I’m delighted to introduce our new internal newsletters, designed to keep you informed, engaged, and connected with everything happening across EQ.
These updates, created by our Marketing, IT, People & Culture, and Operations teams, will provide key insights, updates, and useful resources from each area.
Our goal is to make communication clearer and more accessible, ensuring you have the latest information to support you in your role. Expect updates on key projects, initiatives, and ways to get involved, along with practical insights to help you stay ahead.
Keep an eye out for these newsletters on our intranet and as always, we’d love to hear your feedback to make them as valuable as possible.
CarolineMcKenna
MARKETING INSIDER
WELCOMETOTHE FIRSTEDITIONOF MARKETINGINSIDER!
We’re excited to introduce MarketingInsideryour inside look at all things marketing at EQ!
This will be your go-to update for our topperformingsocialmediaposts,newclientwins, sectorinsights,andkeyreporting. We’ll also showcase any newsarticlesorPRfeatures we’ve appeared in, giving you a full picture of how EQ is being seen externally.
Let’s break down the numbers, celebrate our wins, and continue building a strong, visible, and engaging brand!
KeyTerms& KeyTerms& Phrases Phrases
KPIs(KeyPerformanceIndicators):These are numbers that show how well something is working. They help track success in marketing, business, or projects.
Reach:This means how many people have seen a post.
Engagement:This means how many people have interacted with a post.
PR(PublicRelations):This is how a business or person manages their image and reputation. It’s about getting positive attention through news, social media, and other channels.
SEO(SearchEngineOptimization):Improving a website to rank higher on Google.
LeadGeneration:The number of potential customers/clients.
PPC(PayPerClick): This is where businesses pay a fee each time someone clicks on their ad, rather than earning visits organically.
CTR(ClickThroughRate):measures how often people click on an ad or link after seeing it.
Impressions:This means the number of times an ad or piece of content is displayed on a screen.
If you come across any words or phrases you’re unsure about, feel free to ask - we’re happytohelp!
The Marketing team were asked to create a 3-minute video regarding our organic growth journey from 2024/2025 for the Sumer conference.
Check out the video below by clicking on the image below:
Top Performing Top Performing LinkedIn Posts LinkedIn Posts
Post: Local Ladies in Senior Roles Lunch with Brightsolid
2,745
13.6%
Post: Meet the Professions Team: Mike Johnston
1,747
10.4%
Post: Auditing Expectations Vs Reality
1,373
EQ in the EQ in the News News
EQ featured in the Scottish Financial Times and The Courier with articles on our graduate and trainee applications. Between the two publications, we achieved 79,500 impressions! That is potentially 79,500 new clients who have been exposed to the EQ brand!
EQ Partner Angela Haig was featured in The Courier, sharing her insights on the UK Spring Statement. She highlighted the government’s decision to avoid tax rises and raised concerns about how increased spending will be funded, particularly through welfare reforms. This is a great example of EQ’s expertise being recognised in the media!
This article, written by Michelle Murray, highlights the lack of clarity around Inheritance Tax (IHT) in the Chancellor’s Spring Statement. Michelle points out that many business owners, especially in farming and family-run firms, were hoping for updates on key reliefs like Business Relief (BR) and Agricultural Property Relief (APR). With no mention of IHT, families are left uncertain about succession planning, and Michelle stresses the need for clearer guidance to support long-term planning and investment.
Sector Sector Reporting Reporting
Our focus sectors have all been assigned growth targets for the 2024/25 financial year. For the “A” sectors (Agri and Professions), this target is 18% of the annual turnover of the sector. For “B” sectors (Leisure and Healthcare), the target is 12%. The numbers below show the percentage of that target the teams have achieved so far. Well done everyone
Agriculture50.35%ofannual targetachievedsofar
Leisure239.27%ofannual targetachievedsofar
Professions138.05%ofannual targetachievedsofar
Healthcare76.81%ofannual targetachievedsofar
Completed Completed Projects Projects
Communicationsmatrixandschedule has now been issued for 2025 which clearly details where to find certain types of information, and how to strategically interact with the Firm.
Issued clear guidance and a processaroundthe sponsorshipsandeventattendance.
We have now implemented GoogleAdscampaigns for the key sectors and service lines. This allows us to target potential clients based around keywords (for example, someone Googling “Farming Accountant” or “Accountant in Kelso” would be presented with our ad). So far, this has increased visitors to our website by 11.7% in the three weeks since the campaigns launched, and 185,000 people have seen our ads.
