Practical AI plays an essential role in saving time, improving quality, and enabling firms to grow with confidence in an ever-evolving business landscape.
As the accounting profession embraces technological advancements, many accountants are experimenting with ChatGPT. However, only a few have managed to fully unlock its potential across their firms.
In a standout session at QuickFest,
Twyla Verhelst
(VP of Industry Relations at Karbon and co-founder of
TB Academy) shared a refreshingly practical framework for transforming AI from merely a clever tool into a
critical team member.
Instead of focusing on theoretical concepts, Twyla provided hands-on, step-by-step guidance for firm leaders eager to turn curiosity into actionable capability. Here’s a comprehensive overview of her insights and how to implement them effectively in your firm.
Why ChatGPT Should Be Your Firm’s MVP
For most accounting firms, the journey with AI begins with speed. However, Twyla laid out a compelling argument for why ChatGPT can—and should—evolve into your firm’s most valuable player. This transformation is contingent upon a strategic approach to its implementation.
To illustrate this concept, she introduced the concept of the MVP Ladder, a straightforward model that outlines how firms typically adopt AI:
• You: Start using it personally (emails, checklists, reminders).
• Your Team: Document processes and build playbooks that others can use.
• Your Firm: Scale up for advisory services, insights, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and strategic decisions.
Each rung on the ladder adds more value and shifts AI from being a “nice-to-have” resource to becoming indispensable in the firm’s operations.
A Simple Framework: H.I.R.E. Your AI
Twyla shared an insightful internal guide designed to facilitate the adoption of AI: the H.I.R.E. Framework.
| Step | What It Means | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Hurry | Utilise ChatGPT to quickly polish or rewrite content. | Speed up emails, checklists, and client communications. |
| Institutionalise | Transform one-off wins into templates and SOPs. | Reduce rework and support onboarding processes. |
| Raise Quality | Employ AI as a reviewer for consistency and clarity. | Identify errors and enhance the overall output quality. |
| Explore Strategy | Collaborate with AI for insights, planning, and experimentation. | Enhance advisory work and facilitate scenario planning. |
Each step within this framework comes with its own specific prompting style, review process, and metrics to track, making it easier to derive consistent value from AI rather than sporadic sparks of insight.
Real-World Use Cases: 3 MVP Plays You Can Implement
1. Speed Up Client Communications
Consider the numerous aspects of client interactions, such as proposals, onboarding messages, reminders, and renewals. ChatGPT can assist in crafting faster, clearer, and friendlier content—while ensuring factual accuracy. To utilise this effectively, employ a structured prompt like:
“Act as my firm’s client care lead. Rewrite this message in plain English. Keep it to 180 words, include three bullet points for actions, one call to action (CTA), and do not add new information.”
This method can be applied to everything from SMS updates to portal nudges, representing one of the quickest ways to make ChatGPT a valuable asset in your daily operations.
Intent: Hurry
Metric: Turnaround time, revision count
2. Build Playbooks and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
If you have disorganised meeting notes, ChatGPT can assist in converting them into clear, structured SOPs that include steps, responsible parties, deadlines, and more. To achieve this, use a two-part prompt:
• “Turn these meeting notes into a firm SOP with clear sections: title, trigger, steps, roles, outputs.”
• “You’re my reviewer. Please use this checklist: Are the owners named? Are the dates specific? Are risks identified?”
This approach demonstrates how AI can begin to save your entire team time, rather than just individual users.
Intent: Institutionalise + Raise Quality
Metric: Rework rate, ramp time, process clarity
3. Boost Advisory Services with Enhanced Insights
Your clients are already leveraging ChatGPT to process your reports, so why not stay ahead of the curve and do it better? By inputting anonymised data (for example, declining revenue, increasing debtors, or decreasing cash reserves) and asking for:
• A one-page decision memo
• Key trends and risks
• Actionable options
• A two-week test plan
• Confidence ratings on assumptions
A suitable prompt could be:
“You’re my strategic partner. Based on this context, provide a decision memo. Format it into options, assumptions, risks, and next steps.”
This process goes beyond mere speed; it focuses on depth and strategic insight, positioning AI as your co-strategist.
Intent: Explore Strategy
Metric: Decisions made, insights surfaced, action plans developed
What Successful AI Adoption Actually Looks Like
Twyla emphasised that ad hoc usage of AI does not scale effectively. Firms require structure to realise the full benefits of AI. Here’s a recommended rollout timeline for implementing AI:
30/60/90-Day AI Adoption Plan
| Phase | Focus |
|---|---|
| Days 1–30 | Pilot one use case (e.g., client emails). Track metrics such as time saved. |
| Days 31–60 | Transform those prompts into team templates. Assign an AI champion. |
| Days 61–90 | Conduct internal training, enhance output quality, and explore strategic prompts. |
Firms that invest in training and consistency are experiencing better, faster results across all areas of their operations.
Final Takeaways
• Start with intent: Always be clear about why you’re using AI (is it for speed, quality, or insights?).
• Follow a pattern: Avoid reinventing the wheel each time—utilising prompting frameworks can provide consistency.
• Measure what matters: Track time saved, reduction in rework, and the number of decisions supported by AI.
• Scale across the team: The value of AI multiplies when its benefits are shared across the firm.
As Twyla succinctly summarised:
“ChatGPT isn’t just a tool—it can be your firm’s MVP. But only if you treat it like a teammate, not a toy.”
By implementing these strategies, your firm can effectively harness the power of AI, ensuring that you not only keep pace with the technological advancements but also lead the way in your industry.
Embracing AI is not merely about keeping up with trends; it is about creating a future where your firm can thrive, equipped with the tools to enhance productivity, improve client relationships, and drive strategic decision-making.
