Accounting and Advisory 2025 Report: Forces Shaping the Competitive Landscape

Find out how your peers – from boutiques to bigger players – are staying competitive, from building a stronger brand to intelligent investments in AI and automation.

How Can Accounting and Advisory Firms Stay Competitive in 2025 and Beyond?

Over the past few years, the Accounting and Advisory sector has undergone significant transformation. From political and economic uncertainty, accelerating technological change, to a rise in M&A activity – firms are navigating a more complex and competitive landscape than ever before.

Our “Accounting and Advisory 2025 Report” explores a critical question all companies within the sector, regardless of size, are facing today: “what’s holding us back from winning more deals?”

We explore key obstacles shaping firms’ ability to compete with bigger players, including:

Dive into the report to hear actionable insights on investing in the right automation and generative AI solutions.

Accounting and Advisory Trends: Key Report Findings

Firms are facing the Big Four on the majority of their deals

Even though companies of all sizes are regularly competing on the same deals, only 12% of small to mid-tier firms say they uphold a strong win rate (winning 75% of deals) against the Big Four.

Insufficient resources, outdated tools, and ineffective pitches impact win rates

When asked what’s preventing them from winning more business, insufficient resources (e.g. headcount) and outdated technology were the top two factors.

99% of respondents recognized that their firm has branding-related issues

Inconsistent branding across global/regional subsidiaries or departments was voted the primary obstacle when it comes to brand reputation.

Most firms are using a document automation tool but only a third get maximum usage

Medium and large-sized firms report lower levels of software usage than their smaller counterparts.

99% of firms believe there is a risk in not investing in AI/automation tools

Despite the challenges, nearly all firms see software as a non-negotiable, concerned that they will lose more deals without it.

Those with previous software challenges demonstrate a lingering reluctance to invest

Half of respondents who get minimal usage from their existing software voted that AI/automation software is not a priority for their firm.

Growing Pains in Accounting and Advisory: Challenges Across the Sector

Discover the biggest obstacles boutique to medium sized accounting and advisory firms face across the UK and US in our latest thought leadership blog.

London Event: Outbrand to Outperform in Financial and Professional Services

Register your interest for our upcoming, in-person networking breakfast (June 17th) for marketing leaders within financial and professional services.

Hear from experts on navigating some of the most pressing branding-related challenges of today, including: maintaining brand consistency across global/regional departments and subsidiaries, and competing against firms with greater brand recognition who are increasingly more present on mid-market deals.

“Consolidating our core value proposition is the heart of our business objectives. Thanks to UpSlide, we can now drive business growth across our 40 offices from the same standpoint.”

CMO,
Global Consulting and Advisory Firm

Stay Ahead of the Game With Industry-Leading Document Automation Software

We’d love to talk to you about how we can help your business implement a document automation and management solution that is actually loved and used by all your teams. Fill in the form and a member of our team will get in touch shortly.