We have also implemented conversiontrackingacrossour website.A Google Ads conversion is a way to track when someone does something valuable on our website after clicking on one of your ads. That could be someone calling an office, filling out a contact form, or sending us an email. This helps measure which ads are actually bringing in leads or clients, so you can see what’s working and spend our ad budget more wisely. Think of it like this: If you’re paying for ads, you want to know if they’re making the phone ring. Conversions tell us if they are.
Coming Up Coming Up
PR around promotions and new joiners.
We are aiming to issue ourfirstclient engagementsurvey. A client engagement survey is a questionnaire used to measure how satisfied and connected clients feel with our products, services, or overall experience. The results provide us with anopportunity tolearnandgrow.
WELCOMETOTHE FIRSTMONTHOF PEOPLE&CULTURE INSIDER!
Creating a great place to work where everyone can reach their full potential is fundamental to our success at EQ.
Our People & Culture Team is responsible for developing a thriving working environment, seeing the world through the eyes of colleagues, co-designing people solutions and implementing initiatives that meet the firm’s objectives and enable everyone’s success.
We value your feedback, so let us know what’s working for you, and any ideas you have that will continue to deliver our people goals. Email us at hr@eqaccountants.co.uk
StrategicPeople StrategicPeople &Culture &Culture
Our strategicdevelopmentwork in the background between January&Marchhas been:
TalentAcquisition
Optimising the candidate recruitment experience via collaboration with the Sumer Talent Acquisition Team and the launch of a new applicant tracking system called PinPoint. Collaborating with our colleagues in South Africa to develop an offshore talent pipeline that will enable us to broaden our recruitment channels and continue to bring great people into the firm.
Learning&Development
Investing in colleague development to build future ready skills and create career opportunities via our planning and preparation of:
- EQ Development Academy
- Induction and Onboarding process
- Statutory & Mandatory Training processes
- Learning pathways for all roles and levels
- Organic Growth skills development programme.
OperatingModel&ServiceStructure
We’ve been working with Partners and Managers to help drive the firm’s agility to optimise capacity, productivity and excellent client service. We’ve established a firm-wide operating model, service structure, clear grades and levels and job accountabilities for all roles. We’ve also updated our competencies framework to promote transparency and alignment with the firm’s strategic priorities and to provide visible career paths from junior to senior leadership roles.
EmployeeValueProposition(EVP)
Articulating the unique value that the firm offers to all colleagues via promotions, development and career opportunities, wellbeing initiatives, pay and benefits. The annual promotions and pay review process has enabled us to highlight our EVP to all colleagues.
From a generalistperspective, our focus in January, February & March has been:
Health&Safety
We’ve launched the updated Fire & Emergency Evacuation Procedures, arranged First Aid training, Return to Work Process, Sexual Harassment Policy and briefings as well as the Sign In process.
Weencourageyouto:
Become familiar with the emergency procedures, fire exits, fire assembly points etc in your working location. Utilise the return to work process upon return from sick leave. Ensure that the sign in process and app is working on your phone or that you manually sign in and out of the office through the sign in app each day so that each office has an accurate fire register at all times. If you have any questions on this work please email Leah at hr@eqaccountants.co.uk
Promotions&PayReview
By now you should have participated in a meeting and received written confirmation of your mapped grade, level, pay award, benefits overview, job accountabilities and competence framework. Phew!
Weencourageyouto:
Review the information and we’ll catch up with you towards the end of April/beginning of May to update you on this year’s Progress Review Process.
StudentSupport
We’ve launched our student support programme with each student taking part in 1:1s, the development of the Student Handbook and the creation of a student space on the intranet, which seeks to answer all questions in relation to our student pathways and support needs.
Weencouragestudentsto:
Use the Student Handbook as your first point of reference and follow up with Chiara if there are any further questions or feedback. Logbooks will be the next focus, and we’ll be looking to students to set out their plans to complete their logbooks incrementally throughout their studies.
AnnualLeave
We’ve calculated and reported to each individual on carry-over annual leave and this has now been updated on CCH and Humaans.
Weencourageyouto:
Plan and request your holidays for the year via the new Humaans HR Information System.
Humaans(HRIS)
Humaans is our new HR Information System (HRIS) - a central platform that helps us manage key people processes more efficiently across the firm. It's designed to simplify and automate routine tasks, improve accuracy and provide colleagues with a clear self-service way of managing their key personal information. If you have any questions about Humaans please email Leah at hr@eqaccountants.co.uk
ContinuingProfessional Development(CPD)
We’ve provided CPD information to colleagues to enable them to log their previous CPD into the compliance portal training record on Sumer Connect. We’ve also communicated Sumer’s
unified Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and compliance training resources. From the 21st of March 2025, everyone has access to 20:20 Innovation and HAT training resources which provides a streamlined, efficient and comprehensive training experience through the compliance portal. Please access Sumer Connect>Compliance Portal>20:20 Innovation to see and engage with the training resources catalogue.
