Awards 2006: Landers – Small firm of the year

Sponsored by SBJ Professional

Finola McManus and Robert Brown, co-directors at Landers the Accountants, believe that the key to helping clients develop their businesses to their full potential lies in finding out about clients’ ambitions ­ both business and personal.

Each meeting with a client includes ‘goal-setting’ to ensure that discussions get down to what McManus and Brown believe is the heart of the matter: they need to understand the personal circumstances and aspirations of their clients so their advice does not conflict with those circumstances.

McManus and Brown maintain that it is pointless developing a growth plan that requires relentless 50-hour weeks when a client wants flexible working arrangements to cope with family needs or to pursue other interests.

It is an ethos that runs through everything they do. Aside from the usual armoury of tax, financial management and audit services, Landers offers strategy and marketing support and staff and customer surveys. The firm advocates one-page business plans and helps owner-managers to implement them.

Landers’ own directors practise what they preach. McManus and Brown go through the goal-setting process themselves each year and stick to their own one-page business plan. They share these plans with their team along with financial performance targets.

Their approach has paid dividends. Over the past three years, turnover has increased by 43% and profitability by 40%. Both directors work a four-day week and take nine weeks annual holiday each. Staff work flexitime and there is a strict ‘no overtime’ rule.

It adds up to a service that goes far beyond normal accountancy services. ‘You aren’t just accountants,’ said one client. ‘We wouldn’t be where we are without you.’

Impressed with Landers’ professionalism and level of attention to client care, the judges said: ‘The firm is absolutely excellent. The work ethic stands out a mile. This is a firm that cares about its clients and cares about its people. The professionalism and dedication of the firms at this level is astonishing and if I had to hire one it would be Landers.’

WHAT LANDERS HAS TO OFFER

● Women’s Business Builder Forums – a bi-monthly event to encourage business development ideas among women owner-managers and entrepreneurs.
● Wealth Tracker – away of helping clients to assess their current and future worth. Landers asks clients how they want to live following retirement and offers strategies to achieve those goals.
● Goal Getter – a goal-setting strategy.