Berkshire Physiotherapy Centre

“K&H is not a large anonymous business. We always know who we are talking to on the end of the phone.”

Carol Adkins, Director, Berkshire Physiotherapy Centre

K&H have been providing accountancy services for Berkshire Physiotherapy Centre since it was set up 25 years ago. The connection started because one of the original founders of K&H was a patient of Jim Adkins, co-director.

Berkshire Physiotherapy has grown considerably, and is a thriving business with 25 staff, specialising in the treatment of sports injuries, back and neck pain. And it still has K&H as its accountants.

“We use them mainly for accountancy, although I do know they offer business advice as well. They encouraged us to become a limited company, for example, which saved us tax,” says Carol.

“Whenever we want to contact them, they’re very prompt and get back to us quickly with an answer – which is just what you need when you’ve got a query.”

“And we always know who we’re talking to. When you leave a message, it’s always that person who rings us back.”

Visit the Berkshire Physiotherapy Centre website.

Lynn Copp, Managing Director, The Worklife Company

“Andrew Gray is excellent at offering sound advice and helping us drive our business forward – I regard him more a business partner than an accountant.”

Lynne Copp set up the Worklife Company in 1998. The Worklife Company is an organisational development and training company that is in business to support clients to create the workplace of the future by implementing innovative ways of working: both psychological – such as worklife balance, gender difference and wellbeing; and physical – such as space and colour. They are experts in worklife balance, flexible working and employee wellbeing.

Lynne met Andrew Gray of K&H three years ago. “I needed to work with an accounting firm that would offer us good advice on our business direction, as well as the usual accounting services like book-keeping and tax. Andrew has lived up to this expectation by continually providing access to sound business ideas and coaching me to approach my business goals differently.”

“I also like the synergy in our working styles. Andrew recognises my creativity and passion for the work I do, and he works with this to ensure a positive outcome.”

Consistency is another quality that Lynne values in K&H. “They provide a consistent service, consistent professionalism, and I have faith that they will continue to provide a consistent flow of sound business consulting to us in future.”

Visit The Worklife Company website.

Where Emma finds K&H useful is for independent appraisal of the accounts she produces. “I prepare the accounts, and they go to K&H for checking. K&H then submit them to Companies House and HMRC for us.”

K&H have been the accountants for Marshalls Pet Food Store for 19 years, so the connection is a long-standing one. Over the years, turnover has risen significantly, and sales via the website have become an increasing part of the business.

This year, the company moved from a manual accounting system to a software package, and K&H helped with the transition.

Says Emma: “What I also like is the K&H newsletter, and the tips it contains. If there’s something relevant to us, I can then implement it in our company.”

Visit the Marshalls website

Andy Wise, Director, Thames Valley Asset Finance

“I appreciate K&H’s ability to plan forward. They’re helping me plan for the future, advising me on how I can save tax as I expand the business.”

Thames Valley Asset Finance arranges loans for small and medium businesses to purchase equipment and vehicles. It was set up by Andy Wise in 2006.  K&H came on the scene about six months later, as the result of a chance meeting between Andy Wise and Andy Scott at a networking event. “We got on well, and we took it from there.”

“My background was in banking, so I knew how to operate my business. Where K&H helped was with the legal side of things: company returns, corporation tax, company tax – all the financial and accounting requirements of running a company. I just ring them up, and they tell me how to do things.”

What Andy particularly likes about K&H is their fixed fee service. “I pay a fixed amount, and then I have ‘free’ access to Andy and all the other advisers whenever I want. If an opportunity comes up, or if I have any questions, I can go and discuss things with them. They’re very flexible. And there are no hidden extras.”

K&H also have a reciprocal arrangement whereby they refer their clients to Andy Wise where appropriate – and Andy Wise will do the same for them

Obviously, Andy Wise wouldn’t recommend K&H if he didn’t find them useful himself. There are concrete examples of where K&H have saved him money. Buying a fuel-efficient company car, on advice from Andy Scott, has saved TVAF about £3,500.

“I also appreciate K&H’s ability to plan forward. They’re helping me plan for the future, advising me on how I can save tax as I expand the business.”

Visit the TVAF website

Colin Wells, Director

Prospect Estate Agency is a large estate agency operating in the Berkshire area. It has been in existence for 19 years, and now has six offices throughout the county, arranging house sales and lettings, and offering financial services in the house business. As Managing Director, Colin Wells is totally steeped in the business.

Surprisingly, perhaps, so too are their accountants, K&H. “K&H understand our business very well,” says Colin, “and they understand us well as individuals too.”

“We have a very good working relationship with K&H built on trust. They really do deliver what they say they’ll deliver.”

