Let's face it, for many firms - small or large - and a lot of private individuals, the most contact you or your company has with an accountant, is when you need to fill in your tax return, find out what the damage is and settle your Corporation Tax bill.
For many accountancy practices, that is precisely what you get.
Thankfully, Harlands Accountants aren’t like that. Okay, they’ll do the standard stuff, but a quick chat with their MD, Glyn Davison, soon lets you know that he’s not satisfied with Harlands ‘just’ being another other accountancy practice.
“We like to get to know our clients, work alongside them, and help them realise their potential,” said Glyn. “Too often we find firms who are happy to keep on doing what they know they’re good at, but thanks to our latest techniques and software, we can help them forecast how things could develop and allow them to look into the future and see where the potential for growth lies and how they can seriously improve their GVA.”
Glyn has seen huge developments in the world of accountancy. His love of working with figures began at Greencroft School in Stanley where, by coincidence, Harlands HQ is now based. He then studied accountancy A’ levels at Derwentside College and, when faced with the decision of either going to university or learning his trade on the job’, he chose the latter and joined Harlands in 1992. Over the past 26 years he continually added to his accountancy qualifications and has risen through the company to the top. He now leads a team of 26 who handle the financial affairs of over 300 clients. Some of them are the region’s leading companies. Harlands is also opening offices in London where it has already secured national clients. Around 20 per cent of Harlands business in now outside of the North East.
“Cloud accounting, Skype and the arrival of AI (Artificial Intelligence) is changing the face of accountancy,” added Glyn. “It doesn’t matter what the size of a company is, it needs to embrace the latest technology otherwise they will be left behind. Here at Harlands we are developing systems which allows us to show how any advice and help given by us really does improve a company’s GVA (gross added value). Our aim is to be able to show that, as an accountancy practice, we have the best record of any accountancy in the UK when it comes to improving the GVA of our clients. When we tell clients that we can help with their GVA, we want to be able to prove it.”
One thing is for certain, Glyn is leading a change by constantly evolving the role and perception of an accountant in the way Harlands works. It’s obvious that the role of an accountancy practice is changing from being traditional to being creative; to being business advisors and help with the thought processes going on within a particular company and help generate new ideas.
“Thanks to AI, we can now show predictive information which allows firms to study future possible trading patterns. We can have real-time information flows. All of these new techniques allow companies to be super-efficient, cost effective and to keep pace with the 21st Century world. Here at Harlands we are at the forefront of these techniques. We have brought in a new team of people to work with firms. Granted, some firms are very wary of developing their business but, as the old saying goes, if you’re standing still, you’re actually going backwards. Harlands gives them all of the information they need to make positive changes.”
Think that Harlands Accountants is just another accountancy practice? Think again. You don’t know what you’re missing.
