Why Client Readiness Matters Just as Much as Technical Ability
Being technically good at accountancy is essential, but technical ability alone doesn’t necessarily make someone client ready. For accountancy practices, developing people who can communicate confidently, listen to clients, understand the wider commercial picture and turn technical knowledge into meaningful advice is becoming increasingly important. Building these softer skills internally, alongside the support available through an accountancy apprenticeship, can help practices develop more rounded accountants who are comfortable with the numbers and the conversations around them.
There’s a familiar challenge in many accountancy practices.
You have somebody who is technically very capable. They understand the accounts, produce accurate work and know exactly what needs to be done from a compliance point of view.
Then you put them in front of a client.
Suddenly, it’s a rather different skill set.
Being able to prepare a set of accounts and being able to talk a client through what those accounts actually mean for their business are two different things.
That’s where client readiness comes in.
What does being client ready actually mean?
It would be easy to think of client readiness as simply being a confident communicator.
It’s broader than that.
A good client conversation requires someone to listen, ask sensible questions, pick up on what perhaps isn’t being said and explain technical information in a way that makes sense to the person sitting opposite them.
There’s also the commercial side.
Why have costs increased? What might be causing pressure on cash flow? Is something happening within the business that the figures are beginning to reveal? Is there a conversation worth having now rather than waiting until the next year-end meeting?
This is where accountants can begin to move from providing a largely compliance-based service towards becoming a genuinely useful adviser.
As the accounting profession continues to change, those human skills become increasingly valuable. Technology can process an extraordinary amount of information, but somebody still needs to understand the client, interpret what matters and have the conversation.
AAT has also highlighted the importance of skills such as communication alongside technical accounting knowledge as the profession continues to evolve.
Find out more about AAT.
Young people can bring a lot to the conversation
There’s an interesting point here when we look at apprentices and people entering the profession.
We sometimes hear concerns that younger employees aren’t always comfortable communicating in a professional environment. That’s perhaps understandable. Talking to an experienced business owner about their finances can be daunting when you are relatively new to both accountancy and working life.
But there’s another side to it.
Younger people can bring empathy, openness and a willingness to look at things differently. They may be very good at understanding different perspectives and building relationships.
The challenge is helping them turn those qualities into professional communication skills.
And that takes practice.
Confidence is unlikely to appear because somebody has passed another exam. It develops because they have been encouraged to contribute, ask questions, explain their thinking and gradually become involved in more meaningful conversations.
Don’t wait until somebody becomes a manager
Perhaps one of the biggest mistakes a practice can make is leaving client development too late.
Someone spends several years becoming technically proficient, progresses through their qualifications and is eventually promoted into a position where they are expected to manage client relationships.
Only then do we start concentrating on their communication skills.
Why wait?
Client readiness can start much earlier.
Invite trainees into appropriate client meetings. Ask them afterwards what they noticed. Encourage them to explain a piece of work rather than simply hand it over. Give them opportunities to speak to colleagues from other departments.
Even asking an apprentice, “What do you think these figures are telling us about the business?” can begin to change the way they approach their work.
It moves the focus from completing a task to understanding why that task matters.
The employer and training provider working together
Of course, this shouldn’t all sit with the employer.
One of the benefits of an apprenticeship is the opportunity to develop knowledge, skills and behaviours alongside technical competence.
At Accountancy Learning, our tutors work closely with apprentices throughout their programme. Weekly contact and one-to-one support give tutors an opportunity to do more than simply check whether somebody understands double-entry bookkeeping or is ready for their next assessment.
We want apprentices to talk.
We want them to ask questions.
We want them to explain why they have reached an answer and think about how their studies relate to what is happening in their workplace.
Sometimes that means gently encouraging somebody who would naturally prefer to give a one-word answer to expand on it. At other times, it means challenging an apprentice to look beyond the technical answer and consider the commercial implications.
Our apprentices also have access to learning resources throughout their programme, while their personal tutor can provide ongoing support as their knowledge and confidence develop.
You can find out more about how our accountancy apprenticeships are delivered and the support available to apprentices and employers.
Practices have an important part to play too
Training providers can help, but there’s no substitute for real experience in the workplace.
Employers can create opportunities for apprentices and junior team members to develop their client skills without throwing them straight into situations they aren’t ready for.
It could be sitting in on meetings initially, making a simple telephone call, helping to prepare questions before a client meeting or presenting a small section of information to a colleague.
Feedback matters too.
What went well? What could have been explained differently? Was there another question they could have asked?
Those small conversations can make a big difference over time.
Most importantly, people need an environment where they feel able to try. Nobody becomes a confident client adviser without having a few slightly awkward conversations along the way.
Our thoughts on becoming client ready
There will always be a need for technically strong accountants. Accuracy, compliance and professional knowledge remain fundamental to a successful practice.
But the accountant of the future needs more.
Clients increasingly want someone who understands their business, communicates clearly and can help them make sense of what their numbers are telling them.
For practices, that makes developing soft skills much more than a nice addition to technical training. It is part of developing the next generation of advisers, managers and client relationship holders.
And there’s no reason to wait until somebody reaches a senior position before starting.
Give younger team members opportunities to talk. Encourage them to be curious. Ask for their opinion. Help them understand the commercial story behind the figures.
Combine that workplace experience with the support and challenge of a good apprenticeship programme, and you aren’t simply helping someone become a better accountant.
You’re helping them become client ready.
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