Joy, judgement and the AI jungle: what clients will actually pay for in five years
Photo by Leonie Zettl on Unsplash
When Sharon Austin looks at the future of professional services, she doesn't just see automation and efficiency gains. She sees a fundamental question that every leader must answer: what will clients actually value when AI can handle the technical work?
As a partner at PKF Francis Clark, Sharon has spent 25 years building client relationships based on trust, experience, and something harder to quantify - the human ability to ask the question behind the question. In her conversation on That Moment podcast, she confronts the uncomfortable reality facing accountancy and professional services: technical knowledge alone won't be enough.
The real challenge? Preparing the next generation not just for spreadsheets and statutory deadlines, but for meaningful work in a world where AI in professional services is no longer a distant possibility - it's here.
When the memo wasn't enough
Sharon's path to leadership started with a moment of recognition. Teams have dynamics - sometimes everything works beautifully, then something shifts and things start to creak.
"The way that the leadership were dealing with the creaking was to send a memo," she recalls. "It was really clear. It was very direct about what needed to happen. But the human side was missing, the people side was missing."
That moment crystallised something for her: "I think we can do this differently. And I think I've got something to add here."
This insight matters because it reveals a pattern that extends far beyond one firm. When organisations face challenges, the instinct is often to clarify, document, and distribute. But change management in professional services requires more than clear communication - it requires understanding the human side of transformation.
Sharon versus ChatGPT: the human advantage
To test where human judgement diverges from AI recommendations, Sharon played "Dear Sharon or ChatGPT" - responding to workplace dilemmas and comparing her advice with what the AI suggested.
Scenario one: A newly hired trainee asks to work fully remotely after two weeks, claiming they're more productive alone.
Sharon's response centres on learning: "There's so much that goes on in the early days in terms of learning on the job. You'll pick up so much more from having those informal conversations, the hearing what's going on, hearing what other people are struggling with."
ChatGPT's response? "Remote working increases productivity and reduces commuting stress. Set clear KPIs and use task management software."
The difference reveals everything. AI optimises for individual efficiency. Humans optimise for collective learning and cultural integration. Both matter, but they're solving different problems.
The question behind the question
When a client challenges why your fee is higher than an AI-powered finance tool, the answer can't just be "experience." It has to be specific about what that experience delivers.
"Part of what I deliver to clients is technical information, which is what the AI finance tool would be delivering as well," Sharon explains. "But what I need to bring to that client relationship is the human part, the experience, the having seen all sorts of scenarios before."
The crucial insight: "It's asking the question behind the question based on knowing the client and knowing the client's history."
This matters for client engagement strategies because it identifies what's actually irreplaceable. AI answers the questions you ask. Humans notice the questions you should be asking but haven't articulated yet. They read body language, detect hesitation, and recognise when something you've said excites or concerns someone.
"So much of our communication is not actually about the words," Sharon notes. "The thing with AI is it is about the words because it can only answer what you ask it."
The reassurance factor
There's something else AI can't easily replicate: reassurance. Sharon compares it to medical consultations - you can Google symptoms all you want, but talking to a real person provides validation that search engines can't.
"That level of reassurance you get from finding somebody that you have rapport with, that you feel you're on the same page with, and has relevant experience to the thing you're talking about - I think that's got to be where we need to keep making sure we're in that space."
This "reassurance factor" represents a crucial element of innovation in professional services. As technical work becomes commoditised, the value shifts to confidence, context, and human connection.
Osmosis, not just instruction
When discussing why promoted managers need to mentor trainees in person rather than solely via Zoom, Sharon introduces a powerful concept: osmosis.
"What they won't get from that interaction is the osmosis of seeing you doing your role live. When you have a difficult conversation with a client, they'll hear how you deal with that. So it's not a direct training thing. It's just seeing how people are in the workplace when they're doing a good job."
This challenges the prevailing assumption that all knowledge transfer can be optimised through structured learning programmes and video calls. Some learning only happens by proximity - by observing how experienced professionals navigate ambiguity, manage difficult conversations, and make judgement calls.
