Some might think accountancy is just about numbers on a page or ticking boxes at the end of the year. At Benson Wood & Co, we know it’s much more than that.
For many of our clients — small businesses, freelancers, and growing teams — we’re a sounding board, a strategist, a network matchmaker, and sometimes, even a bit of IT support. Here we explore five surprising ways our team goes beyond the books to support the real people behind the businesses we work with.
Summary:
The Role of the Modern Accountant Is Changing
1. We Help You Make Big and Small Decisions
2. We Spot and Fix Problems You Didn’t Know You Had
3. We’re Your Tech Translators – Especially During Digital Transitions
4. We Put You in Contact With People You Need
5. We’re in It for the Long Haul
The Role of the Modern Accountant Is Changing
The traditional image of an accountant encompasses complex tax returns, endless spreadsheets, and scatters papers and calculators. Well, we do check those boxes, but we go way beyond that.
We work closely with companies of all sizes across Scotland, as well as partnerships, sole traders and individuals. In our almost 90 years of experience, we have concluded one thing: running a business is messy, stressful, convoluted, and above all it is emotional. As a business owner, in the beginning you might think that you just need someone to crunch numbers so you can focus on what you do best: growing your business and legacy. Soon enough you will realise that what you actually need is a trusted advisor. You might first go to an accountant who does the minimum of compliance work, but who will be there for you to shed light when you have questions? When you’re not sure what HMRC is telling you?
Here are five ways we go beyond in supporting our clients, breaking apart from the outdated image of an accountant.
1. We Help You Make Those Big and Small Decisions
Whether you’re thinking of switching banks, hiring your first employee, or wondering whether to register for VAT, we’re just a phone call away.
As mentioned above, our clients don’t just come to us for compliance — we offer you advice that you can trust, delivered with context. Sometimes, it’s as simple as sending us an email with a question, on which we’ll get back to you by phone quickly and talk it out. Other times, we decide the decision requires a lot more research, which means we will do our research, maybe contact our network for further counselling, and call you in our office for a further discussion.
Our focus as your accountant is not up-selling services, on the contrary, we focus on what you need, which is knowledge to make informed decisions. Even if the question might seem to not be “accounting-related” at first glance, don’t hesitate to get in contact with us.
2. We Spot and Fix Problems You Didn’t Know You Had
Sometimes, being an accountant is a bit like being a detective or even a personal assistant. When we ask you questions, we look out for anything that might result in work for us before you realise.
Are you thinking of buying a second car for your business? We’re taking a note on that and are ready for it before you found the perfect car.
A pension contribution that never actually went through? We’re already looking into it.
An unused allowance that can save money? We’re already predicting your needs before you realise what they are.
We don’t just tick boxes, we dig in because the little things that get missed can add up fast. It’s this proactive approach that sets us apart. We genuinely want our clients to succeed, and that means being curious, thorough, and unafraid to ask questions others might skip.
3. We’re Your Tech Translators – Especially During Digital Transitions
From Making Tax Digital (MTD) to cloud-based accounting tools, more and more financial processes are shifting online. While that has many advantages, the reality is that not everyone feels tech-savvy, and software can sometimes seem to work against us instead of for us.
Whether you need help picking the right accounting, payroll, or bookkeeping platform, we have tested multiple platforms in our time. As a proud Xero Gold Partner, we recommend Xero for accounting, but if you want a free platform, FreeAgent is a popular choice. We also offer in-office training, so you’re never left to figure it out alone. We are with you till the end of the road.
4. We Put You in Contact with People You Need
We are very proud of our skills, experience, and qualifications. Simultaneously, we acknowledge the fact that we realistically cannot do it all. While our team is diverse and their skills are always growing, but just as much as knowledge is power, so are connections.
We have a wide network of connections we reach out to often for different matters. Some of the connections that we have are solicitors, bankers, lending brokers, financial advisers, insurance brokers, fellow accountants that are highly specialised, and more recently we have partnered with Money Insights, which is an amazing matchmaker between start-ups or small business owners with grants, tax breaks, and funding opportunities. More information about Money Insights will be provided soon, so keep an eye out!
5. We’re in It for the Long Haul
Finally, one of the most underrated things we offer is continuity. You can think of us as your cheerleader on the sidelines. We don’t stay just for this quarter’s VAT or next month’s payroll run, we are here to see you to your goals. We help you reach your growth goal, protect your assets, and create a legacy.
Each phone call is made to make sure you are on track, each email is an opportunity for you to put a hard question. Whatever it is, we have already done it in the past.
In the end, we believe great accountancy is about more than transactions. Great accountancy is about long-term relationships built on clarity, confidence, and mutual trust.
Whether it’s connecting you with the right people, guiding big decisions, or spotting a need before you do, that’s what sets us apart.
