Nordens is one of the UK’s leading independent accountancy firms - a top 100 practice with a deep focus on advisory work and a track record of fast, organic growth.

Its teams provide far more than compliance, helping business owners grow, plan exits, and achieve their personal goals across a wide range of services.

This broad remit naturally creates opportunities for referrals. Clients often need specialists across multiple disciplines, and over time Nordens has built a wide network of trusted partners to meet those needs.

But as the firm scaled, its referral process didn’t. Introductions were made ad-hoc, over calls or emails, with no central record of who had been referred, by whom, or whether the client had been contacted.

“Referrals were happening everywhere,” says CEO Mitch Hahn.

“Some were just verbal, some buried in inboxes. You never quite knew if someone had followed up or used the right wording - and for a regulated firm, that’s a risk… It keeps you up at night.”

Without structure, visibility or audit trails, even the most well-intentioned introductions could create compliance exposure.

Nordens implemented RQ to bring every professional introduction - whether to IFAs, lawyers, HR consultants, or banks - into one compliant, structured, trackable process.

All approved relationships now sit within Nordens’ RQ workspace, clearly categorised by service area. Staff can browse the firm’s network, choose the right partner, and make or log an introduction in seconds - all within the same system.

Each referral automatically carries compliant wording and disclosure language, while RQ records a full audit trail of every action. That means every introduction is visible, trackable and audit-ready.

“The protection it gives is huge,” Mitch says. “You can make an introduction knowing it’s compliant and watertight. It’s not just easier - it’s also safer.”

Nordens also use RQ to reinforce their values.

“We don’t take commission,” Mitch adds. “Our referrals are based on trust. RQ lets our team see who we’ve pre-qualified and decided to work with - partners who align with our standards and do great work.”‍

Since adopting RQ, Nordens has embedded it deeply into day-to-day work:

• 32 active employees using RQ at Nordens across the business
• 32 trusted relationships / partner firms on RQ
• 1 firm pending (invited, not yet onboarded)
• 63 referrals made in nine months, around seven per month
• Typical referral types include:
  
  • Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs)
  • HR and employment consultants
  • Insurance brokers
  • Business banking specialists
  • Corporate finance and funding experts
  • Business coaches and strategic advisor

Each referral is automatically shared with the relevant partner, tracked through to completion, and visible to leadership in one central dashboard.

“The transparency is brilliant,” says Mitch. “I can see exactly what’s been sent, where it’s gone, and that the right firms are being used.”

RQ has given Nordens structure, visibility, and peace of mind in an area that was once messy and risky. Every referral is now tracked and auditable, and manual logs and lost opportunities have been replaced by a single, reliable record of activity.

Compliance is now built into the process. Legal wording and record-keeping happen automatically, ensuring every referral meets regulatory standards without extra effort from the team.

The partner network has also become clearer and more controlled. Only approved firms appear in RQ, giving staff total confidence about who they can work with and why. That clarity protects both the firm’s reputation and its clients.

For clients, the change is visible, too. Each introduction now feels structured and professional, reinforcing Nordens’ standing as a trusted adviser. 

And for the team, the simplicity of the system has driven adoption.

“The interface is so clean,” says Mitch. “Other tools overcomplicate things. RQ just works - fast, intuitive, and impossible to get wrong.”

Organic growth has long been Nordens’ strength, driven by reputation and client trust. Now the firm is preparing to amplify that through RQ’s new Client Referrals feature.

Maximising client referrals

Each client will receive a personalised, branded link allowing them to recommend Nordens directly to friends, family, or business contacts. Every referral will automatically log and track inside RQ.

Mitch plans to weave it into their year-end communication: 

“After the annual review, we’ll include a simple note - If you know someone who’d benefit from the same support, here’s a link. It’s effortless, measurable, and scalable.”

The team also intends to use RQ’s upcoming feedback prompts to gather client satisfaction data and open conversations about additional services.

“It’s one message that can spark three things - retention, upsell, and new introductions,” says Mitch. “That’s powerful.”

Supporting relationship consolidation

As Nordens continues its steady organic growth and begins selective acquisitions, RQ will form part of the onboarding process for each new firm. 

“When we acquire, our systems go in immediately,” Mitch explains. “RQ makes integration faster because every partner and process is already mapped and controlled.”

What Mitch would tell other firms

He would prefer to keep RQ to himself…

“I probably shouldn’t tell other accountants about RQ,” he says, half-smiling. “I’d rather keep it to ourselves.”