Accounting firms can gain a valuable competitive edge by developing professional skills to complement technical excellence, writes Mary Cloonan

For mid-sized accounting and advisory firms, growth and expansion isn't just about technical excellence. Winning new clients, strengthening relationships and building a standout reputation requires more than just number-crunching.

When it comes to standing out in a competitive market, professional services can mean the difference between growth and stagnation.

Your team may have deep expertise in tax, audit or corporate finance, but do they have the confidence to build relationships, communicate complex ideas clearly and position your firm as a trusted advisor to clients?

Too often, firms fail to actively develop their team’s professional skills as a core element of their service offering.

Why communication and commercial skills matter

Traditionally, technical ability was enough to climb the ladder in accounting. If you were a brilliant accountant, career progression followed naturally—but not anymore.

Clients now expect more than just technical expertise. They want commercial awareness, proactive advice and a relationship-driven approach.

The most accomplished leaders in the profession have mastered their technical skills. What separates them from the pack is their ability to connect with clients, lead teams and create commercial opportunities.

As artificial intelligence and automation become more embedded in accounting and advisory work, the human skills of communication, engagement and trust-building will likely become more prominent differentiators.

The firms that recognise this shift are more likely to do well in the future—and, let’s be honest, calling these skills ‘soft’ is misleading. It makes them sound easy, like they can be picked up over tea and a chat.

Anyone who has watched a technically brilliant, but socially awkward, colleague try to ‘build rapport’ with a client knows otherwise. Honing effective professional skills takes work, just like any other form of professional expertise.

For a long time, many in the accounting profession believed these interpersonal competencies couldn’t be taught. However, professional skills can be improved and developed with practice, coaching and the right support

One thing is for sure: if you don’t try, it definitely won’t happen.

Firms risk losing talent if they don’t invest in professional development. Today’s accountants and advisors want more than a competitive salary, they want training, opportunities for career progression and scope to develop the skills needed to succeed in today’s dynamic business environment.

Forward-thinking firms are responding by embedding business development, communication and leadership training into their culture.

Recognising the importance of these professional skills is one thing, embedding them into your firm’s DNA is another. Here is how to make a real impact:

1. Offer training

Firms invest heavily in continuing professional development and technical training but often neglect client-facing skills.

Structured programmes covering business development, negotiation and executive presence should be built into career progression at every level.

These skills are fundamental to long-term success.

2. Use mentoring to reinforce learning

These skills cannot be developed in a seminar room alone. They require real-world practice.

Pairing younger professionals with experienced partners can help build their confidence in client conversations, pitching and networking.

However, mentoring only works when it is viewed and managed as a structured, firm-wide priority—not just an informal arrangement. A quick ‘shadow me in this meeting’ approach won’t cut it.

3. Measure what matters

You are missing a trick if your performance metrics focus solely on billable hours and technical skills.

Tracking client engagement, business development efforts and leadership contributions can help to reinforce the value of these skills.

Encourage team members to record their networking activities and new business wins. This promotes accountability and highlights the contribution of rising stars in the firm.

4. Encourage client interaction

Waiting until a team member is a senior manager before you put them in front of clients is a mistake. The sooner professionals gain experience in meetings, negotiations and relationship management, the better.

Encourage managers and associates to lead discussions, present insights and handle follow-ups. This builds confidence and capability. (And let’s face it, the sooner they learn how to recover from a botched pitch or awkward introduction, the better.)

5. Embed a supportive culture

If the partners at the top of a firm view business development as an obligation rather than an opportunity, this mindset is likely to filter down through the organisation.

Senior leaders should lead by example by attending events, engaging in client conversations and mentoring their teams.

A firm prioritising communication and relationship-building will stand out in a crowded market.

The competitive advantage

Firms that invest in interpersonal and leadership skills can potentially gain a real edge. They can build deeper client relationships, uncover more opportunities and create a culture in which growth is viewed as everyone’s responsibility, not just that of a few ‘rainmakers’.

For managing partners, the message is clear: technical ability alone won’t drive your firm forward. The real differentiator is how well your team connects, communicates and builds trust.

Make these professional skills a strategic priority, and the results will speak for themselves. If this sounds like hard work, so is tax legislation—and you mastered that just fine.

Mary Cloonan is the founder of Marketing Clever