Case Study

One (Wo)man Band

Pamela took over the family business from her Father when he retired. The business is involved in distribution of product throughout Ireland and has a significant customer base of clients who have dealt with Pamela’s Father for years. Pamela had been to business school, so she had no trouble in slotting in to the role of running the Company from Dublin; dealing with the invoicing, stock control and day to day accounts administration. She rapidly found herself too busy to visit customers so she would take orders over the phone. When it got really busy she took ‘the books’ home with her and finished off the VAT and PAYE returns at the kitchen table much to the annoyance of her family.

The first year’s results were fine but she found that in year 2 it got more difficult as a number of the clients down the country defected to her competitors and others were having problems with making payments. Cash flow started to get very tight as Pamela tried to juggle with bills to decide which she could or could not pay. This made Pamela’s life more complicated and she found herself spending more and more time on administration, leaving less time to carry out the few sales calls she was making in the Dublin area.

Eventually Pamela had to admit to her Father that things were not going well and that unless she employed a Sales assistant the business would gradually disintegrate. Pamela’s Father had been observing what had been happening but felt he had to leave it up to her to sort out. He had resolved not to interfere unless he was asked. He told Pamela that her problem was not that she needed help with the Sales side of the business, after all this was the business!

He advised her to get someone to do the books and get ‘out on the road’ herself and get to know her Customers and their needs. He said “if you can’t make the cost of your accountant in one or two days sales a month on the road there is something wrong with the business”. It was wise advise, Pamela came to AbaKus , we look after all the things she spent her time doing in the kitchen at night and now she know all her customers on first name terms – nearly as well as her Father. She now employs an additional two agents to support her new customers although she makes sure she sees all of them regularly.

Lesson from experience
If you can’t make more than what we cost out of your own business, by spending extra time on it, why not join us ……….we’re always looking for first class admin staff!