Before anyone had heard of social distancing, an audit typically involved weeks of visits from your auditors. They’d check your stock, your processes, your procedures and accounts. And then, they’d sign off the report with a hand that may – or may not – have been washed to the tune of ‘Happy Birthday’.
And yet, with all that’s new around us today, the need to deliver remote audits is a comfort we can fall back on. Because in truth, we’ve been doing them since 2018. And right now, we’ve got a full-strength audit team, working from home, with the capacity to make sure there’s no wait to get your audit done.
PRACTICAL. EFFICIENT. PAINLESS
Two years ago, we introduced elements of remote working to our audits to remove any unnecessary visits and disruption to our clients’ businesses. We used video calls and screen sharing through Microsoft Teams to build the same depth of relationship. With the same quality outputs. And if they still wanted physical meetings, we were more than happy to go and visit.
Every client had different preferences. We made sure we were flexible enough to tailor our work to them. And in putting our clients’ interests and time first, working remotely where possible, we put our people first, too. Because with days of travel and overnight stays no longer needed, they saw their team more, and had the chance to benefit from everything that makes us The Sunday Times’ 8th Best Company To Work For in the UK.
Because after all, engaged, happy people provide the best service. And that’s that.
COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THINGS
Now, every element is done remotely. But for us, that prior experience has made the transition a smooth one.
We use Microsoft Teams as a full audit project site, setting up channels for different parts of your audit. Sharing documents and collaborating on them is a simple, slick process. And there’s inbuilt messaging, meaning all our conversations are saved, and everyone gets less emails. Winner!
We’ll communicate with you (a lot) through regular video conversations, setting you clear expectations and listening to how you want the audit to work. And we’ve also been looking at the guidance the Financial Reporting Committee published recently around remote auditing – during COVID-19, and after – to make sure the way we gather evidence remotely is best practice.
The result: audits that can be carried out anywhere. Any time.
REMOTE AUDIT BENEFITS
MULTI-LOCATION TEAMS
You might have teams dotted all over the country that we need to talk and collaborate with. And as we open more and more offices in the UK, we’re the same. Finding one, physical place to meet would be a logistical nightmare, and time wasted travelling – even if it wasn’t banned. So, remote working has big benefits. For everyone.
TIGHT TIMEFRAMES. QUICK TURNAROUNDS
Sometimes, you could need an audit completing at short notice, with a tight deadline. Working remotely helps us flex around calendars and commitments. We can conduct our review over Microsoft Teams and have a video meeting with you on the same day – answering any questions quickly. And meeting all deadlines efficiently.
BEST FIT. BEST VALUE
A lot of projects require a mixture of expertise. Previously, a client might have asked if we could second someone that could cover all the bases, and we’d be without one of our team for a while. But by working remotely, we can handpick the best mix of people for each job, regardless of location. And you still get a named team and one main point of contact, coordinating it all.
NO TECHY HEADACHES
You don’t have to be using Microsoft Teams already. The calls and channels are super-easy to set up. And we can talk you through everything – from the first time we virtually meet, to a fully remote stock take.
TIME AND TALKS WELL SPENT
With all the admin done in the background, we’re no longer taking up space at your offices, and our conversations with you have become more about focus questions, ironing out any issues, and building a meaningful, personal relationship.
AN OPPORTUNITY. HERE AND NOW
With so much on hold for the foreseeable future, and so much changing in the present, now could be a great opportunity to get your audit done and get some recommendations on your controls.
It will be important if you need to apply for a loan or funding. It will free up your time to focus on your core business and get flying again when normality resumes. And right now, we’ve got a full audit team with the capacity, flexibility and talent to make it happen.
If you’re not working with us already, the move to a new auditor can seem daunting. We get that. But in truth, all you need to do is let your current auditor know about your decision. We’ll take care of the rest. And in the last year alone, we’ve successfully transitioned a long list of clients from firms right across the spectrum; from the Big 4, through to smaller, local firms.
