The pressure on accountants to deliver faster, more accurate, and more strategic services is only increasing. In fact, a 2024 survey by the ICAEW found that 79% of accounting firms plan to increase investment in technology within the next two years, with automation and client-facing tools at the top of the list.
That shift isn’t surprising. Clients expect quicker responses, seamless communication, and proactive advice – and firms that fail to adapt risk falling behind. But with so many options available, identifying tools that genuinely reduce administrative workload, enhance compliance, and support long-term client relationships can be overwhelming.
At CH4B, we’ve partnered with carefully selected Expert Partners – including Satago, Virtalent, and Simpro – to ensure accountants gain access to solutions we know deliver measurable results. Alongside these partners, we’ve highlighted several additional tools worth considering as you refine your 2025 toolkit.
Tools That Drive Efficiency and Growth
Satago – Automated Credit Control and Risk Insights
Late payments remain one of the biggest challenges for UK businesses, with £23.4 billion owed in overdue invoices at the end of 2023 (FSB). Satago helps accountants tackle this by offering automated credit control, real-time risk insights, and invoice financing. By streamlining cashflow management, you can help clients reduce debtor days while protecting your own advisory capacity.
Virtalent – Virtual Assistants for Professional Services
The reality for many practices is that highly qualified staff spend hours each week on administrative work. A 2023 study by Deloitte revealed that UK businesses lose an estimated £100 billion annually to wasted productivity caused by time spent on routine tasks. Virtalent provides trained virtual assistants who specialise in professional services, freeing accountants to focus on higher-value client work and advisory.
Simpro – Job Management Software for Clients in Trade & Construction
For accountants supporting clients in the trade and construction sector, Simpro delivers a robust job management platform that simplifies project tracking, scheduling, and invoicing. This not only helps your clients maintain compliance and profitability but also gives you accurate, structured data to advise them more effectively.
Motion – AI-Powered Time & Task Management
For many firms, the challenge isn’t just the work itself – its managing competing deadlines, client demands, and team workload. Motion uses AI to automatically plan your day, schedule tasks, and prioritise deadlines. Research shows that knowledge workers spend up to 60% of their time on “work about work” – coordination, scheduling, and admin (Asana, 2023). By using Motion, accountants can reclaim valuable hours, stay on top of client deadlines, and maintain focus on critical advisory work.
Capsule – CRM for Building Stronger Client Relationships
Research by PwC shows that 73% of customers consider customer experience a key factor in their purchasing decisions. Capsule equips accountants with a straightforward yet powerful CRM system to manage interactions, track touchpoints, and nurture long-term relationships – ensuring no opportunity to deliver additional value is missed.
Other Tools Worth Exploring
- Xero / QuickBooks Online – Cloud accounting for compliance and efficiency.
- Taxfiler – Compliance software to simplify tax return preparation.
- Dext – Automated expense capture and bookkeeping support.
By the Numbers: The Case for Tech in Accounting
📊 79% of UK accounting firms plan to increase tech investment by 2026 (ICAEW, 2024)
📊 UK SMEs are owed £23.4bn in late payments (FSB, 2023)
📊 UK businesses lose £100bn annually to wasted productivity (Deloitte, 2023)
📊 Workers spend 60% of their time on “work about work” like admin and scheduling (Asana, 2023)
📊 73% of customers say customer experience influences purchase decisions (PwC, 2023)
Why It Matters
The statistics make the case clear: firms that continue to rely on manual processes risk significant inefficiency and client dissatisfaction. At the same time, clients are demanding more value-added insights and expecting accountants to operate as trusted advisors, not just compliance providers.
