WHO I HELP

Owner-managed businesses. SMEs. Large companies. Charities. Academies.

HOW I HELP

Audit and assurance services. Assisting with client queries. Providing an efficient, quality service at all times.

SECTORS/SUPPORT

Industrial. Not-for-profit.

“IT’S THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE IT A GREAT PLACE TO WORK.”

Helen Smith is an Audit Assistant Manager based at our Leeds office. Helen works solely in audit and her role involves taking a senior position on audit assignments, in addition to acting as manager for a small portfolio of clients.

Having joined our team one year into her training, Helen went on to qualify as a Chartered Accountant with the firm. She subsequently left to work in industry for a year and jumped at the opportunity to re-join us in 2020.

MUTAL RESPECT & TRUST

“The best client relationship is one built on mutual respect and trust. This naturally allows benefits on both sides when we are working towards to the same goal. Building a good relationship with clients is something I really enjoy. Getting to know a client on both a working and more personal level makes the audit a more enjoyable experience for both sides. We can provide a good quality service, where value is added to our clients, and they feel they can approach us with questions or business concerns they have throughout the year and not just during the audit.”

DELIVERING A FIRST-CLASS SERVICE

“I enjoy helping team members to develop and just generally helping them with queries they may have. I believe in taking ownership for what you are working on, regardless of your role level, and have always taken this approach in my career. I see myself as hard-working, approachable, and effective at building good relationship with my clients – all qualities that contribute to delivering a first-class service.”

PUTTING OUR CLIENTS FIRST

“We pride ourselves on putting our clients first, and a big part of how we do this is in how we communicate with them. We usually employ a mixture of remote and in-person communication, depending on the client’s needs & preference as well as our own. Our focus is always on ensuring our service is of a high standard and performed in an efficient manner.

If the audit is performed fully remote or even part remote, on the days we are not onsite I find it effective to have daily catch ups with the client to ensure the audit remains on track. The clients I work with like this approach. To make the process as efficient as possible, our clients can use software called Inflo to upload information, not only during the audit but also in advance of the audit starting. We’ve received positive feedback about this approach as our clients find Inflo easy to use, and it gives them control over when and how they share information with us.”

MEETING CHALLENGES HEAD ON

“One of the biggest challenges we face are changing audit standards. We regularly adapt our audit approach to address these changes and are proactive in ensuring that we are always up to date with the latest rules and regulations.

Audit is a much more interesting, client facing and varied role then people often perceive it to be, and it can be difficult for us to change their minds on this misconception! Taking the time to explain and demonstrate the audit process to new clients goes a long way in helping them realise what the benefits are.”

NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAT OUR PEOPLE

“At AAB, nothing is more important that our people. It is a very supportive work environment, and it’s the people that make it a great place to work. I appreciated that even more after I left to work in industry for a year then came back. It makes work much more enjoyable knowing you have support available and that you are a valued team member.

I really appreciate the ability to grow and take on more responsibility at my own pace, and AAB Group have always been very supportive of this. They have ensured I am aware of the prospects available but have never pushed me to take on more until I am ready. I think this makes AAB Group unique compared to a lot of other firms. We are growing at quite a pace and it’s exciting to think of the opportunities that lie ahead.”

GREATEST COMPLIMENT FROM A CLIENT

“One of my clients said it was “The most efficient audit they have ever had”, which was very rewarding to hear. I believe clients appreciate me being hard working and I think they like my approach to completing the audit work.”