Professional services firms lose enormous capacity to back-office busywork. See how AI automation frees your team to focus on work that actually matters.
I spent the better part of fifteen years building and deploying enterprise-level IT solutions. Complex systems for massive organizations. Then I started an MSP. The shift was jarring. None of that complexity disappeared. Those same problems kept showing up in 50-person firms, just scaled down and suffered in silence. I kept seeing smart, capable businesses held back by a constant, low-grade stress: the endless grind of back-office administration. Software was often part of the problem, sure. But the deeper issue was people. Talented people spending their precious time on tasks that didn't require their talent. Tasks a machine could, and should, handle. That's why I've been paying attention to the conversations around AI in accounting and professional services, like the one in Accounting Today's recent piece. It's a potential lifeline for firms drowning in busywork. Cost savings get all the attention in automation conversations. The bigger win is unlocked capacity. I've had clients tell me, frankly, they don't realize how much time they're losing until we start streamlining their processes with tools, and yes, increasingly, with AI. They get so used to the constant firefighting, the endless data entry, the chasing of invoices, that it becomes the price of doing business. It doesn't have to be. Beyond Automation: A Shift in Perspective The biggest mistake I see firms make is thinking about AI solely as an automation tool. Yes, automating invoice processing and getting those hours back from accounts payable is huge. As the article highlights, integrations with Bill.com and similar platforms are delivering real, measurable gains. But the real power lies in the insights AI can unlock. We're talking about tools that can proactively monitor cash flow, flagging potential issues before they become crises. Models that analyze financial data to automatically estimate quarterly taxes, providing continuous visibility and avoiding