LearnBeforeLunch
We are continuing to develop the ‘Learn before Lunch’ calendar and process that will provide opportunities for colleagues to participate in various internal and external development sessions before lunch. Sessions are already organised and being communicated; however, we’ll be pulling all events for the next few months together into one calendar and that’ll be held on the People & Culture page of the Intranet. We’re also working to make the registration process as easy to follow as possible.
Weencourageyouto:
Book onto learning sessions and let us know any training in any role that you would like us to explore. Discuss the proposed learning with your go to Manager/Partner If you have any questions regarding anything to do with Learning & Development, email Chiara or Fi at learning@eqaccountants.co.uk
Furtherinitiatives and updatesin relation to the above strategic and tactical projects are:
April: The Updated Learn Before Lunch Calendar
April: We’ll be communicating and embedding key Sumer Policies: SH Policy which will sit alongside our EQ procedure Dignity at Work Referrals Mobility
April&May: Progress Reviews (previously known as appraisals): We’ll be running briefings on the progress review process and you will be preparing your reviews and taking a leading role in your progress review discussion with your agreed reviewer
May: Preparations are underway for our first full team survey. This will be your opportunity to reflect on what works well at EQ and what would make the firm an even better place to work.
May:Sumer Group Values are built on the values created by EQ (as a result of our surveys and listening groups in May 2024) and the other Hubs in Sumer. We’ll be supporting the leadership team in their communication, engagement and embedding of these values across the firm. Watch this space for further information!
May: We are arranging additional Mental Health First Aid Training and will be catching up with the various locations to ask for volunteers.
June: Learning and Development – we’ll be piloting the planning and delivery of three selected programmes and further details will be available in the next few weeks.
June:Further health and safety initiatives - including Display screen equipment assessments and wellbeing are being developed and will be communicated over the next few weeks.
OPERATIONS INSIDER
WELCOMETOTHE FIRSTEDITIONOF OPERATIONS INSIDER!
We’re excited to bring you the latest updates from the Operations team in this new monthly newsletter. Operations Insider will keep you informed on key projects, admin updates, process improvements, and all things behind the scenes that help keep EQ running smoothly.
In this edition, we’ll cover the feedback from CCH training, admin updates, and highlight ways we’re working to improve efficiency across the firm.
Stay tuned for insights from the team, upcoming projects and updates.
We hope you find this newsletter useful and let us know if there’s anything you’d like to see featured in future editions!
GaryGrant-HeadofOperations
CCH Training Staff Feedback
South & Central
As part of our recent Integration Lessons Learned meeting, we gathered feedback from staff on the CCHPMSmigration. 6 weeks after the CCH PMS migration, we undertook an exercise to receive feedback from staff about their own experience, how successful the migration and support offered was, as well as giving them a platform to suggest actions we could implement in any future projects. This involved:
Online survey sent to EQ South and Central Staff (92)
31 Respondees (33%)
3 of 6 Partners Responsed (50%)
Survey Results Survey Results
OverallQualityofTraining
Although the overall quality of the external CCH training content received mixed reviews, 45% of staff stated that the quality was average and 31% believe the training to be good. Overall, 90% of feedback said the quality of the external CCH training was average or better.
LengthofTraining
It was fairly unanimous that the external CCH training sessions were too long. 77% of all feedback stated that they would have preferred the sessions to be shorter. 1 person stated that the sessions were too short (outlier).
EffectivenessofExternalTrainer
60% of staff said that Yemi’s deliver of the content was effective, 17% believe he was ineffective. 23% of staff said the delivery was neither effective or ineffective.
RelevanceofExternalTraining
80% of feedback stated that the training was either completely or partially relevant to their current role. 13% stated that the training was in no way relevant. 2 staff members said other.
Tax Investigation Insurance
March marked the launch of our campaigns to offer clients Markel Tax Investigation Insurance – and it’s been a fantastic start! A huge thank you to the Partners for carefully reviewing their lists to ensure all relevant clients were given access to the insurance. Here's a quick snapshot of the campaign’s impact so far:
4,806emails sent across North, South, Central, and Group Deals
1,144uniquevisits to the payment portal
£100,914.76insales as of 28 March th 435purchases made via the portal
This was the first year we’ve used the payment portal, and the results show it’s been the right move – making the insurance more accessible and convenient for our clients. Other payment methods remain available as well.
The entry of address is one issue that some are having, we would suggest that in the first address line, the client should put in their postcode, and then select the relevant address from the drop down.
