Highlights of 2013

January 2013 Guardian Small Business Network Awards

January saw Linda Frier heading

off to The Guardian’s offices in

London to accept her award for

their Small Business Network in

the category, Winning New

Business.

Coalesco stood out from other

entries with an application that

focused on our dedication to

providing the best possible

service, how this attracts and

retains good clients, and

encourages repeat business.

Linda was presented with a framed page from The Guardian which had featured Coalesco

and two other winners of that award. We had a great time, networking with the owners of

some fabulous businesses.

February 2013 Accountants Changing The World

Coalesco became the first

practice in Nottinghamshire to

sign up to the Accountants

Changing The World initiative

which aims to bring on board

accountants from around the UK

with the modest aim of changing

the world.

This demonstrates our commitment to helping our clients in ways that go beyond our usual

excellent accountancy services. We are also now able to offer – for free – these three

services:

• A free profit improvement review

• A free sustainability audit

• A free “good cause” audit

March 2013 RTI – Supporting our Clients

In March, HMRC launched their

Real Time Information (RTI)

scheme which had many small

business owners in dread.

We aimed to take the pain out of

the transition in reporting in as

many ways as possible.

We held two “real world”

seminars for our clients to talk

them through the implications

and give them specific advice.

We also prepared a webinar for anyone who could not make it to the seminars. We have

kept clients up-to-date with all developments and, whilst we can’t make RTI any more

enjoyable for our clients, we hope we have helped to demystify it for them.

April 2013 Business Finance Advice Scheme

In April we became registered

with the ACCA’s Business Finance

Advice Service, demonstrating

that we can provide independent

advice on business finance,

including:

• Releasing personal finance,

• Raising equity from investors,

• Maximising tax incentives,

• Structuring applications for

bank loans or overdrafts,

• Considering the usefulness

and appropriateness of

business support scheme

options.

May 2013 Xero Certification

We had heard a lot about Xero

from prospective clients who

were already using this user-

friendly cloud-based accountancy

software. They raved about it so

we had to see what all the fuss

was about.

We took a look and liked what

we saw and became Xero

certified accountants in May.

Whilst we still maintain our

policy of working with whichever

software or accountancy format

our clients prefer, we have

noticed a strong uptake of this

newcomer because of its many

benefits aimed specifically at the

small business.

A real advantage is that it gives

access to real time financial

information.

But not only that, it allows you to give access to trusted people – such as your accountant –

to that information which, in turn, enables us to collaborate using the same, up-to-date

information.

Since May, a good number of our clients have also become converts and we have been

awarded Bronze Partner status.

June 2013 Client Satisfaction Survey – 100% friendly

Every summer we conduct a

Client Satisfaction Survey to test

how our clients experience the

service they get from us.

This year we were particularly

happy to hear that 100% of our

clients consider us to be

extremely friendly. We know

our clients appreciate our

approach in preference to that

of accountants who might come

across as less approachable or

more intimidating and we’ll

always give everyone a warm

welcome.

100% also said they would

certainly recommend us and this

is borne out by the number of

referrals we get.

The survey feedback was very

positive:

“You look after us amazingly

and we appreciate all you do

very much.”

“I have had a consistently

received an excellent service.

Thank you.”

“Totally happy with all aspects

of your service!!”

“I am always very impressed by how quickly and efficiently you respond to my queries and

really appreciate all of the support and advice that you offer.”

“I believe Linda has her finger on the button at every level.”

July 2013 Coalesco and friends – our new network

We’d been thinking about setting

up some networking

opportunities between our clients

for some time and in July we took

the plunge.

It felt like a risk at first but we

were thrilled with the positive

response.

We found an ideal venue in

Beeston, put on good spread, and

three speakers with plenty to say

of use to a small business. The format worked very well and we’ll be repeating our event,

with fresh new speakers every time, on a quarterly basis. The network is free to attend for

our clients and contacts.

August 2013 Launch of Linda’s New Book

August saw the birth of a new

baby for Coalesco – the book that

Linda had been working on since

the beginning of the year.

Setting Up Your New Business

answers all the questions that

Linda is asked by new business

owners when they first start up

and those questions that linger

through the first eighteen months

or so of doing business.

The book is a wealth of information for the new and young business – and a bargain at just

£10.00. You can get a copy by contacting Coalesco directly or buy one from Amazon.

September 2013 “Tax returns in good time” campaign

September was a time for

planning ahead – and for

encouraging our clients to do so

too.

Every accountant finds January to

be hectic to say the least, with

HMRC’s tax return deadline at the

end of the month.

We decided to start encouraging

our clients to get their paperwork

to us nice and early. The benefits

are well worthwhile, not least the

fact that, if a repayment is due to you, this will be processed by HMRC and in your bank

account sooner. Many thanks to everyone who submitted their records to us in good time.

October 2013 Practice Excellence Awards

This was the first year we had

entered the national Practice

Excellence Awards and, once

again, we need to thank you all

for your support in the first

round. Without your kind reviews

and comments we would not

have found ourselves on the

short list for the Small Firms

category.

A prestigious panel of judges

whittled that list down to three

per category and then we were subject to the public vote. A total of 250 firms around the

country entered so we were delighted when we were awarded this prize at the awards

evening at Vinopolis in London.

November 2013 British Accountancy Awards

Well you can’t say we haven’t

put ourselves forward this

year.

November saw us at the Tower

of London for the British

Accountancy Awards waiting

with bated breath to see how

we had fared.

Although we didn’t bring the

Independent Firm in the

Midlands award back to

Nottingham this time we feel honoured to have our efforts recognised and to have held

our own against competition from much bigger (but, dare we say, less friendly) firms.

December 2013 Guest Blogger for Creating Focus

What a lovely way to end the

year – an invitation to contribute

to Sarah Dale’s blog at Creating

Focus. Sarah has been collecting

pieces on the theme of “What

gets me up in the morning”.

“Coalesco is my world and I love

what I do – I am surrounded by

lovely clients, a supportive team

and a close group of friends and

family. I am not motivated by

money and having been asked the

question “What gets me up in the

morning?” I could respond with

because I love my job but it goes

deeper than that.”

Thank you all for your support over the

past year. All that remains to be said is…

Coalesco Certified Accountants, 156 Russell Drive, Wollaton, Nottingham, NG8 2BE

0115 928 3228 info@coalesco.co.uk www.coalesco.co.uk