We’re always looking for ways to make working with us simpler, more efficient and more convenient and have recently invested in a new tool called Karbon. The following note is designed to introduce you to our portal and help you become familiar with it. This replaces IRIS Openspace and also Content Snare.

Our new Client Portal is powered by Karbon a practice management app designed for accountants. It provides a secure online space designed to make it easier for you to communicate with us, provide information and keep track of anything we need from you. Feedback from clients has shown that, dealing with us can involve a mixture of emails, attachments, reminders and documents sometimes delivered through various portals and channels.

While email will still have its place, our new client portal gives us a much simpler way to manage those interactions in one secure location.

What is the new Nicholsons Client Portal?

The Client Portal is a secure online space where you can interact with our team and deal with requests relating to the work we’re completing for you. When we need something from you, perhaps a document, some additional information, an answer to a question or approval of something we’ve prepared, we can send the request through the portal.

Rather than searching through your inbox to work out what you’ve already sent us and what is still outstanding, you’ll have a clearer view of what needs your attention.

Think of it as a central point for the practical, day-to-day information we need to exchange while looking after your accounts, tax and other financial matters.

What are the benefits for you?

1. Everything in one place

One of the biggest advantages is having a central place to deal with requests from our team. Instead of a series of separate emails asking for different pieces of information, the portal allows us to organise what we need from you more clearly. You can see the requests that require your attention and work through them, making it much easier to keep track of what’s outstanding. All of the information you send is stored directly in your file and is secure.

2. A secure way to share information

We regularly deal with confidential financial and personal information. The client portal provides a secure environment for sharing information and documents with our team, rather than relying on documents and sensitive information being sent backwards and forwards as email attachments with clumsy passwords.

It gives both you and us a clearer and more controlled way of exchanging information relating to your affairs.

3. Less chasing and fewer emails

Nobody enjoys receiving repeated reminder emails and we don’t particularly enjoy sending them either! The portal helps us make requests clearer from the outset and gives you better visibility over what we still need. Where appropriate, the portal can also help us manage reminders for outstanding information. The aim isn’t to bombard you with notifications; it’s to make sure important requests don’t disappear into a busy inbox or get forgotten in the day to day.

Ultimately, that should mean fewer unnecessary emails and less time spent working out what is still outstanding.

What sort of things will we use the portal for?

Depending on the work we’re carrying out for you, we may use the portal to:

• request documents or financial information;
• ask you to answer questions or provide additional details;
• share information relating to work we’re completing;
• request approval or confirmation where required;
• provide a clear list of outstanding items; and
• keep the information we need from you organised in one place.

You don’t need to change the way you run your business or become familiar with complicated new software. When we need you to use the portal, we’ll send you a request and make it clear what you need to do.

What happens when we need something from you?

When our team sends you a request through Karbon, you’ll receive a notification letting you know that something requires your attention.

You’ll then be able to access the client portal and see exactly what we’re asking for.

Requests might be as simple as answering a question, confirming a piece of information or uploading a document.

Once you’ve dealt with a request, it can be marked as complete, giving both you and our team a much clearer picture of where things stand.

Do I need to remember another password?

Our portal is to make accessing requests straightforward, without creating unnecessary barriers. When we first send you a request, the instructions you receive will explain how to access it. We recommend following the link and guidance in the email rather than bookmarking individual request links.

If you ever have difficulty accessing something we’ve sent you, simply contact our team and we’ll help.

Will you stop using email?

No.

We’re not trying to replace personal communication with technology. You’ll still be able to speak to us, email us and arrange meetings in the usual way. The portal is there to improve the parts of our relationship where a more structured approach to document and information exchange is useful; particularly requesting documents, gathering information and keeping track of outstanding actions.

We want technology to make working with us easier, not less personal.

Why are we making this change?

As our clients’ businesses develop, the way we support them needs to develop too. Investing in a new portal allows our team to manage work and collaborate more effectively behind the scenes. The client portal extends some of those benefits directly to you. Better organisation and more efficient information gathering means our team can spend less time on administration and chasing outstanding items and that’s important because we’d much rather spend that time talking to you about your business, answering your questions and providing proactive advice.

The portal is therefore about much more than introducing another piece of software. It’s part of our wider aim to make working with us straightforward while giving our team more time to focus on the areas where we can add the greatest value.

What do I need to do now?

For the moment, nothing.

When we need you to provide information or complete an action through the Client Portal, we’ll send you an email with clear instructions. We’d encourage you to give it a try. We think you’ll quickly find that having your requests organised in one place makes the process much easier.

As always, if you’re unsure about a request or would simply prefer to talk something through with us, we’re only a phone call or email away.

Better technology behind the scenes. A simpler experience for you. And more time for the conversations that matter.