This will autofill their details into the relevant boxes.
The Admin team has also been working hard behind the scenes:
Registering clients on the Markel website
Updating CCH to reflect who has paid
If you’re unsure whether a client has completed their payment, please check CCH or reach out to the Admin team for confirmation.
Thanks again to everyone involved – a great team effort all round!
Update on PMC Implementation
Here’s the latest update on integrating the PMC model in the South, including progress on CCH and next steps.
We’ve made significant strides, with additional support from Dundee and Forfar giving our South managers more capacity to focus on planning and oversight rather than being directly involved in compliance work. This shift is already delivering positive results, and insights from North managers at our January PMC meeting have been particularly valuable in shaping our approach.
Recently, Anna Coff and Grant Reigate visited the Kelso office to meet with South managers. During their visit, they outlined the role within the PMC structure and supported the team in preparing for full implementation.
Transitioning to this model takes time, especially as managers adjust to delegating more and focusing on oversight. Ensuring senior controllers have the right support is also key to maintaining balanced workloads. Keeping work flowing consistently, even during quieter periods, will be essential to embedding the PMC model successfully.
KeyInitiativesSupportingtheTransition:
✅ Teams Chat for Technical/Workflow Managers –Facilitating quick and efficient work allocation.
✅ Skills Matrix Development – In progress with Operations and HR to create a database that incorporates technical, business services compliance, and additional skills across all EQ departments. This will also be linked to performance and appraisal meetings.
✅ Workflow & Employee Planners for the South – To be implemented once CCH is fully updated. CCH is now nearly complete for South accounts and tax work, with full updates expected by early April. Accurate data is critical for effective resource planning, and staff will soon be able to actively use these planners.
Over the next quarter, full use of CCH workflows will enable South teams to monitor and manage workloads efficiently. Managers will continue working towards full PMC implementation, ensuring alignment with EQ practices. Overall, we’re making strong progress!
Edinburgh Office Edinburgh Office Updates Updates
We’re pleased to share some recent developments across No. 41 and No. 42 Charlotte Square as we continue to enhance our workspace.
NewDesksatNo.41
Six additional desks are now available and fully equipped with:
Dual monitors (with adjustable arms)
Docking stations
Keyboards and mice
A big thank you to BenMurray for his efforts in getting everything set up and ready to use.
The meeting room furniture and video conferencing equipment have been successfully relocated to No. 42.
WifiAccess
You can continue to use the existing Wi-Fi while working in the meeting room at No. 42.
OutlookCalendarUpdates
Booking calendars have been updated to reflect:
The 6 new desks in No. 41
The meeting room’s new location in No. 42 AccesstoNo.42
Keys are available from the main office in No. 41. If you require a personal set, just let us know.
Sign-InProcess
Staff based in No. 42 can continue to use the existing sign-in app. Auto sign-in is active, and the iPad remains at the No. 41 reception.
Engagement Letters & Fee Protection Update
The bulk issue of engagementletters for the CentralRegion is now complete! Both DundeeandGlenrothes have wrapped up their updates, leaving only Forfarto finish in the North. Meanwhile, in the South, clientlistsarebeing updatedandrefined to ensure we’re reaching the right clients effectively. Once these lists are fully cleansed and approved by partners, engagementletterswillbe sentout. This data refresh also aligns with our Marchfeeprotectionoffering, ensuring clients have everything they need in place.
WELCOMETOTHE FIRSTEDITIONOF I.T.INSIDER!
In today’s digital world, staying informed is key. Our IT team is here to provide the tools and support you need.
In this edition, we’re sharing key statistics, practical guidance to help keep your home setup secure, and useful Outlook tips and tricks to boost your day-today efficiency.
We value your feedback - share your thoughts and help us build a secure, innovative, and connected workplace.
Thank you for your support!
ServiceDesk ServiceDesk
LoggingTickets
To help our team plan their workload and prioritise tasks effectively, it is crucial that all issues are logged as tickets. You can log a ticket through our Helpdesk portal, by emailing helpdesk@eqaccountants.co.uk.
Whyyoushouldlogticketsevenwhenyou’rebusy
When you are in the middle of work and encounter an issue, logging a ticket might seem like an interruption. However, it is essential for several reasons and is preferential to walking up to the team mid-task.
Bestpracticesforusers:
HighlightUrgency: If your issue is urgent, make sure to highlight its importance when logging the ticket. This helps our team prioritise and address critical issues promptly
FollowUp: If you have not received a response within the expected timeframe, feel free to follow up on your ticket. This ensures that your issue remains on our radar and is resolved as quickly as possible.
