In today's digital age, the accounting industry is evolving rapidly, and embracing innovative technology is a must for firms aiming to stay competitive. We had the opportunity to sit down with Michelle Morris, the owner of Ellacott Morris, a small accounting firm on the sunny coast of Essex, to discuss her experience with Pixie. In this interview, Michelle shares insights into her firm's journey with Pixie, its role in streamlining their workflow, and the significant impact it had during their recent ICAEW review.

Meet Michelle Accounticorn Morris:

Before diving into Pixie's role in Michelle's firm, let's get to know her and her business a bit better. Michelle runs a small accounting firm in Essex , which has been in operation for 11 years and employs 9 soon to be 10 team members. Their primary focus is on providing regular management accounts and tailored solutions for their clients rather than just the year-end work.

Discovering Pixie:

Michelle's journey with Pixie began when she heard about the platform through a recommendation on a Facebook group, likely the Accountants Mastermind community. At the time, Pixie wasn't an official partner, but the firm was eager to find a solution to replace their outdated workflow management systems. They had tried various tools, including whiteboards, but found that they needed a more efficient and modern solution to meet their growing demands.

Streamlining Workflow:

One of the standout features of Pixie for Michelle's firm is the way it manages tasks. Pixie not only assigns tasks to team members but also ensures they meet all the legal and compliance requirements associated with them. This feature eliminates the need for separate disclosure checklists, as Pixie keeps everything organised and compliant.

The ICAEW Review and Pixie's Role:

One of the pivotal moments for Michelle's firm was an ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) practice assurance review. These reviews can be rigorous and require firms to demonstrate their compliance with various standards and procedures. Pixie played a significant role during this review, as it allowed them to easily provide evidence of their work and processes. Michelle stated:

"As part of the review the ICAEW tell you in advance what they're going to ask for, but then they'll also do a random selection of client files while they're there. So obviously you can prepare to a certain extent and you'd like to think that you've got all the measures in place but having your work inspected is just scary anyway and then they pick out the random client files.

That's the bit where Pixie really came into play because our inspector would say "Well how can you prove that you've done this?" We could quite literally just go into the client in front of him on the screen, look at the closed tasks, showing all the subtasks. You can then see that the steps have been completed and it really saved us in certain situations where I would have struggled to find this information in the past. Everything they asked of us was not have you done it? It was have you documented it? Pixie allowed us to just show that. It saved us days if not weeks of work. "

Efficiency and Scalability:

Pixie's impact on efficiency and scalability was another highlight of Michelle's discussion. The ability to create and modify tasks and processes within Pixie simplifies onboarding new team members and ensures consistent quality across the firm. The platform's ease of use and flexibility have allowed Michelle's team to embrace it fully and given her the comfort to delegate

Embracing AI and Future Plans:

Michelle also expressed her excitement about Pixie's upcoming AI features. She views AI as a tool to enhance their capabilities rather than a threat to jobs. Michelle believes that embracing AI can elevate her team's expertise and allow them to provide even more value to clients. Looking ahead, her firm plans to expand and offer more comprehensive coaching and advisory services to clients, leveraging the efficiencies gained through Pixie.

Michelle's journey with Pixie highlights the transformative power of modern technology in the accounting industry. Pixie has not only streamlined her firm's workflow but also played a pivotal role in ensuring compliance and efficiency during their recent ICAEW review. As the accounting industry continues to evolve, firms like Michelle's are leveraging innovative tools like Pixie to stay ahead and provide exceptional services to their clients. Embracing technology and AI is not just a trend but a strategic move that empowers accountants to thrive in the digital era.

This blog post was originally published on the Pixie Website.