Lessons from lockdown
When we asked for submissions for the Excellence In Challenging Times Award we knew we’d be hearing some amazing stories. We knew that accountants have been doing all they can to help their clients stay in business and to keep them informed of the ever-changing rules (that was why we set up the award in the first place). But we were still staggered when we read the entries that came in.
There were stories of accountants helping clients to be approved for life-saving grants and loans; of offering their advice for free to help out businesses from all over their local community, whether or not they were clients; even of suggesting new services that the business owner could provide, new services that in several cases meant that the business continued to operate and even make a profit. Wonderful stories, but very much focused on the business side of things.
Much more than numbers
What was really astounding were the human stories; the accountant who saved a client’s marriage; the monthly dinner boxes sent out to team members working at home; the constant emotional support for clients who thought they were going to lose their livelihoods.
And the reason that these accountants did what they did was because it was the right thing to do. Not for fees or kudos, but because people needed help. What came over from reading the award entries was how much they cared about the people behind the businesses.
And that’s one of the most important lessons from lockdown. We’re all human and we need to connect as humans. Every business has emotional as well as financial investment and the lives of the business owner, employees and the families of both are impacted by whatever happens to that business. The numbers on a balance sheet mean a lot more than pounds and pence. Whether there’s a crisis or not, remembering that is what really matters.
The Excellence In Challenging Times Award
You can listen to the five award finalists talking about how they supported they provided to their clients and others in a recorded interview with Shane Lukas. It’s available on the AVN Know How Hub along with hundreds of other video resources to help you and your clients survive the ongoing Covid-19 crisis and beyond. Subscribe for as little as £1 (which goes to charity) and get 30 days access to everything! Join here now.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Recent Comments