200 more tickets logged in January compared to December due to Citrix downtime
January - 30 minutes
February - 15 minutes
March -10 minutes
30minutes
average response time. Q1 and Q2 2024 average response time was 1.5 days.
Ticketsopenlonger than7days
January - 8 February - 13 March -7
Security Security
KnowBe4
We are pleased to announce the relaunching of our KnowBe4 platform, designed to boost our security awareness in a fun and engaging way
What’snew?
Interactivetrainingmodules-dive into gamified lessons that make learning about security a blast! PhishingSimulations- test your skills with realworld scenarios and see if you can spot the phish. PersonalisedDashboards - track your progress and earn badges ad you become a security superstar!
Whyitmatters?
In today’s digital age, staying vigilant is more important than ever. Our revamped KnowBe4 platform is here to help you stay one step ahead of cyber threats while having a bit of fun along the way.
Let's make security awareness a part of our daily routine and protect our digital world together. Stay tuned for more updates and happy learning!
Update:Cyber SecurityIncident
We want to provide an update on the recent cyber security incident that we experienced.
After extensive analysis and collaboration with external IT security specialists, we can confirm that the breach affects a small proportion of clients from EQSouth–approximately2%ofEQ’soverallclientbase. At this stage, we have no evidence that any other areas of the business are affected.
We understand this update may raise questions, both internally and from clients. Please rest assured that we are managing the situation with care and urgency. Formal communication will be issued shortly to those clients whose data may have been impacted.
WhatYouNeedtoKnow:
The incident only involves EQ South clients. Around 2%ofclients have been affected.
Formal notifications to these clients will begin soon. We are operating in full compliance with regulatory requirements, working closely with all affected individuals and organisations.
In the meantime, we ask all staff to avoid speculation and refer any client queries to the appropriate contacts. A detailed FAQ and response sheet has been issued from Charlie Hadden to support you in managing any conversations.
If you’re contacted by a client and are unsure how to respond, please use this approved response: “I’ll check with the team and get back in touch.”
Then escalate the query to: Craig Nicol, Caroline McKenna, Stuart Garrick, or Charlie Hadden.
Thank you for your continued professionalism and support. We’ll keep you updated as the investigation progresses.
Tips & Tips & Tricks Tricks
SchedulingEmails
Need to send an email later? Schedule it! Compose your email, then go to the "Options" tab and select "Delay Delivery." Choose your desired send time, and Outlook will handle the rest.
SetUpRules
Automate email management by creating rules. For example, you can set a rule to move all emails from a specific sender to a designated folder. Go to "File" > "Manage Rules & Alerts" to get started
ToDoBar
Use your To Do bar (in the View tab) to view your calendar and appointments on your main mailbox screen
Following on from Joe’s Lunch & Learn Session, he’s shared some further security at home tips.
HowcanIkeepmyselfsecure?
Enter your personal email into the following sitehttps://haveibeenpwned.com/ to determine if there has been a data breach. If there has been, ensure you change your passwords on the sites shown and on your email account.
Ensure your home Wi-Fi network is password-protected and avoid using public Wi-Fi for sensitive transactions.
LimitPersonalInformationSharing
Be cautious about the amount of personal info you share online, especially social media.
Don’t click on suspicious links or open attachments from unknown senders. Always verify the source before providing personal information.
StrategicIT StrategicIT
Our Strategic IT work has been quietly powering ahead in the background, making sure EQ stays secure, connected, and ready for what’s next.
StrengtheningSecurity
While most of us don’t notice what’s happening behind the screen, the IT team has been running several initiatives to strengthen our systems and keep everything running smoothly:
Old servers retired – Out with the old! We’ve decommissioned outdated infrastructure that no longer meets our standards for performance or security.
New Anti-Virus application installed – A fresh layer of protection to keep our devices secure and threats at bay.
Citrix optimised – We’ve made technical tweaks to improve uptime, reduce disruption, and create a more seamless remote access experience.
Phishing training launched via KnowBe4 – Helping everyone become more cyber-savvy and better equipped to spot dodgy emails before they cause trouble.
ComingUp ComingUp
We’re also working on some exciting changes:
New Phone System
– We’re rolling out a unified system across all of EQ using Microsoft Teams. This will streamline communication, reduce complexity, and make it easier to stay connected - whether you’re in the office or remote.
Improved Internet Access
– A faster, more reliable internet setup is on the way, helping boost performance and eliminate those connection hiccups. We’llkeepyouupdatedaseachofthese projectsrollsout,butifyou’vegot questionsinthemeantime,theITteamis alwayshappytochat.
