Business is ultimately about winning in the marketplace and a fluid financial model and forecast can contribute greatly to getting and staying ahead of competitors. It is as close as you will get to a crystal ball for your business finances! The two areas bring great insights.
The rapid developments in the use of cloud based technology for the finance function has meant that any business of any size is now able to have a financial model and a forecast.
We start by ensuring your underlying book keeping is robust enough to support a full and accurate analysis. This core data is the foundation of the financial model and the addition of the budget expectations with regularly updated actuals creates a powerful tool which removes much of the uncertainty and gives the time to act.
We build the financial model which will set a benchmark for the core business activity and focuses on understanding the interactions between sales, costs of sales and gross margin. It is the heart of the business and a clear understanding and target can add much to performance.
Once the original budget is in place, updating is very efficient using the right technology. This is the rolling forecast and the combination of actual results to date plus budget figures to year end, or longer, instantly shows the impact of either exceeding or missing the budget.
These tools, along with monthly video catch ups to review performance, are rapidly becoming the norm in the way we work with business clients. Understanding the results today, the impact for tomorrow and proactively changing those potential outcomes is fundamental to success and is a game changer for all sizes of business.
If you would like to remove the uncertainty from your business, contact our Business Advisory team on 01242 776000 or complete the enquiry form below.
It was reassuring to hear from a mix of other business owners, some with larger businesses and some with smaller, but all facing or having dealt with similar issues to me. The content was thought provoking and sparked a number of ideas for me to take away.
On each occasion I have been pleased with the clarity provided by their reports and valued their prompt attention. Their approach is to simplify complex issues to help non accountants and The Court to understand and reach informed decisions. I recommend them very highly.
Will has played a pivotal role in growing our business and the advice has been invaluable. Having someone who is not emotionally invested in my business, with a strong business, finance and coaching background, has allowed me to confidently explore new ideas. Working with Will has been one of the best decisions I have made and I look forward to continuing this relationship in the years ahead.
Given the huge uncertainty around Covid, we wanted to stay ahead of the game and contacted Will after a recommendation. We needed to explore multiple possible scenarios to help determine our strategies. Will and his team responded quickly, talked to us in a way we could understand and helped us identify the key risks and variables. We now have a clear way forward and are looking forward to working with Will as he helps us implement efficiencies in our business to ensure we beat our targets.
It was brilliant going through the forecasts with you yesterday. You made things simple to follow and discussing the 3-4 key areas without getting bogged down in detail was really helpful. I came away with a much better understanding of the way forward and a clear idea of where we need to focus in order to beat the forecasts. Thank you so much!
Since being introduced to Will a couple of years ago, we have worked together on all aspects of our business. As a direct result of this work, whilst Covid-19 is presenting challenges, we are facing these from a position of strength and feel very positive about the future. By chatting to Will on regular video calls or recording actions and plans using the online coaching portal, we get help when we need it and we stay focused on and accountable for doing what needs to be done. To anyone concerned about the future, I recommend Will and his approach very highly.
Randall & Payne produced cashflow forecasts based on our accounts and projected income that were used by the bank to approve a business loan. This will enable us to add to our portfolio of properties within the company and expand the services we can offer. A big thanks to Will and the team.
We just want to say a huge thank you to Will Abbott on behalf of us both for his incredible diligence, advice and support over the last 10 years or so. Will provided excellent advice in a friendly way, that steered us through some pretty tricky situations over the years, which I’m sure he will recall. And we had some fun along the way!
I have been a client of Randall & Payne’s for many years now, both for personal and company accounting services, and I cannot fault them. The firm is excellent across the spectrum, from business leadership coaching and financial planning to practical tax advice. I feel I know the advisers personally now and am always met with the same level of professionalism and friendliness. Even when I feel I may be asking very ‘simple’ questions, they still make me feel valued.
I have been extremely impressed with the smooth transition over to Xero and all of its capabilities. The assistance we received from Randall & Payne was instrumental in achieving a more joined up accounting function. They listened, understood our frustrations with our existing systems and proposed a solution. Randall & Payne have worked with my team and I to continue to streamline our processes.
Officeworx Ltd have been using the services of Randall & Payne for 25 years. In this time, they have supported us with everything from our standard year-end accountancy through to business advice, consultancy, acquisitions and mergers. They have experts for every requirement and offer a wide range of services. With the team at Randall & Payne behind us, we can get on with doing what we do best – running our business.
Coming from a long established, family business I found the EPIC Business Leaders Group really refreshing. I benefited greatly from both the interaction with other business leaders, finding I was not alone in many of my challenges, as well as from the presentations and sessions on strategic thinking, planning and goal setting. It was really great to learn techniques which were quick to apply in the workplace. My confidence in leading at work and improved strategic thinking have led to a number of changes for the better.
Every company, when it reaches a certain size or age, needs clear reflection and guidance on what it offers and how it can plan for future growth from a detached external source. Will Abbott has provided that important source of management direction and expertise for three years in a way that a ‘non-exec’ director would add value.
The Partners and team at Randall & Payne simply gave us what we needed to turn our plans into reality. We are excited about the future and are already working with them on the next three-year plan.
