Steedman Accountants is a growing firm specialising in SMEs and innovative sectors like cryptocurrency and R&D tax relief.
With a commitment to providing added-value services, Steedman has been increasingly focused on offering streamlined, efficient R&D tax claims for its clients.
A turning point for the firm came when it adopted the cloud-based R&D tax solution WhisperClaims – a decision that has significantly improved efficiency and confidence in its R&D tax work.
Before integrating WhisperClaims into their workflows, Steedman relied on HMRC guidance and manually created Word documents for claim preparation.
While functional, this method was time-consuming and lacked the polished, structured reporting that clients desire and HMRC require.
“We mainly just used HMRC guidance and created our own documents, but it took quite a lot of time,” explains Cerys Jones, one of the firm’s trainees and a regular user of WhisperClaims platform.
“The calculations could be done in our main accountancy software, but report writing was particularly time-consuming.”
The need for a more efficient and professional approach became apparent as Steedman sought to grow its reputation in the R&D tax space.
Steedman first learned about WhisperClaims through networking events and word-of-mouth recommendations from other accountancy firms.
The platform immediately impressed them with its structured approach, intuitive interface, and the ability to produce high-quality reports.
“It was really good from the start,” says Cerys. “Because we went from using our own knowledge to having a structured system, it helped a lot – especially with eligibility criteria and the report-writing process.”
Since adopting WhisperClaims, Steedman has seen a remarkable improvement in its R&D tax claim workflow.
The platform enables them to save significant time while ensuring each claim meets the latest guidance from HMRC.
“The biggest benefit has been time savings,” says Cerys. “We can easily put everything in, make necessary checks, and generate a high-quality report that we feel confident submitting to HMRC.
“It’s user-friendly, and the fact that you can save your work and come back to it later is a huge plus.”
The structured format of WhisperClaims also ensures that reports meet HMRC’s expectations, reducing the risk of errors and making the process smoother for both the firm and its clients.
“We now know that what we provide to clients is professional, follows HMRC’s latest rules, and has a much higher chance of being accepted without issue thanks to WhisperClaims.”
The past few years have seen significant changes in R&D tax regulations, but WhisperClaims has kept pace with these developments, ensuring that users remain compliant with the latest HMRC requirements.
“Whenever there are updates, the platform flags them,” notes Cerys. “We try to stay on top of HMRC changes, but it’s reassuring to have a system that highlights adjustments and keeps us informed.”
Steedman is now completing around 20 R&D tax claims per year, a steady growth trajectory that Cerys attributes, in part, to the efficiency and professionalism that WhisperClaims has enabled.
“To begin with, we had quite a low volume of claims, but as our clients have become more aware of R&D tax relief and we’ve had more conversations around it, our reputation in this space has grown,” she said. “WhisperClaims has played a key role in allowing us to take on more claims while maintaining quality.”
Would Steedman recommend WhisperClaims to other firms? Without hesitation.
“It’s the only R&D platform we use, so it must be the best one,” says Cerys. “If another adviser approached me looking for a way to improve their R&D tax claims, I’d definitely recommend WhisperClaims.”
As Steedman continues to grow its R&D tax services, the firm is keen to explore more ways to collaborate with WhisperClaims.
“We’re seeing R&D tax claims become more popular with our clients, so we want to offer more training and support with the help of WhisperClaims platform,” says Cerys.
With WhisperClaims as a trusted partner, Steedman Accountants is well-positioned to continue delivering efficient, professional, and compliant R&D tax claims for its expanding client base.
If you would like to share the same experience that Steedman Accountants has enjoyed, why not book a demo today?
If you have any other queries or questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact our team.
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