LB Group is a leading top 75 chartered accountancy services firm based in the East of England, London and the South East. They are a fast-growing firm of chartered accountants and business advisors, with offices in Ipswich, Colchester, Stratford, Chelmsford, and more recently expanding its operations to Halstead, Sidcup and Harlow.
To meet the firm’s growing needs, Tanya Johnson, Group Business Support Manager at LB Group, was tasked with finding a scalable solution that could streamline operations across all offices and ensure consistency in their client onboarding processes and provide an excellent client experience.
After evaluating various options, Tanya was introduced to Summa Tech’s software, client onboarding system and client portal software:
“Recently, our processes have been completely manual, and we needed to ensure our processes were consistent and that could scale with us,” Tanya explained.
“We wanted to adopt a user-friendly solution that could ensure our staff and our clients experience a seamless customer journey, that would improve our ability to communicate key and sensitive information between us. Summa Tech seemed to offer exactly what we had missing.
“Being a growing multi-office site, it was particularly more complicated to ensure our staff were able to safely and easily find a working space. Having the ability to book both desk and car parking spaces means greater flexibility and efficiency.”
A Customised Solution
While initially hesitant due to the Summa Tech client portal missed an e-signature function, Summa Tech quickly demonstrated its flexibility:
“When I mentioned the missing e-signature feature to David [Bashford, Co-Founder of Summa Tech], he said it would be no problem to build in,” Tanya recalled. “It was that responsiveness that kept drawing me back to Summa Tech. David was always positive, and every time I asked for changes or customisations, he delivered.” Even though they are a smaller provider, I knew they were the right fit for us.”
Implementing Summa Tech at LB Group
Although Tanya was certain about Summa Tech’s capabilities, convincing the executive committee to take the leap was a challenge. “It was a bit of a battle at first,” she admitted. “The executive committee had concerns because Summa Tech was a newer growing company, that didn’t come with an established reputation. But after experiencing the demo and hearing about what the software could do, they agreed. Now, everyone sees a lot of value in it.”
LB Group implemented Summa Tech’s client onboarding software across all office sites, customising the platform to meet their specific Know Your Client (KYC), Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and risk assessment compliance where needed.
“The beauty of the software is that it’s bespoke,” Tanya said. “You can ask whatever questions you need, which ensures we’re compliant at every step. Plus, the system is incredibly easy to use. Our teams now really enjoy using the new automated process.”
The impact of Summa Tech
Since implementing Summa Tech, LB Group has seen significant improvements in its onboarding process and client satisfaction.
The platform has streamlined the firm’s operations and also enhanced the client experience. “Before, our processes were inconsistent, and at times our clients were frustrated,” Tanya noted. “With Summa Tech, everything is seamless. Clients have given us great feedback, and the visibility it provides is beneficial.”
The platform’s invoicing feature has also made a noticeable difference. “The pending invoices feature has helped our credit control because invoices go straight into the client portal, which is reassuring” Tanya said.
A future-proof solution
LB Group’s experience with Summa Tech has been overwhelmingly positive, and Tanya is proud of her decision to implement the software. “It’s just easy to use and user-friendly. It does everything you need it to do and more. There’s nothing on the market like it,” Tanya said.
Summa Tech has not only filled the gaps in LB Group’s processes but has also provided a scalable solution for the firm as it continues to grow.