As buzzphrases designed to elicit a knowing eye-roll from accounting professionals, ‘digital transformation’ has to be up there with ‘compliance is dead’.
So as a publication that prides itself on having its finger on the pulse of the profession, why did we introduce a digital transformation category into our flagship awards programme? Well, thanks to our unique position in accountancy and the wider industry, we’ve seen the impact that genuine digital transformation – not just a change in the tools used but in process and mindset – can have on firms and their clients, whether that’s increasing capacity or profit margins, or giving a business owner more time to do the things they love.
Judges - assemble!
When the judges assembled to assess the runners and riders for the inaugural Digital Transformation Award, we were looking for genuine case studies of successful projects. Not just persuading a client to stop using paper or spreadsheets and start using cloud accounting software, but stories of transformations that brought tangible benefits: from software sceptic to tech convert, how the introduction of a particular tool, process or tech stack had brought about a transformation in a clients’ businesses, or even how a specific change had affected the entrants’ firm itself.
And as a judging team we weren’t disappointed by the entries. We were fortunate enough to review case studies where accountants had taken their knowledge of the accounting profession, combined it with their understanding of the technology ecosystem, then applied it to the individual circumstances of clients to produce outstanding results.
Successful entries covered a range of industries and businesses
One shortlisted entry used a mix of integrated tools to help an educational establishment swamped with paperwork, cutting down their admin and increasing capacity, improving the mental health of employees and ultimately resulting in the successful sale of the business. Another encountered issues with the volume and quality of e-commerce data, and after trialling existing solutions chose to build a tool for themselves, allowing one client to increase their revenue tenfold and expand into different territories based on the data provided.
A particular aspect of the entries that impressed the judges was the honesty displayed by firms when outlining issues they’d had with their projects. Many encountered difficulties, either due to pushback from the clients or because the solution they’d initially chosen was not the right fit for the business. In both scenarios, the firms in question took a step back, reassessed and approached the situation in a different way, ultimately bringing the client with them on the journey and getting the intended result.
Accounting Excellence Awards - Digital Transformation shortlist
If there was one difficulty, it was picking a shortlist and ultimate winner from an incredibly diverse range of projects, from multi-million pound ERP transformations to a DIY software build.
The shortlist for the Digital Transformation Award sponsored by Sage is as follows (in alphabetical order):
- Azets
- Johnston Carmichael
- LHP Accountants
- MacroFin
- Your Ecommerce Accountant
This year’s winners will be crowned at the Accounting Excellence Awards ceremony at London’s famous Roundhouse in Camden on Tuesday 3 October. Tickets for the show are available on the Accounting Excellence website.
The Digital Transformation Award is sponsored by Sage - visit the Sage website to discover the full range of Sage software solutions and services to help transform your practice and your clients' businesses.
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