CASE STUDY 1 - THE CHORD COMPANY

Company Background

The Chord Company are manufacturers of top of the range, very high quality audio leads with a turnover in excess of £1million and a customer base both in the United Kingdom and Europe.

Managing Director, Sally Kennedy, has built up this company over the past 18 years (established in 1985) and was awarded Investors in People in 2001. Sally takes a keen interest in staff training and feels that this increases their motivation and enthusiasm within the company.

The Chord Company have been clients of ours since September 2001.

Terms of Reference

During the past year, our initial consultancy was to carry out a review of their Sales Order Processing system, Stock Control and Purchase Order Processing within the Accounts Department. 

Aims & Objectives

The aim was to improve staff competence in these areas and create a smooth flow of information from the initial sales order, allocating the stock to the order, despatching the goods from the packaging department through to the sales invoice.

Process Employed

We identified the staff who required training on these specialist areas, implemented a series of off-site, bespoke training sessions with the relevant staff to give them specific training on these systems, including export and multi-currently functions.  We also helped them to compile Bill of Materials for the production department and stock control practices to identify stock shortages, costing etc.

Outcomes/Achievements

The staff are pleased with their increased knowledge and have greater confidence in implementing new procedures.  They are now able to understand the stock reports and streamline their production and allocation of parts.

It is planned to give more training on Purchase Order Processing, bringing stock in and matching the order to the Purchase Invoices both with the Purchase Department staff and the book-keeper.

CASE STUDY 2 – WESSEX PHOTOGRAPHIC

Company Background

Wessex Photographic is a partnership with 3 retail shops based in Dorset.  They specialise in photographic and digital equipment, telescopes and film development.  They have a turnover of £.75M.

They have been clients of ours since April 2001 when they took over the company.

Terms of Reference

Our Terms of Reference during 2002 was a Consultancy in setting up systems to reconcile the 3 retail shop sales, create management accounts for each shop and to deal with the day to day running of Accounts Software and monthly Payroll.

Aims & Objectives

The aim was implement accounting and payroll systems to streamline the daily input of data, tailor the accounting software to report on the 3 shops individually and as a consolidated business and to enable accurate and timely reporting for management control.

Process Employed

The software has been upgraded to encompass the above requirements, tailored to match the relevant type of business in line with the historical accounting reports followed by specific staff training on the data input.  Management accounts were set up for each individual shop together with consolidated reports for the group.

Outcomes/Achievements

David and Violet Lewis have the benefit of accurate management reports to reflect the performance of each individual shop and the ability to take remedial action as soon as it is required.  They are now able to plan for the future with confidence and manage the business rather than letting the business manage them.

CASE STUDY 3 – BANYARDS LIMITED

Company Background

Based in Horton Heath, near Wimborne, Dorset, Banyards were established in 1973 as a family run business specialising in arboriculture and landscaping industry.  They built a solid reputation in hard & soft landscaping, exterior and interior landscaping, tree surgery, grounds maintenance, recycling and land restoration.

As an SME company employing 100 people with 8 different departments, they have used Sage line 50 and Payroll for many years.   As new facilities in the software became available they have upgraded and have gradually maximised on its potential.  They have also been awarded Investors in People.

They have a turnover in excess of £4million and have been clients since 1993.

Terms of Reference

The decision was made to incorporate the management buy-out into a Limited Company in January 2003.  We were called in to act as Consultants to set up the new company, and to review the accountancy systems to comply with the Audit and Companies Act.

Aims & Objectives

The decision to incorporate was only made in November 2002 giving a very short timescale to organise and implement the setting up of the new company in accordance with accounting regulations.  The aim was to carry out this procedure as smoothly as possible and ensure the continuity of service to their large and high profile customer base.

Process Employed

Consultation with management took place to establish a list of priorities.  The process was then overseen by Partners in Training (UK) and the company started trading as Banyards Limited from 1st January 2003.

Outcomes/Achievements

Appropriate accounting and payroll practices have been implemented to reflect the change of legal status, relevant staff training put in place and legal procedures overseen in liaison with management and the company accountants. 

We will be acting as ongoing consultants on a monthly basis to implement training for new staff, and updating and reviewing current procedures in accounting areas.

CASE STUDY 4 – AGE CONCERN (WILTSHIRE)

Age Concern approached Partners in Training (UK) Ltd in 2007 to assist them in buying the right Sage product for their needs. We also advised them to use the new software alongside their old for at least 3 months so that they would feel comfortable with the results. Our initial visit was to advise them how set up their income & expenditure headings, projects & activities, funds and donors. We checked what they had done and advised them of any necessary changes. Our training was carried out at a time to suit them and over a period of time that did not encroach into their day to day running of the charity’s accounts. At then end of the financial year we helped them to agree all their balances within funds, projects etc. They are now up and running to process all their information for the next financial year and we will support them again at the next year end to produce their SoFA report at a touch of a button.

I asked Mike and Anji of Age Concern Wiltshire to give me their comments:-

Mike says “I am confident that we are gaining the best value from the product because we have been directed correctly. We have been able to benefit from in-house training which has meant we can progress at our own pace and this has proved very effective. Overall we are extremely satisfied with the system and service provided”.

“We were most fortunate in finding Sue who has been extremely helpful to us by her vast knowledge of the system”.

Anji says “Training has been planned and carried out in manageable quantities with all tasks differentiated to the needs and abilities of service users. Because of this, the shift from the old software to the new has been seamless”.

Anji says “I just love the remittance advices which have saved so much work”