Progress Update and Frequently Asked Questions
Further to the email sent out on Sunday 15th September I wanted to provide an update to clients on the proposed transfer of your accountancy support to our practice.
I haven’t yet had a chance to introduce myself personally to every potential client and that’s something I’d like to change in the coming days and weeks. I’ve already met some really lovely people and am pleased to say most have signed up as clients already.
I don’t want my diary to be the bottleneck stopping my team from setting you up on systems as clients if you have already decided to come on board with us.
As such, this letter comes attached to the email which begins the sign-up process and then allows my team to get systems in place at our side – payroll, QuickBooks etc. You’ll find a link in the email to complete the ‘Online Registration Process’. After setting a password you’ll be met with an engagement letter / letters and once signed you are then formally a client of the practice.
We will also need a copy of ID (passport / driving licence) and proof of address (utility / council tax bill / bank statement) to satisfy anti-money-laundering laws before we can act.
I’d like to answer a few common questions I’ve had throughout this week:
Has my data transferred over? I’d like to clarify this only happens when an engagement letter is signed. The email to which this letter is attached is the start of that process. Once you’ve signed the engagement letter / letters then Gary from CBS can transfer your personal and financial information out of his folder system and into ours.
I’m not sure what I want to do, do I need to decide now? No, not at all. I understand there’s a need to have trust and reliability with your accountants and we’re not looking to pressure any client into a decision. The only thing to take account of is impending payroll / VAT / accounts filing deadlines. We are happy to help as a trial run and support your filings whilst you make a longer-term choice.
Am I making a commitment by signing up? No, our services come with zero commitment to remain as a client. If you transfer over and then decide we aren’t for you then you are free to move again when it suits you.
Will me accountancy fee change? In short, no. Our fee structures are exceptionally similar to the structure Derek had at CBS and I’ve agreed to maintain fees at current rates for at least a year.
What if I’ve paid fees towards services not yet received? Janet and I are sorting these things out centrally. We will not be asking clients to pay for anything twice.
Can I make changes to services? Yes, absolutely. A few clients have added services. No clients have asked to reduce services yet but that’s an option too. Adding / reduces changes the fees and we’d update your billing accordingly.
What changes can I make? One popular change is our use of a system called Modulr. This is a system which makes your staff payments on pay-day for you. You load it with a balance and the system uses that balance to pay staff and HMRC. The other is more regular reporting via management accounts to give you early sight of profits, issues and of course your potential tax liability.
What systems to you use? One of the main reasons we were chosen as the preferred continuity option for clients is we have virtually the same systems map. We are QuickBooks advanced certified across the team and our payroll system is Brightpay. We also have clients on Xero, Sage 50, Sage Cloud, Clearbooks and Bokio so we are relatively systems agnostic but we are predominately aligned to QuickBooks.
I really want to hear about any questions and concerns. It’s far from lost on me there have been conflicting messages since Sunday and if there’s anything I can do to clarify I’m happy to have a discussion.
Ultimately, whether you decide to move ahead with us is your choice as the client but I’m confident we call allay any concerns with a call or introduction meeting.
Kind regards
Bobby Gallacher BA (Hons) ACMA
Director, Almond Valley Accounting