Make Outsourcing Work for Your Firm (Without the Stress)

Outsourcing is supposed to save time and money, but for some firms, it leads to endless rework, client frustrations, and more stress — not less. Sound familiar?

Many accounting firms turn to outsourcing expecting it to lighten their workload — only to find themselves chasing deadlines, fixing mistakes, and micromanaging external teams.

The problem isn’t outsourcing itself. It’s how it’s set up.

Done right, outsourcing allows firms to reduce costs by up to 50%, free up senior staff for high-value work, and improve client service at the same time. But too often, firms jump into outsourcing without a clear structure, leading to wasted time, frustration, and inconsistent results.

So, how can you ensure outsourcing actually works for your firm?

In this article we’ll share some of the top tips based on my research when creating a playbook for accountancies on “Outsourcing Without the Stress” in collaboration with QX Accounting Services.

We’ll start with why some firms struggle with and outsourcing — and how to avoid the most common mistakes — and then cover how to make outsourcing a strength.

Why Some Firms Struggle with Outsourcing (And How to Avoid It)

If you or someone you know had a frustrating outsourcing experience, chances are one or more of these mistakes played a role:

1. No Clear Processes or Documentation

Outsourced teams can’t read your mind — without a well-defined process, work quality will vary, and your in-house team will end up rechecking everything instead of saving time.

Example: A firm outsources bookkeeping but doesn’t agree a checklist of what they expect to be done. The result? Missing details, frustrated team members and clients, and last-minute corrections.

Fix: Document clear workflows for outsourced tasks. Use checklists, templates, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to eliminate ambiguity.

2. Lack of a Structured Onboarding Process

Firms often assume outsourcing teams will just ‘get it’—but every practice works differently.

Example: A firm hires an outsourced team for tax prep but skips the onboarding step. By Self-Assessment season, the firm becomes frustrated with how the outsourcer handles client interactions. Senior accountants are pulled away from high-value work, scrambling to fix problems.

Fix: Develop a structured onboarding process that includes:

• An introduction to your firm’s values and expectations
• Training on your software and workflow
• A clear breakdown of responsibilities and steps in the process

3. No Escalation Process for Fixing Issues

Many firms have no system for handling mistakes or miscommunications, which leads to repeated errors and frustration on both sides.

Example: A UK firm’s outsourced tax team makes the same calculation errors multiple times. Without a formal feedback loop, the mistakes continue, damaging client trust.

Fix: Implement a feedback loop, where quality control happens at the outsourcer level, not just internally. Any mistakes that end up with the UK firm should then be used to improve the outsourcer’s feedback loop, and stop mistakes reaching the client.

4. Over-Reliance on Senior Team Members

One hidden outsourcing pitfall? Senior team members end up spending just as much time fixing issues as they would doing the work themselves.

Example: A firm expects outsourcing to reduce workload, but instead, managers spend hours checking and correcting work. Instead of being freed up, they’re overwhelmed.

Fix: Establish an issue-tracking system so any mistakes are logged, reviewed with the outsourcer, who then makes the fix. The related processes are then improved, so those mistakes are never repeated. This keeps senior staff focused on higher-value work.

How to Make Outsourcing a Strength, Not a Cause of Stress

1. Make it Easy to Succeed

If you’re handing over work to an outsourced team, they need clear guidance to follow.

Make it easy for your outsourcer to do a great job:

• Create step-by-step checklists for outsourced tasks.
• Use a cloud-based process management tool (such as AirManual or Process.st) to remove the friction from keeping processes updated.
• Get the outsourcer to test and walkthrough the process, to identify gaps and any improvements needed.

Real-World Impact: Firms that use structured checklists with their outsourcing partner experience fewer tasks needing rework. Research suggests businesses that implement documentation and collaboration tools to support working with outsourcers see an efficiency improvement of 30-50%.

2. Use Outsourcing to Deliver a “Wow” Experience for Clients

Outsourcing isn’t just about saving time — it can dramatically improve client service.

Most firms overlook this! A well-structured outsourcing partnership can increase client satisfaction by freeing up in-house staff for strategic, client-facing tasks.

Stand out from competitors:

• Use outsourcing to speed up response times and deliver work ahead of deadlines.
• Assign a dedicated outsourced resource so clients always have a consistent point of contact.
• Maintain a transparent outsourcing model — clients trust you more when they understand how outsourcing benefits them.

Real-World Impact: Some firms use outsourcing to provide faster turnaround times (e.g., resolving payroll queries within 24 hours), positioning themselves as a premium service — whilst reducing costs by 50% (source).

3. Make Quality Control Automatic (So You Don’t Have to Micromanage)

Many firms struggle with outsourcing because they feel they must check everything. The solution? Build quality control into the process itself.

Implement a structured review process, such as:

• Pre-submission accuracy checks by the outsourced team
• Automated workflows to track progress and flag issues
• Regular meetings to review performance and refine processes

Real-World Impact: A firm that adopted this approach was able to quickly outsource the filing of 700+ tax returns, removing the crunch-time stress, getting them done with 100% accuracy, and increasing profitability by 33% (source).

4. Build a Long-Term Outsourcing Strategy

Outsourcing should evolve with your firm, not just be a short-term fix.

Build a scalable outsourcing model:

• Start with one function (e.g., bookkeeping or tax prep) before expanding.
• Use performance data to continuously refine the process.
• Test and adjust — treat outsourcing as a partnership, not a one-time transaction.

Real-World Impact: A firm that approached outsourcing strategically reported up to 50% efficiency gains within the first year (source).

Take the Next Step: Get the Full Playbook

Want to remove the guesswork from outsourcing?

Get your outsourcing running smoothly—without the stress. Download the playbook now for step-by-step guidance, templates, and checklists: Accountancy Playbooks: Outsourcing Without the Stress

It even includes a step-by-step checklist you can use to set up a successful outsourcing partnership!

 

About the Author

 This blog post, and the “Outsourcing Without the Stress” playbook were written by Alexis Kingsbury, host of the De-stress Your Business podcast.

Alexis is a serial entrepreneur and expert in scaling businesses that don’t rely on the owner(s). Through his work, he has helped 100+ businesses to systemise their businesses to remove their biggest bottlenecks and causes of frustration and stress.