🔹 Highlights
- Migrated seamlessly to Xero with no prior in-house expertise
- Reduced bookkeeping costs and turned the service into a profit centre
- Real-time bookkeeping enabled faster accounts preparation and timely VAT reporting
- End client satisfaction increased with structured processes and timely reports
Introduction
For growing accounting firms, managing back-office operations while keeping clients happy is no easy task — especially when outdated systems and manual bookkeeping eat up valuable resources. A Coventry-based accounting firm faced this exact challenge. With expensive in-house bookkeeping and no internal experience using cloud accounting tools, they knew it was time for a change. That’s when they partnered with Corient — not just to implement a new system, but to transform how they operated.
The Initial Problem: What Went Wrong?
The firm had several operational bottlenecks:
- No prior knowledge of Xero, though they had chosen it as their preferred cloud platform
- High in-house bookkeeping costs that were cutting into profitability
- Backlogs and delayed reporting, leaving end clients frustrated and under-informed
They needed a complete shift — but didn’t know where to begin.
Corient’s First Solution: The Fix
Corient began with a comprehensive review of the firm’s existing processes and systems. From there, the transformation started:
- Evaluated the current finance and accounting setup to identify inefficiencies
- Cleaned up and corrected backlogged accounts, ensuring accuracy
- Migrated all data to Xero seamlessly, allowing for cloud-based, real-time access
This established the foundation for a modern, streamlined workflow. But after migration, a new hurdle emerged.
The New Problem: A Surprise Roadblock
Although the technical migration was successful, the firm continued facing:
- Delays in receiving client documents
- Unstructured month-end workflows
- Overloaded on internal staff, unable to keep up with daily bookkeeping tasks
Corient recognised that the challenge had shifted from technology to process management.
Corient’s Second Solution: Fixing the New Problem
Corient stepped in with a practical, scalable solution tailored to the firm’s needs:
- Developed a month-end checklist to standardise data collection and timelines
- Took over bookkeeping directly for the end clients, reducing staff burden
- Implemented real-time bookkeeping processes, eliminating delays
- Enabled quicker accounts preparation and reporting, creating a smooth monthly cycle
The result? A dramatic improvement in efficiency, cost savings, and client satisfaction.
Firms looking for similar operational upgrades can explore top payroll outsourcing companies in the UK to see how strategic partnerships drive profitability.
The Final Outcome: Success Story
- Bookkeeping costs were slashed, instantly improving profit margins
- Xero was fully adopted without hiring new in-house staff
- Accounts were prepared within days, not weeks
- Clients received timely VAT returns and management reports
“Corient didn’t just help us move to Xero — they helped us build a better business. We’re more efficient, more profitable, and our clients are happier than ever.”
Key Takeaways
- You don’t need in-house software expertise to go digital — you just need the right partner.
- Structured processes + real-time bookkeeping = faster reporting and happier clients
- Outsourcing can turn cost centres into profit centres
With technology driving so many improvements, even small changes — like implementing AI in payroll — can lead to significant performance gains. Transform your operations. Save costs. Grow with confidence.