Previously, Prospect used a large accountancy firm, which was becoming impersonal and unresponsive. “We wanted accountants who were much more hands-on, smaller, and more personable. K&H meet all these requirements, as well as being very much better in terms of business advice and all the other extras that they offer.”

As for K&H’s promise to reply to queries within 24 hours, Colin says it is completely true. “They always get back to me with an answer the same day, even if it’s to say they’ll have to look into something further. They are very, very thorough. They take detailed notes at all our meetings, and then follow up on every point of action. They never miss anything.”

K&H have been Prospect’s accountants for five years now. Colin is happy with the choice. “Having found the right accountant, we’re going to stick with them. I’d be very surprised if any other accountant was as good.”

Visit the Prospect website>>

Rob Biggin, Managing Director, Rainmaker Coaching

“K&H took time to listen and understand my business. They have helped me make my company more efficient and effective and most importantly less dependant on me”

‘Rainmaking’ is a term borrowed from the native American Indians, who used rainmakers to bring on the rain for the crops. In today’s world, ‘rainmakers’ are people who can generate business without actually being sales people. It’s a thin line between the two, but an important one, as Rob Biggin knows.

Rob worked in sales for Hewlett Packard for 24 years before going his own way. He came across the concept of rainmakers, and became fascinated, and convinced of the power for use in business. He set up Rainmaker Coaching, and gathered together a group of associates to work with him.

“I was annoyed with my previous accountants. They were a classic case of having a ’silver top sage’ as the front man, but then handing the work to a graduate who is only learning the job.” Then one of Rob’s coaches introduced him to K&H.

Rob was drawn to Andrew immediately. “He took the time to listen and understand my business. Putting into practice lessons from Michael Gerber’s E-Myth we drew up an organisational chart, putting each role in the company into a box. I was in every one! K&H have helped take me out of the boxes and in the process make my company more efficient and effective and most importantly less dependant on me. They also deliver very good accounting and tax planning services.”

Rob has been using K&H’s services for the past three years.

“A key element of rainmaking is to be interested, not interesting. Andrew is like that – he is genuinely interested in my business, and in helping it grow.”

Nick Mills, Managing Director, Instar UK

“I’ve used K&H since I started my business. They have been very useful to me as a one-man business, taking away all the burden of my tax returns and other financial matters.”

Nick Mills, Instar UK

Nick Mills set up his business, Instar UK, in 2001, selling specialist adhesive for the flat-roofing trade. Now he is diversifying into selling a product called Vispack – packs containing high-visibility vests for storage in cars in case of breakdown or accident.

K&H were Nick’s accountants from the start.

“I was a one-man business, and K&H took away the need to be concerned about PAYE, tax returns and so on. They are always on the ball about reminders, and have been very helpful with all my tax matters.”

“I know that they are not the cheapest accountants, but I’ve stuck with them because I’ve found them worthwhile.”

Visit the Instar UK website.

Vincent Gardner, Broking Director, Finch Commercial Insurance Brokers

“We met Andrew Gray from K&H, and realised that there was some commonality in our cultures. We are working together on mutual recommendation, which helps both our clients and theirs.”

Vincent Gardner, Broking Director, Finch Commercial Insurance Brokers

What better illustration of the fact that K&H is more than just an accountancy service than its relationship with Finch Commercial Insurance Brokers?

K&H aims to be a valued business adviser for its clients, and is starting to build up a network of useful relationships with other firms, such as Finch. Finch Commercial insurance is part of the Finch Group, and provides professional indemnity, public liability and other commercial insurance services. The two companies are embarking on a relationship of working together, referring their clients to each other – but only where appropriate, and where helpful to the client.

Vincent Gardner puts it like this: “K&H is trying to open their customers’ eyes to look beyond their accountancy needs. They are aligning themselves to some other companies, such as ourselves, so that they can make useful recommendations for other aspects of their customers’ business beyond accounting. It’s all part of what they can do to offer a full business service to help their customers.”

Visit the Finch Commercial Insurance Brokers website.

Steve appreciates the fact that K&H are very proactive in organising events and customer seminars, to increase awareness of modern business practice, such as the Michael Gerber business models. He has attended several of the workshops, and found them helpful.

“Over the years, K&H have given us some great information on developing our business. They’ve definitely made a real difference.”

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Says Peter, “Although we didn’t choose K&H in the first place, we have stuck with them, because they are so helpful. When Mick and I took over the company, we had no experience of running a business. K&H advised us step by step on what we needed to know, and what we needed to do to keep the company on its feet, and then to help it grow.”

Peter also values the fact that K&H are always available. “If we’ve got any problems, or any questions, we know that they will be on the end of the phone or get back to us with an email very quickly.”

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