In professional services, reputation is everything. One missed control, one unprepared audit, or one delayed evidence request can turn into a six-figure fine, a lost client, or even personal liability for partners.
Tax Desk, a fast-growing specialist tax consultancy, knew this pressure well. As client scrutiny increased and regulators demanded deeper evidence, the firm needed to maintain ISO 27001 without the cost, complexity, and stress that had defined previous audit cycles.
This is how they moved from spreadsheet-driven compliance to a streamlined, continuously audit-ready model – and why Protects became the platform that transformed their approach.
The Compliance Pressure Professional Firms Face Today
Across the UK and Europe, professional services firms operate at the centre of highly sensitive data flows. Regulators expect full visibility. Enterprise clients expect instant proof of security maturity. Supplier chains introduce risk at every point.
The stakes are high:
- Compliance failures can lead to six-figure penalties
- Slow or incomplete evidence can cost tenders
- Poor visibility increases partner liability
- Manual processes drain time and increase stress
For growing firms like Tax Desk, the question wasn’t whether ISO 27001 mattered. It was how to maintain it efficiently, affordably and confidently.
The Breaking Point: Manual Compliance Was No Longer Sustainable
Before Protects, the firm relied on spreadsheets, document folders and consultant-led processes. Audit preparation required weeks of data gathering, version chasing and evidence validation. Every year, it absorbed more internal time and created more risk.
With increased client expectations and a rapidly expanding workload, the traditional approach simply couldn’t keep up. Tax Desk needed a way to stay audit-ready all year round, not just in the lead-up to inspections.
Why Tax Desk Chose Protects
The firm adopted Protects to shift from reactive, manual compliance to a centralised, efficient and automated ISMS they could maintain themselves.
Protects delivered:
✅ A complete ISO 27001 policy and control framework
✅ A live Asset Register and Risk Register
✅ Centralised evidence management
✅ Automated staff training
✅ Supplier monitoring
✅ Real-time audit readiness reporting
Setup was fast, non-technical and cost-effective – turning what had previously been a months-long, consultant-heavy process into a streamlined environment the team could finally control.
The Results: Faster Audits, Lower Risk, Greater Confidence
1. Audit prep time reduced from months to days
Evidence, controls, risks and training were all in one place and kept continuously updated. By the time the next surveillance audit arrived, everything was already aligned.
2. A smoother, cleaner audit experience
Auditors commented on the clarity and accessibility of the firm’s ISMS, which directly reflected the structured, centralised setup Protects enabled.
3. A dramatic reduction in compliance risk
By removing manual processes and reducing the chance of overlooked evidence, Tax Desk significantly lowered the risk of non-conformities, penalties or reputational issues.
4. Stronger trust with clients and partners
Holding ISO 27001 with demonstrable clarity helped shorten due-diligence cycles and reduce friction in onboarding new corporate clients.
5. Lower ongoing compliance costs
Protects removed the need for repeated consultant cycles, saving time and money every year.
A Competitive Advantage: Enterprise-Grade Security Without Enterprise-Grade Cost
One of the most valuable outcomes for Tax Desk was commercial.
ISO 27001 wasn’t just about passing audits – it positioned the firm to compete directly with much larger consultancies by demonstrating a mature, evidence-driven security posture.
With Protects, they achieved:
- A lean, risk-focused ISMS
- Cloud-first, cost-effective controls
- Practical, human-readable documentation
- Engaging staff training
- Transparency that impressed clients and auditors alike
For many SMEs, this is becoming a decisive edge.
Security maturity builds trust, and trust wins contracts.
Conclusion: Compliance Doesn’t Need to Be a Gamble
Tax Desk transformed ISO 27001 from a stressful, resource-heavy obligation into an operational strength.
With Protects, they gained:
- Continuous audit readiness
- Centralised evidence and control management
- Clear, real-time visibility
- Faster onboarding with clients
- Reduced regulatory and operational risk
- A stronger competitive position
The full case study shares the complete journey and outcomes — read it here
For any professional services firm handling sensitive data, this shift isn’t optional. It’s the foundation of long-term trust, commercial credibility and operational resilience.
If you’d like to see how your own compliance posture compares, you can run a risk check in minutes and uncover exactly where you stand – before a regulator or client asks.