Expanding Capacity and Strengthening Audit Quality: UHY's Partnership with Scrubbed
Staffing Constraints Create Barriers to Scaling Audit Services
According to Stacey Massa, Midwest Attest Leader and Partner at UHY’s St. Louis, Missouri office, “Similar to others in our industry, the firm experienced challenges in expanding resources necessary to support our growth initiative,” she says. “We had to look for ot her resources that would allow us to expand our services, meet tight deadlines, and focus on the retention and well-being of our staff.” At that point, UHY started to look into outsourcing as a potential solution.
Leveraging Scrubbed's Audit Expertise
UHY partnered with Scrubbed’s audit team after exploring various options. The impact was immediate. “Partnering with experienced professionals at Scrubbed has allowed us to expend our capacity to issue audited financial statements within tight deadlines,” says Stacey.
“Having additional resources has allowed us to meet client deadlines without compromising the quality of our work. Having the right support in place has helped reduce burnout and improve staff retention, giving our people the breathing room they need to do their best work”.
Key Benefits of the Partnership
Stacey highlighted the different ways that working with Scrubbed has helped UHY:
- Increased Efficiency and Scalability: Integrating Scrubbed’s team offers flexibility to scale resources based on demand. “We can scale our workforce up or down depending on the demands of our workload,” Stacey says. “And, because we operate in different time zones, we can continue working around the clock. Clients can upload information in the afternoon, and our Scrubbed team members can access it when they start their day—so by the time our clients start their morning, we already have questions ready. We’ve been able to provide a significant increase in value to our clients through timely communication.”
- Strengthened Audit Quality: Scrubbed’s team have experience with U.S. and international accounting standards which they put to use in every client engagement. “The professionals we work with are highly qualified and experienced,” Stacey says. “They bring a wealth of expertise to our team and strengthens the quality of our audits.”
- Improved Staff Retention and Work-Life Balance: One of the most significant impacts has been on UHY’s internal audit team. “With the help of our Scrubbed partnership, we have improved the retention of our audit staff,” Stacey says. “Making sure that we are allocating resources strategically to maintain workload balance throughout the year has helped retain our staff and provide them with a great work-life balance.”
- Cost-Effective Audit Solutions: The partnership has allowed UHY to manage operational costs more efficiently. “Each year, we’re required to implement new accounting and auditing standards, which naturally adds complexity and time to our processes,” Stacey explains. “As a result, we’re constantly seeking ways to improve efficiency and streamline our audit approach to help offset potential fee increases for our clients. Leveraging outsourced contractors has been an effective way to maintain competitive pricing while still delivering high-quality service—and that’s been a significant advantage for us.”
- Sustainable Business Growth: With support from Scrubbed, UHY has achieved consistent annual growth of 10% in its audit practice. “We’ve always had ambitious growth strategies, so having the resources in place to both serve our existing clients and onboard new ones has been a tremendous advantage of our partnership with Scrubbed,” says Stacey. “Knowing we have that dependable support has given us the confidence to take on new opportunities and continue expanding the firm.”
The Future of the Partnership
Building on the success of the audit collaboration—the firm is now exploring opportunities to integrate Scrubbed’s services across additional departments. “Based on my positive experience on the audit side, I have introduced Scrubbed to our tax and advisory services teams,” Stacey says. “Our goal is to expand their involvement across the firm.”
Advice for Other CPA Firms Considering Outsourcing
Stacey has some practical advice for CPA firms considering outsourcing as a strategic solution to the staffing challenge as firms expand:
Find a Partner That Aligns with Your Values:
“Choose a partner like Scrubbed that aligns with your firm values and has a proven track record.”
Start with a Pilot Program:
Find a Partner That Aligns with Your Values:
“Choose a partner like Scrubbed that aligns with your firm values and has a proven track record.”
Overcoming Outsourcing Misconceptions
Stacey admits she initially had reservations about whether outsourced contractors would be as engaged as full-time employees. “I wondered, ‘Will they be dedicated solely to UHY?’” she recalls. “But from day one, we’ve treated them as an extension of our team.” To ensure they feel included and informed, Stacey makes a point of recording internal departmental meetings so the outsourced team can stay aligned and engaged. “They also participate in some of our meetings and have face-to-face interactions with our staff. They genuinely feel like part of the team—and that’s exactly how we treat them.”
A Trusted Partnership for the Future
At Scrubbed, we’re delighted to be part of UHY’s success and are looking forward to expanding our support for the in-house team and a growing client roster.
Reflecting on the partnership, Stacey summed it up simply:
Stacey Massa
Partner, UHY LLP
Managing Director, UHY Advisors