The implications for digital transformation in professional services are significant: efficiency gains from remote work must be balanced against learning losses from reduced physical presence.
What clients will pay for tomorrow
Sharon's vision for the future is clear-eyed about what's coming: "If you can use AI to generate information and to take a lot of the processing, where's the value? It's got to be in the advice side."
But not just any advice. Generic recommendations won't command premium fees - they'll be available everywhere. The value sits in advice that's:
"Tailored and specific and built on really knowing the client, their circumstances, their aspirations, what they're trying to achieve."
This shift from technical delivery to tailored advisory fundamentally changes what professional services firms must optimise for. It's not about processing speed or technical accuracy - both increasingly commoditised. It's about relationship depth and contextual understanding.
Trust can't be automated
When asked what it takes to earn trust rather than just automate tasks, Sharon emphasises the long game.
"This is not you can't be transactional about it. It needs to be coming from the right place. You've got to have a genuine interest in the people that you are trying to advise and help."
She adds a counterintuitive insight: "Sometimes you earn trust when things aren't going right. People see how you deal with those difficult times as well as the good news delivery and the positive things."
This matters for client engagement strategies because it suggests that the moments that build the deepest trust aren't necessarily the smooth transactions - they're the challenging situations where your judgement and commitment are truly tested.
The resilience factor
When asked to choose an object representing her values, Sharon selected a pebble - symbolising resilience.
"When you work, there'll be good days. There'll be bad days. Actually, resilience is a real key attribute," she reflects. "What keeps it going through the tough times is actually that underlying it, I know that I love what I do."
This isn't the glamorous side of innovation in professional services, but it might be the most honest. Building meaningful client relationships through technological disruption requires sustained commitment over years, not quarters.
The mirror from the other side
Sharon offers a striking perspective on self-reflection for leaders: it's not just about looking at yourself in the mirror - it's about asking others what they see from their side.
"I can look in the mirror and see how I look to myself and what I think I'm doing. Actually, probably really important is to look from the other side of the mirror and ask the people that you're working with - what do you see? How do I look to you?"
This approach to leadership development acknowledges that self-perception often diverges from how others experience your leadership. The most valuable feedback comes from those affected by your decisions.
Moving forward: when you lead with people, not just process
The conversation with Sharon Austin reveals what separates firms that will thrive through AI disruption from those that will struggle: a fundamental clarity about where human value lies.
Technical competence remains necessary, but it's no longer sufficient. The future belongs to professionals who can combine technical knowledge with genuine curiosity about their clients, who can read between the lines of what's being said, and who build relationships deep enough to weather difficult times together.
As professional services face increasing automation, the firms that succeed will be those that, like Sharon, lead with people, not just process. They'll invest in the osmosis of in-person mentoring, even when remote work seems more efficient. They'll build trust through consistency, not just competence. And they'll recognise that some things - reassurance, judgement, context - can't be automated away.
Ready to explore what clients will actually value in five years?
Listen to the full episode with Sharon Austin and discover how to position your firm for a future where technical work is table stakes, but human judgement is the real competitive advantage.
About Supo:
Supo provides people-first intelligence software for professional services firms, helping businesses maximise profit and motivate their people through powerful, AI-enabled business intelligence dashboards. By connecting over 500+ platforms and providing real-time data analysis, Supo helps firms make better data-driven decisions about their profit, projects, and people.
For more information about Supo: www.supo.co.uk
About Sharon Austin:
Sharon Austin is a partner at PKF Francis Clark, one of the UK's leading chartered accountancy firms. With 25 years of experience building client relationships and leading teams, Sharon focuses on preparing the next generation of professionals for meaningful work in a world shaped by AI, hybrid cultures, and evolving client expectations. She brings both technical expertise and a people-first leadership approach to navigating transformation in professional services.
For more information about PKF Francis Clark: https://pkf-francisclark.co.uk/