It is easy to claim that you are different or unique to others in your profession, but we do like to think that we have some things in our approach which set us apart from other accountants.
Our clients
Our clients are a mix of individuals, sole traders, limited companies, and charities. The one thing that all of our clients have in common is that we try to maintain the personal touch by taking the time to get to know our clients and what they actually need.
We are a local firm, with a UK-wide reach
Essentially, we are a local firm, with roots in the local community.
But one thing that we have embraced is the power of the cloud, and we are happy to take on clients from anywhere in the UK, provided their location doesn’t hinder us from providing a good service.
Our clients are spread as far south as London and Bristol and as far across as York to Liverpool.
Practical business experience
Our background is originally in working in business, and we have a wide variety of experience with different industries and businesses of different sizes.
This means that we are able to provide practical advice for the “real world” of small business.
Clear fees
One of the things that stops accountants building up good relationships with their clients is a constant worry over fees.
Nothing is worse than when a client hesitates to ask for help because they worry that each phone call will cost them money, or they feel that their accountant sees them just as a source of income when they get another unexpected bill.
We will always be transparent with our fees and believe in a “no surprises” approach. At the start of a client relationship, we will agree with the client about what services they need, what they can do themselves, and what they need us to do, and only charge them for the services they need. Wherever possible, we will agree a fixed fee with our clients, but even where this is not possible, we will ensure that the fee structure is clear and transparent.
Professional standards
Did you know that anyone can call themselves an “accountant”, even those without any qualifications or experience.
We pride ourselves on regulated by two well-established professional bodies – Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants.
What this means is that we have a professional body which sets out ethical standards that we must adhere to and oversees the quality of our work. They also have strict requirements when it comes to keeping up to date with developments in tax and business, professional indemnity insurance, continuity of practice, and regulatory compliance, as well as providing opportunities for professional development.
We do not have to belong to a regulated accounting body, but it is what is best for us and our clients.
Technology
We have been ahead of the curve for many years when it comes to using software and technology in the accounting world. This has helped us to keep our overheads down, free up time to concentrate on the actual client rather than the paperwork, and meet the ever-changing challenges of business.
During the COVID-19 lockdown most of our clients were already using cloud software, and we were able to continue to provide the day-to-day accounting services they required. In 2021 we received the Sage “Community Hero Award” in recognition of the support we were able to give our clients and the wider local business community during the lockdown.
There are new digital challenges ahead, which will have a disproportionate impact on small business, and we are committed to staying ahead of these so our clients can concentrate on their actual business.
Ethics policy
Like many small firms we have an ethics policy which sets out our approach to various social issues. The difference with ours is that we wrote it ourselves from scratch, so we end up with a policy which we truly believe in, rather than a public relations exercise, and it is one which we will work our hardest to implement and adhere to.
A copy of our Ethics policy can be found here.
At the end of the day, we are a small business too. We are not part of a larger “one-size fits all” firm or a firm that sees local clients as something to take for granted.
Being a small business ourselves we do understand the reality of being a small business and we experience many of the same practical issues that our clients face.
And yes although we would like to grow and be successful as a firm, but not at the expense of the service we provide or being able to give that personal touch.