A top 40 and multiple awards-winning accountancy firm, Bishop Fleming provides businesses and individual clients nationally and internationally with a full range of proactive support and advice. The firm’s teams include experts in audit, accountancy, tax and advisory services for owner-managed businesses, SMEs, large businesses, entrepreneurs, and private individuals.

Challenges Bishop Fleming sought to overcome

Bishop Fleming’s accountancy team, which focuses on preparing non-audited year-end accounts and management accounts, recognised that their legacy desktop accounting software was no longer meeting their evolving needs. Seeking a solution to improve process alignment and consistency, the firm identified an opportunity to enhance both internal workflows and the overall client experience by adopting a more modern, cloud-based system.

The existing software also posed challenges in maintaining standardisation across documents, a key requirement for statutory compliance and professional presentation. The firm recognised the need for a solution that could streamline processes, ensure consistency and create more time for accountants to focus on client engagement.

“Previously, we used a well-known desktop product, but it lacked the flexibility and ease of use we needed. It wasn’t uncommon for one person’s accounts to look completely different from another’s.” James Darby, Senior Manager, Bishop Fleming

Silverfin solution 

To overcome these challenges, Bishop Fleming implemented Silverfin’s cloud-based accounting software as their core system for non-audited year-end accounts preparation. The key objectives were to increase efficiency, ensure consistency, and ultimately enhance client satisfaction by freeing up more time for value-added services.

“Being cloud-based is brilliant – the accessibility of it, the speed and the ease of use.” James Darby, Senior Manager, Bishop Fleming

Silverfin’s features were seamlessly integrated with the firm’s existing systems, simplifying data import and minimising manual entry errors. The intuitive user interface allowed for a smooth transition, enabling team members to quickly adapt to the new tools. 

“I like the user-friendliness of it. Everything feels very easy to navigate.” Olivia Mears, Assistant Manager, Bishop Fleming

This ease of use has significantly reduced the learning curve, not only for new hires but also for seasoned professionals in the firm.

“Our team members are able to pick it up once you tell them how to do something quite quickly because it is so intuitive.” Jake Wiseman, Accountancy Executive, Bishop Fleming

The benefits of partnering with Silverfin 

Greater efficiency 

Since adopting Silverfin, Bishop Fleming has experienced a notable improvement in operational efficiency, particularly in the preparation and review of accounts. Since January 2024, the firm has been able to increase monthly account reviews by 87%, enabling them to deliver faster, more responsive service to clients.

By optimising workflows and allowing teams to evaluate data in one place, the team at Bishop Fleming has been able to reduce time spent on administrative and compliance tasks and focus more on value-added services, such as offering deeper financial insights and strategic advice to clients.

Improved consistency 

Silverfin’s standardisation features ensure consistency across all accounts, enhancing quality, speed of work, and ease of review. At the same time, the software’s flexibility allowed Silverfin to tailor the features to suit Bishop Fleming’s requirements, achieving an ideal balance between standardisation and customisation.

“The standardisation makes our life a lot easier. And the way it’s tailored to us is very specific to our needs as well. That makes it easier for us to be consistent in our work.” Jake Wiseman, Accountancy Executive, Bishop Fleming

More time to focus on the client experience

This additional capacity has better enabled Bishop Fleming to engage more deeply with clients, offering timely, high-quality service that strengthens relationships and builds trust. The ability to deliver consistent and reliable results, while also having the time to discuss clients’ business aspirations and challenges, has elevated the firm’s service offering.

Future outlook

Looking ahead, Bishop Fleming sees significant potential in expanding their use of Silverfin to include more advanced functionalities, such as corporation tax and audit capabilities. These future developments promise to deliver even greater value to the firm, reinforcing Silverfin as a long-term strategic tool in their accounting and advisory services.

Discover the power of enhanced accounting with Silverfin. 

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