Reply to: Clearsky reviews.

[Alan @ BroomeAffinity]

Perhaps they've taken their eye off the ball since they became part of the SJD and Nixon Williams giant?

I reckon so. You hear the same about SJD but not, curiously, NW.

[Waldorf]

I have to agree with the previous post. I’ve been with Clearsky for nearly five years, but in the last six months or so I have seen a real deterioration in their service. Always late with the management accounts, slow to respond to email etc. etc. It feels like they are understaffed and overworked. I have been trying to contact my “personal accountant” for the last two week s and I am still waiting for a reply. I hope it improves soon or I will be looking for a new accountant

Perhaps they've taken their eye off the ball since they became part of the SJD and Nixon Williams giant?

[ambrose]

Clear shy

I have to agree with the previous post. I’ve been with Clearsky for nearly five years, but in the last six months or so I have seen a real deterioration in their service. Always late with the management accounts, slow to respond to email etc. etc. It feels like they are understaffed and overworked. I have been trying to contact my “personal accountant” for the last two week s and I am still waiting for a reply. I hope it improves soon or I will be looking for a new accountant

[Acolos]

I am currently with Clearsky (joined June last year) and the first 5 months I found their service to be great, always answering my questions, quick monthly statements etc. however the last 3 months it's been appalling, I've sent emails and get responses 3 days later which is just not good enough. You are assigned a "personal accountant" but there is nothing personal about it, I've really had to kick up a fuss just to get a response to my queries and most of the time the responses aren't from your "personal accountant".

I will be leaving when the time is right as I know I'll get better service for better money. Just my 2 cents

[I just need to test it]

The "Assure" package looks a winner. £195 per month but you get your annual return filed free. Normally £14. Bargain.

That fee does include business insurance, so isn't as exorbitant as might first appear.

I've been with Clearsky since when they were Quay Accounting, and while I do feel there's been quite a big hike in fees combined with a gradual drop-off in level of service, I've stuck with them because of the sheer number of horror stories I've heard from other contractors who have switched from one accountant to another only to find their new guy keeps dropping the ball.

The Clearsky portal for submitting revenue/expenses can in some areas be quite exasperating, and the "conversation" portal, where you can communicate with Clearsky staff, is often a bit like howling at the moon, but they just about get the job done (one cock-up in 17 years that cost me £100).

[JB3000]

I have also received a terrible service and incuring significant costs as a result.

Currently trying to negotiate down an extortionate amount of money I'm being charged, will start a new post detailing my experiences.

Did they initially charge you a low fee? And then slowly increase? Or has it always been high?

How did you hear about them? From the individual agent you are dealing with or is Clearsky the only accountants your agency recommends?

If you have received terrible service, why not leave? What has been terrible about it?

[PheonixNW]

terrible service

I have also received a terrible service and incuring significant costs as a result.

Currently trying to negotiate down an extortionate amount of money I'm being charged, will start a new post detailing my experiences.

[Nathan SJD Accountancy]

Thanks for all your comments!

Yes, I guess I was hoping that my initial contact with them was not indicative of their accounting service levels. I had decided to go with ClearSky but taking into account all these comments, it looks like I might have to go back to the drawing board....

Hi There

[Poppykorn]

Thanks for all your comments!

you are possibly looking for reasons to still go ahead.

Yes, I guess I was hoping that my initial contact with them was not indicative of their accounting service levels. I had decided to go with ClearSky but taking into account all these comments, it looks like I might have to go back to the drawing board.

With regards to your question on our Essential service. All our clients including our Essential clients benefit initially from a long welcome call with their own personal accountant. As part of this call the accountant will review their circumstances and discuss tax efficiency as this is what our clients want to talk about and expect of their accountant. This could be discussions about company structure or allowable expenses specifically tailored to a client’s situation.

With the Essential service, you’ve also got access to your own personal accountant you can call at anytime and a yearly tax review to make sure you are on the right course.

Thanks Rachael, that's useful information.

The "Assure" package looks a winner. £195 per month but you get your annual return filed free. Normally £14. Bargain.

Indeed it is! Hence, Essential or not at all.

[Alan @ BroomeAffinity]

The "Assure" package looks a winner. £195 per month but you get your annual return filed free. Normally £14. Bargain.

[moggy]

2009 - 2012 - 17 years...

[simondolan]

Hi,

We are sorry to hear about your experiences so far with ClearSky. Over the past 17 years ...

17 years! Are you sure?

[ClearSky Rachael]

Hi,

We are sorry to hear about your experiences so far with ClearSky. Over the past 17 years we’ve had over 8,000 happy clients and pride ourselves on the exceptional service we provide our clients. Please click here for some of our clients’ feedback.

With regards to your question on our Essential service. All our clients including our Essential clients benefit initially from a long welcome call with their own personal accountant. As part of this call the accountant will review their circumstances and discuss tax efficiency as this is what our clients want to talk about and expect of their accountant. This could be discussions about company structure or allowable expenses specifically tailored to a client’s situation.

With the Essential service, you’ve also got access to your own personal accountant you can call at anytime and a yearly tax review to make sure you are on the right course.

The main benefits of our Freedom and Assure packages are the frequency of information provided to you. For example, our Assure package gives you monthly management accounts and quarterly tax reviews with you personal accountant either in the office or by email/phone.

I hope this helps and apologies once more for your experience so far with ClearSky.

If you would like to discuss this further please call 01925 645 255.

[d000hg]

Hi,

I was happy with everything about ClearSky except the price when they hiked it substantially a couple of years back.

I personally recommend InTouch but you may as well phone a few and if they don't leave a good 'taste' from a 5min phone chat, ditch 'em. My favourite thing about InTouch is that I virtually always deal with the same person, rather than sending emails to be responded by whichever person is 'on call'.

[scooby]

Clearsky are a part of Parasol I would avoid just for that, their umbrella arm Parasol is just as shifty hence I left them

WHS!