MANY successful businesses across the country already share one well-kept secret – their link with AFP Services Limited.
The 41-strong team at the Kettering-based company specialise in offering back office services that make a real difference to each client’s business.
Growth and making the most of opportunities are at the heart of the work of the team that thrives on its anonymity.
“We are the client’s back office finance and supply chain departments which means we are so much more than another accountancy firm,” said Richard Peel, who set up the business in 2002.
“By running the back-office accounts, finance and supply chain functions, we can work in partnership with each business, so they can focus on growing their business. We like to work with businesses where there is the potential to grow.”
This means a wide range of services from bookkeeping to production of Board Reporting Packs all come under scrutiny from the team of experts. Others will opt for a full back-office package including order management and stock control, so orders are in the right place at the right time while other members of the team maybe finding ways to set, measure, and meet key performance indicators.
AFP Services have proven there are four main reasons to outsource back office administration: staff, experience, scalability and convenience.
Staff: Take advantage of the experience and skills of the team who can respond to each client’s specific needs. Flexible, experienced and passionate about how they can make a difference.
Experience: The team have nearly 500 years of accounting and supply chain experience behind them, as well as more than 100 ‘letters’ after their names. They have expertise in at least five tried and tested accounting and order management systems which can grow with the client’s business. A network of trusted specialists from lawyers to bankers and insurance agents bring additional benefits.
Scalability: AFP clients range from pre-revenue to annual turnovers in excess of £15m and growing. All are crucial to AFP’s success. In an average month AFP will raise over 6,000 sales orders, process over 4,000 purchase invoices, pay over 400 employees, file over 20 VAT returns, reconcile over 200 bank accounts and produce over 150 reports to clients.
Convenience: Outsourcing the finance administration means there is no longer a need to hire a bookkeeper and an accountant which means time (and money) can be better spent on running the business rather than worrying about internal functions such as chasing invoices and ensuring that accounts are filed on time.
Richard said: “It makes good sense. Our in-house teams work with a wide range of clients, so we need to keep up to date with latest legislation and be efficient. If you don’t grow, then we don’t grow so it is in our best interest to offer the very best service.”
Clients including household names already use AFP Services, including many who have enjoyed the benefits of the team’s experience. This could mean having the right stock in the right place and the right time to meet short-term growth or identifying the best way of managing working capital requirements.
Richard said: “We believe in giving business owners the support and confidence to make better decisions. We work across a wide range of sectors and, where we see the benefit of one process, when we see how one process can benefit, it makes sense to see if other clients can take advantage of our experiences.”
To discuss in confidence your company’s requirements call AFP Services Ltd on 01536 419940, or see the website at www.afpservices.co.uk
Catherine Casey is the newly-appointed Managing Director of AFP Services.
The FCMA qualified accountant has stepped up from Client Services Director to take over the role from Richard Peel, who set up the business in 2002. He intends to focus on business development leaving Catherine to use her extensive experience to take on the day-to-day management.
Richard said: “Catherine is incredibly experienced and knowledgeable. It felt the right time for me to take on a different role. AFP Services Ltd is proud of its track record in giving businesses the opportunity to grow and it is important we lead by example.”
Catherine said “I joined AFP in 2014. Having run a business myself, I felt I had a really good understanding of what makes small business owners tick. The beauty of AFP is that we offer so much more than basic accounting – its my job now to make sure that we deliver an excellent service to all our clients – including the new ones that Richard will bring to AFP over the next few months!”