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Supporting our clients

We're recruiting in Hale for a new accountant

Murray Patt, our founder, is focused on supporting clients in this challenging period:

“Over the last few weeks we have all been shocked with how coronavirus has had an impact on our respective businesses.

“Whilst we are all in unchartered territory I have some basic rules for you to consider, in trying to get through this period. It may be that not all of these are relevant to you, but there will be some aspects which will help you to think clearly going forward.”

My top-ten-tips are as follows:

  1. “Cash is king”. Businesses do not fail through making losses – they fail when they run out of cash.
  2. Forecast your cashflow. Predict your future cashflow as best you can, & schedule this out using excel/similar tools. I recommend doing this for a 12 week period & monitoring it daily vs actual.
  3. Cash injection. Be prepared to inject monies into your business & talk with your bankers at an early stage for support.  Through fundingcircle.com our clients can secure a discount on standard loan rates, with a rapid decision-making process.
  4. Government loan/grant schemes. Whilst these schemes are very welcome, it will take time for them to get up & running – therefore do not rely on them. Further, if they are administered by the banks/local authorities, who are already struggling for staff, then expect them to be slow & cumbersome.
  5. Loan repayment holidays. Talk with your funder(s) & see if you can arrange a payment holiday on your existing loans.
  6. Employment contracts. Review your staff contracts, & see what scope there is to make changes & save cost. However, please consider the knock-on effect on them.
  7. Paying suppliers. Talk with them &, if you can, agree revised terms in the short-term.
  8. Be selective with cancelling discretionary expenditure. We will eventually come out of the other side of this, & therefore do not terminate arrangements now, which you may regret in a few months time.
  9. Plan in advance. If some form of restructuring to your business is required, then the sooner you take some professional advice the better.
  10. Talk, talk, talk. Don’t be afraid to talk with us, & other business owners. The more we share our experiences the better for everyone.

Murray Patt says:

I suspect that things will get worse before they start to improve again, but they will improve – the uncertainty is the timescale for this. The team at AK&Co are there to support you & we will always make time to speak with you. Every day is a steep learning curve, & we will get through this eventually.