Inside EOACC’s journey to a more empowered and aligned team

EOACC Accountants and Business Advisors is a firm built on ambition, transparency, and a desire to grow. With a leadership team that thrives on being challenged and a culture that rewards curiosity, the firm constantly seeks better ways to work and serve.

Operating across the UK and South Africa, EOACC offers a full suite of services ranging from personal and company tax planning to outsourced finance functions. With a rapidly growing team and ambitious goals, they needed a better way to manage their internal operations and empower their staff.

When Jacques Steenkamp, CEO at EOACC, and Kobie Human, Manager (Associate General Accountant (SA)), began searching for an accounting practice management solution, they wanted a tool that would enable the structure and visibility required to scale their firm.

“We all have a common goal: we want to grow. We really want to see where we can take this company,” shares Jacques.

Accountability from the ground up

When Kobie joined EOACC, he saw an opportunity. The team was highly capable and cared deeply about their clients, but without clear systems in place, deadlines were missed and work fell through the cracks.

Having previously used Karbon, Kobie knew it would deliver immediate impact to the firm.

Karbon provided the foundation for holding individuals accountable by making work transparent and accessible.

With automatic work assignment, visibility into deadlines, and collaboration features like @mentions and email comments, every team member can see exactly what needs to be done and who is responsible. Client Timelines help avoid miscommunication, while Work Views give managers instant oversight.

This clarity created true ownership of work and opened up space for a culture of feedback, improvement, and pride in delivery.

A culture hungry for improvement

Despite some initial resistance, the EOACC team embraced the change.

"At first, the accountants were hesitant. But now, they often say, 'How did we manage before Karbon?' It’s empowered us to get a grip on the workload and plan ahead. Good people want structure, and Karbon helps us provide that," Jacques says.

Kobie adds, "There’s definitely more structure. And the culture has shifted. Our team is hungry to improve, and are always looking for a better way."

Rolling out change with intention

Driving change management can be challenging. It's often like trying to turn a big ship. The key is to have the right person to captain the ship and bring everyone along for the journey.

For EOACC, Kobie assumed the role of 'Karbon Champion' and along with Jacques, guided the team through the journey of change management.

And it started well before go-live. Jacques and Kobie gave their team months of advance notice, daily training calls, and a shared commitment to learning together.

"We had two calls a day at the start. Morning and afternoon. If someone didn’t know something, they could ask. And if they saw someone else getting ahead, it was a motivator. That competitive element really helped," Jacques explains.

Better client experiences through better internal systems

Improving internal systems has had a direct impact on EOACC's clients.

"Clients push back at first, but once you speak their language and show them the benefits—like shared to-do lists and less time spent chasing—they come around quickly," Jacques says.

Kobie even includes a guided onboarding call for every new client: "I walk them through the first Karbon Client Task so they understand how we communicate. Younger clients especially love the comment function. It makes communication easier and builds better relationships."

What to expect when implementing Karbon

When asked what advice they’d give to other firms considering Karbon, Jacques is quick to answer: "1,000%. It’s worth it. Just know that it won’t do the work for you. You still need policies and procedures, but Karbon gives you the structure and flexibility to build those on your terms."

Kobie echoes that sentiment: "We chose Karbon over a cheaper option because it integrates our emails, plans our workloads, and brings everything together. If you're just after a timesheet tool, it's not for you. But if you want an integrated business system to manage your team, it's the best choice."

Key Results

• Reduced internal meetings through better visibility and planning

• Built accountability across the team with clear ownership of client work

• Improved client communication and onboarding using Karbon Client Tasks