too much time on routine accounting work, it may be time to consider outsourcing with Unison Globus UK. We have been providing offshore services to accountants since 2006. Our customers include sole proprietors, as well as small and medium sized UK Accountancy Practices.
Our outsourced tax, accounting and payroll services are suitable for all client engagements – from sole traders and micro businesses to SMEs and large companies. We have a dedicated MTD for Income Tax hub to help accountants decide the best outsourcing model for their practice.
We provide a free trial of up to 10 hours of accountant time, or two simple Self-Assessment tax returns, with turnaround in 72 hours. If you’re looking to outsource services for the first time, increase margins, and help your clients thrive, you can book a video call with one of our expert advisors or email us at [email protected].
