DAS 2025 Wrap-Up: What We Heard, Learned and Shared
After two energising days at Evolution London, the Digital Accountancy Show 2025 drew to a close – and what a show it was. With over 5,000 attendees, hundreds of exhibitors, and thought-provoking panels throughout, DAS proved once again that the accountancy profession is evolving at pace.
But amidst the whirlwind of tech demos, AI debates and platform showcases, what stood out most for us was something more fundamental: the growing recognition that strong client relationships are still the most powerful lever for growth.
From conversations at our stand to the sessions we attended, here are some of the biggest themes that emerged – along with reflections from our own panel discussion on how client feedback is transforming firms from the inside out.
Client Feedback: The Missing Link
One of the most consistent patterns in our conversations was that many firms have attempted feedback initiatives in the past – but found them underwhelming. Several had run Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys, only to struggle with low response rates and unclear outcomes. Others had experimented with platforms like SurveyMonkey but couldn’t tell us what had changed as a result.
Too often, feedback had become a tick-box exercise. Until it came up in conversation, it wasn’t even seen as a strategic lever. But once we positioned feedback as a growth tool – something that informs retention strategies, supports upselling and drives client experience – lightbulbs started going off.
Smaller firms acknowledged that while they might get feedback informally from regular conversations, they recognised the risk as they grow: those interactions become harder to scale, track, or act on with consistency.
Data to Action: The Insight Gap
In the seminars we attended, this idea was echoed again and again. Tools are abundant – but clarity and actionability are lacking. As Julie Sinsbury of Moore South said during the CFO Mindset panel:
“Teams need the right tools and permission to spend time with clients – to understand what they want to achieve and help them get there.”
There was consensus that insight doesn’t come from data alone. What firms need is:
- A regular cadence of feedback
- Clarity on what matters most to clients (not just what scores lowest)
- A way to turn sentiment into strategy – not just numbers on a dashboard
At VerityRI, our approach of using just two carefully designed questions hit home with many. It offered a simpler, smarter way to capture client sentiment that doesn’t overwhelm respondents – or internal teams.
Relationship Intelligence as a Growth Driver
A highlight of the event was our panel session, Using Client Feedback to Drive Revenue and Profit Growth, hosted by our own Liz Hobkinson. We were joined by:
- Gregor Angus, Partner, AAB
- Emma Evans, Director, Teamspirit (a VCCP company)
Gregor shared how AAB embedded relationship feedback into their strategic rhythm:
Emma reinforced the mindset shift needed:
Both speakers underlined the same message: relationship intelligence only delivers value when it’s made visible, embedded across teams, and tied directly to commercial goals.
Big Themes We Heard at DAS2025
- Differentiation is Difficult
Many firms are grappling with how to stand out in a crowded market. Saying “we care about our clients” isn’t enough – firms need to prove it through behaviour, responsiveness and relevance.
Collecting and analysing client feedback is one practical way to both understand and map your strengths and weaknesses as a business and to identify what’s truly distinctive about your offer.
Getting and acting on client feedback are the essential building blocks of an effective client management programme. In a sector where many services look similar, real differentiation comes from delivering a consistently strong client experience. But how do you measure that? Tools like The Relationship Rating (TRR) provide firms with a clear, structured way to assess and improve client relationships – turning sentiment into action and client experience into a strategic advantage.
- Feedback is Cultural, Not Just Operational
Several attendees spoke about trying to implement NPS surveys in the past but lacked the internal buy-in to follow through. Others admitted they didn’t know what to do with the results. The message? Feedback must be part of the organisational culture – visible at board level, consistent and linked to decision-making.
- Client Centricity is Becoming Strategic
More and more firms are including client experience and sentiment in their five-year plans. But the challenge remains in measurement. As Gregor shared, VerityRI gave them a structured way to “keep us honest” and guide best practice.
- Insights Beat Data
Attendees from the CFO Mindset and Macro Trends panels echoed that tech and automation are not silver bullets. The key takeaway? Technology must be purposeful – not simply added for the sake of modernisation. One quote that landed particularly well during the CFO Mindset panel was:
“Don’t just slap an app on it.”
Technology that supports meaningful change needs to be aligned with a clear business objective, whether that’s driving operational efficiency, supporting smarter client delivery, or unlocking data-led growth.
This links directly to one of the more striking stats from the AccountsIQ report: 3 out of 4 of CFOs don’t feel in control of their company’s financial health. That’s not just a finance problem – it’s a business growth challenge. Firms looking to improve profitability need to consider how they’re growing existing accounts. That means getting better at understanding client needs and creating pathways for upsell and cross-sell – from bookkeeping to payroll and beyond.
AI and automation can absolutely help – but only when implemented strategically. There’s a huge opportunity for firms to apply AI not only in how they serve clients but in how they run their own practices. Freeing up internal capacity creates more time for relationship-building, understanding client goals and becoming the trusted partner every firm aspires to be. In this way, technology becomes a true growth enabler – not just a tool, but a mindset shift.
- The Future is Personalised, Human-Centric
Amid the talk of AI and automation, the human element stood out. Relationships still drive trust and long-term growth. What clients want is personalisation, not generic service. That means listening better, anticipating needs, and being proactive.
Looking Ahead
The conversations at DAS2025 reaffirmed something we’ve long believed: that true differentiation doesn’t come from tools or tactics alone – it comes from relationships.
For firms looking to stay competitive, client feedback can no longer be a passive exercise. It needs to be structured, strategic and part of the everyday rhythm of business.
That’s the difference between simply knowing your clients – and genuinely understanding them.
If you’d like to learn more about how VerityRI can help, please reach out via out contact form.
