3rd September, 2025
The accounting industry is in a state of flux thanks to rapid advances in technology, talent shortages and changing client expectations.
But, despite some major shifts in the way practices are managed, one thing remains the same: the importance of great client service. With more practices using technology to streamline work, an elevated, personalised service can help practices stand out.
With help from Kantar, MYOB recently ran a major survey of Australian accounting practices, asking about their practice operations, use of technology, acquisition, retention and client engagement. We sorted practices into groups based on their strategic vision and commitment to growth, with a goal of finding out what makes future-focused practices different.
The key takeaways: Progressive practices connect with clients wherever and whenever they can, offer a wider range of services, and use technology to do more for their clients.
Here’s what the Accounting Industry Monitor Report uncovered:
One trend united almost all the practices in our survey: tech as a tool for enhanced client service. Whether it’s cloud software to share documents and streamline approvals, an automated onboarding system to collect client details, or digital tools to simplify communication, practices are using technology to deliver smoother, more efficient service to their clients. Client portals, digital document approvals and client onboarding platforms were some of the most commonly cited technologies. The majority of practices – 85% – believe that automated onboarding offers a better client experience.
Maurice Mondi, MYOB’s Product Adoption Manager, puts it like this:
“What used to be a manual, conversation-heavy process has shifted dramatically. Automated onboarding is becoming the norm, and it’s making a real impact.”
Practices in the growth-focused cohort — called ‘progressive practices’ in the survey — were more likely to use multiple types of tech to reach clients, including email, social media, client portals, digital signing tools and video conferencing. They also reported making more contact with clients in general, with an average of 2.2 client interactions per week, in contrast with 1.7 and 1.6 interactions for other cohorts. Progressive practices were more proactive about finding new clients, with 47% spending half their time engaging new or prospective clients.
Maurice says that clients now see technology as standard.
“The real shift? A few years ago, adopting new tech set firms apart. Today, it’s simply expected. Clients want real-time collaboration with their advisors and within their own teams. The firms that embrace this are the ones staying ahead.”
Elevating client service is about improving the services you already offer and creating a wider range of services. Many of the progressive practices in the Accounting Industry Monitor report are doing just that, with 65% offering full services to clients, compared to just 47% of practices in the ‘decline’ group. In a ‘full service’ model, the accounting practice is like an outsourced finance department for clients, delivering everything from bookkeeping and payroll to tax preparation and financial reporting.
“Firms are expanding their offerings to include high-impact services like Virtual CFO support, business consulting, financial forecasting, cash flow planning and strategic decision-making,” explains Maurice. “It’s all about helping clients see the bigger picture – not just keeping the books in order, but actively driving business growth.”
Progressive practices are more likely to use integrated technology to support their service delivery. 60% of respondents said they used accounting software and cloud-based platforms to provide real-time financial data and insights. In comparison, just 33% of declining practices offered this level of service.
With technology, including AI, taking on more of the manual work for accounting practices, it’s likely that we’ll see this trend continue. Practices that can take advantage of technology to offer personalised analytics and reporting will have an advantage over those offering more basic services. Technology can free up time and allow more personalised, face-to-face services like financial advisory and support.
Technology is changing the way accounting practices serve their clients, and AI is about to bump this up to the next level. Some practices are already leveraging generative AI tools to write reports and emails, while others are using it for sophisticated analytics and predictive modelling.
Maurice explains that he’s already seeing firms using AI for client communication.
“From drafting emails to summarising conversations, it’s helping firms respond faster and more efficiently. But it doesn’t stop there, AI is also being used to spot irregularities in client data, flag unusual transactions, and reduce errors before they become issues.”
Going forward, we’re likely to see more practices taking advantage of AI. This could look like smart, AI-powered client onboarding, chatbots providing 24/7 support services, and using AI to summarise complex documents or pull out insights for clients. It could involve personalised, automated outreach to clients, helping practices stay in touch without the manual work.
The key takeaway: AI and other technologies are tools to help employees deliver faster, smoother, more effective client service. They’re not a replacement for human accountants. Clients will still want a personal relationship with their accounting practice, even if their expectations of service and speed change.
“As AI takes care of the data, the human side becomes even more important,” says Maurice. “Knowing your client, building trust, and applying sound judgment are what set great advisors apart. The future of accounting isn’t just smarter tech, it’s deeper relationships.”
If you’re aiming to create a progressive mindset in your practice, service has to be part of the picture. Respondents in the progressive bracket reach out to clients more, spend more time on client acquisition, and offer a wider range of services – with the help of integrated technology.
“Accounting firms aren’t just about tax returns and ticking compliance boxes anymore,” says Maurice. “The game has changed, and so have client expectations. These days, businesses want more than just number crunchers. They’re looking for strategic partners who understand tech, drive efficiency, and add real value.”
Cloud accounting platforms like MYOB Practice Compliance, with Client Accounting, can support this kind of automated, elevated client service. Create streamlined workflows and automate tasks like account mapping and document profiling for fast, accurate service delivery. Communicate with clients through the platform, and use built-in approval tools to simplify services. Even better, the integrated platform can help you analyse client data and offer strategic advice. MYOB is built for growing practices, with a wide range of tools and modules, simple scalability and accessible support from the MYOB team.
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