Who I help

Oil & Gas. Manufacturing. Construction. Industrial.

How I help

Delivering audited financial statements.

“Providing sound & honest technical advice.”

Ian Blackhouse is an Audit Assistant Manager. Based in our Aberdeen office Ian ensures an efficient delivery of service for his clients. It’s important for him that there’s good communication with the client throughout the process. Working to agreed timescales and letting the client know if there are any problems along the way means Ian can ensure he delivers an awesome client service that exceeds expectations.

Alongside delivering high quality audits that add value Ian support the development of junior members of the team. As someone who started as a graduate it’s important for him to give back and work to develop the next generation of auditors. Helping them to achieve their career goals by providing knowledge and advice if and when they need it.

The importance of effective & regular communication

“To deliver a high level of service effective and regular communication is essential. With all my clients from the very outset I establish an open line of communication. This is important because it enables the client to communicate with us, ask any questions and vice versa. When clients know we’re receptive and available it helps us to build a strong relationship with them.

Good communication also helps us to show them that we’re not just there to tick a couple of boxes and leave. We have their best interest at heart and want to deliver an audit that actually adds value for them, that highlights areas of their business where we might see room for improvement so that they can continue working towards achieving their goals with our knowledge and insight driving their decisions.”

Working together to achieve a common goal

“Here at AAB, collaboration really is our superpower and it’s something we have at the core of everything, all the time. Delivering audits requires timescales and deadlines to be set. The team working on an audit all have an important part to play. If we don’t operate and work as a collective unit, it can mean falling behind and not being able to give the client updates of our progress at the right time. That’s the best part about being part of this growing group- there’s no shortage of help and support. This is great to be able to offer to clients because they gain access to all these experts as well.

It’s our wide range of diverse experts who can and will be more than happy to help. Knowing that if a new problem arises there’s someone, I can go to who will make the time to speak to me is so helpful. It helps us to deliver an unparalleled service and ensure that any technical knowledge we’re giving is accurate. Enabling us to deliver the audit that our clients deserve.”

Offering a flexible audit approach

“Through the advancements in technology, we’re able to deliver a higher level of service to our clients. Working virtually means that we can be more agile, support clients in new locations and geographies. It also means that we can conduct audits virtually which is sometimes a request we get from clients.

The flipside of that is we’re still able to deliver in person, on-site audits which a lot of our clients are still looking for. Being able to give clients the choice helps us to better meet their needs and what they’re looking for from us. I love being able to get out of the office and meet clients in their places of business. Building those strong relationships with clients is made easier in person. The flexibility we’re able to offer is something they appreciate; we can jump on a teams call to discuss any urgent matters and at the same time we can have in person meetings so they have the best of both worlds.”

A group that supports career goals

“At the core of AAB is people. The group is continually changing and evolving as we continue our growth journey. One thing that has consistently remained the same, however, is the importance placed on our people and their development. We’re bringing new people, services, experience and knowledge with each acquisition however, the people who have been here for years are still progressing. Across the business you can see people being promoted who have been here since trainee level working their way up in the business which is so motivating for me to see.”