It's clear that, if you want your accountancy firm to grow, you need to master the art (or indeed science) of marketing and communications. On this Humanise the Numbers podcast discussion with Hayley Plimley, Marketing and Communications Director at DJH, we learn that Hayley's been part of a journey from one office with a team of 60 people to 10 offices with a team of 568 people, in just four years. You can imagine the communication and marketing challenges associated with that! In our discussion, we unpick what's helped Hayley do a cracking job of marketing and communications in such a high-functioning, high-performing, high-growth business. Please scroll down the podcast’s episode page for the contact information for Hayley and for the additional, downloadable resources mentioned in the podcast. |
The Solution:
So just looking at it from a sustainability point of view, those sustainability KPIs that we have, have had an impact on our team, but also our clients as well, because we're finding that clients and team members want to work with us or work for DJH, because of our values and what we're doing in the community and what we're doing from a sustainability point of view as well.
SHOW NOTES
Connect with Hayley
Connect with Paul
Resources relating to this podcast:
During the podcast, Paul and Hayley discuss KPIs and how the DJH KPIs are very much aligned with their core purpose, vision and values.
Hayley talks about how these measurements are vital to them as a team because, with all of the change in the firm, they have to be anchored to the firm's aspirations. You only know that you are achieving this when you measure it.
Hayley also shares how their KPIs are centred around team and client KPIs, and then on impact KPIs.
We all know accountants love to track and measure – but you must measure the right things. As well as the financial measurements, it's important to measure the key PREDICTIVE indicators, the client and team numbers.
If you want to know more about how to do this, please click the button below to read our Business Breakthrough report, 'Sustainable Success with KPIs'.
Paul mentions another podcast during this conversation with Hayley, as she talks about recognising that everyone with whom you are communicating - including clients and team members - are human beings, and it’s important to cut through the jargon and talk to them in a human way.
In the podcast with Andrew Van De Beek, Andrew describes accountants generally as 80% accountant and 20% human, but when you’re dealing with your clients and your team, you need to be 80% human and 20% accountant.
If you want to listen to that podcast, click the button below.
Paul and Hayley talk through managing the complexity of bringing new firms under the DJH umbrella and how this affects the teams involved. Where there is change, there is uncertainty, so Hayley and her team work hard to ensure everyone feels safe by communicating and planning so that everyone is recognised and involved.
For Hayley, it's all about the people, and when teams feel safe, they perform at their best.
When you create and nurture a culture of psychological safety, you ensure that your team feel free to exchange ideas, concerns and questions without fear of reprisal or negative consequences. This will open a flow of creativity, innovation and growth for your firm.
If you want to discover more about the importance of creating a psychologically safe working environment in your firm, please click the button below to read our Business Breakthrough report, 'Build Psychological Safety'.
