Greenstones

Proposed Changes to Personal Service Companies from April 2020
In the Autumn Budget the Chancellor announced that the "off payroll" workers rules that currently apply in the public sector would be rolled out to the private sector in 2020.
The government have now issued a consultation paper that sets out proposed tax and national insurance changes that will impact on those supplying their services through personal service companies. End users will be required to determine wh...ether the rules apply to the services provided by the worker via his or her personal service company. This will be a significant additional administrative burden on the large and medium-sized businesses who will be required to operate the new rules. The current CEST (Check Employment Status for Tax) online tool would be improved before the proposed start date.
No change for “Small” Employers
“Small” businesses will be outside of the new obligations and services supplied to such organisations will continue to be dealt with under the current IR35 rules with the worker and his or her personal service company effectively self-assessing whether the rules apply to that particular engagement.
The definition of “small” has been widely awaited and the Government have confirmed that it intends to use the existing Companies Act 2006 definition. That is where the business satisfies 2 or more of the following features:-
• Annual turnover of £10.2 million or less • Balance sheet total of £5.1 million or less • 50 employees or less
The new obligations to determine whether the rules apply, deduct tax and national insurance, and report payments under RTI will apply to the agency or intermediary making payments to the personal service company where the end user is large or medium-sized. There will be an obligation to pass details of the status determination up and down the labour supply chain.
The liability for tax and national insurance will be the responsibility of the entity paying the personal service company, however if HMRC are unable to collect the tax from that entity the liability will pass up the labour supply chain thus encouraging those entities further up the supply chain to carry out due diligence to police compliance.
Please contact us on 01733 371180 if you would like to discuss how the proposed changes are likely to impact on your business.
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How to become a more resilient leader
We live in uncertain times. As such, business leaders need to be able to deal with temporary setbacks and recover quickly when things go wrong.
Managers are faced with different challenges every day. These might include managing conflicts, dealing with increasing regulatory change or difficult trading conditions. Having the ability to cope effectively when under pressure is essential. So how do you become a more resilient manager?
... Focus on your strengths
In the face of adversity, remember the strengths that have gotten you where you are and ask yourself how they can be applied to overcome the current challenge.
Take time to reflect
Whether you’re celebrating success or enduring tough challenges, make time to reflect. Reflection fosters learning and helps you to develop new perspectives and a degree of self-awareness that can enhance your resilience.
Don’t ignore the negative
Resilient managers see negatives and risks, but don’t dwell on them. Instead focus on reframing issues in a more proactive direction. Negative challenges are best seen as opportunities to learn.
Define your purpose
Developing a sense of purpose gives your work meaning and helps you put it into a larger context. A clear sense of purpose helps you to assess setbacks within the framework of a broader perspective. It also helps others in your firm to understand what you are trying to achieve.
Build relationships
Resilient business leaders build relationships with colleagues and bring those colleagues along with them. Developing good relationships with colleagues creates a strong base of support which is critical in helping managers to achieve objectives, develop perspective and make difficult decisions.
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Our May 2019 results have been updated and you can view them here: https://buff.ly/2MKRce9

Keeping your website up to date for Google searches
Google is still the world’s most popular search engine. Google’s search engine algorithm is continuously being updated so how do you keep your firm’s website up to date so that you show up in online searches?
More than 2.3 million Google searches are conducted every single minute. The top 5 search results on Google get over 70% of the click through traffic. There is no point in being on the second or third page of search res...ults - people don’t tend to look that far. Your firm needs to be in the top half of the first page in order to allow potential customers to find your business online.
Mobile search is also on the rise - 88% of smart-phone users are searching on Google. As such, you should make sure that your firm’s website is optimised for smart-phone screens as well as computers and tablets.
Google offers a free service called Google Search Console. This service allows you to submit your website to Google for indexing.
You can also use the tool to identify any potential search related errors on your site, view the kinds of search queries that are driving traffic to your site, etc.
You can also link your firm’s website to Google My Business. This can help your website to appear in relevant geographic search results. Google will then send a postcard to verify your business’s physical address and your firm will show up if people are searching for a business like yours in the local area.
The speed at which your website loads also affects the way it is ranked by Google. Google ranks faster loading sites higher than slow websites. You can make your site load faster by minimising the size of image files and using fast hosting services.
Finally, ensure that you use relevant keywords in your page titles, meta descriptions, URLs and throughout your actual content. Don’t use too many keywords as this can actually have a negative effect on your site’s Google ranking. If in doubt, consider hiring an external consultant to help you.
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We are currently on the look-out for someone to join the team as a Receptionist and Social Media Administrator.
The role (which could be part time or full time) is to cover maternity leave from July 2019 through to March 2020 and absolutely no experience is necessary.
All you need is an outgoing personality, a passion for looking after customers brilliantly and be dedicated to supporting your colleagues.
... If you have all that, then we can teach you how to…
• Meet and greet customers when they first arrive at the office. • Make sure they are comfortable whilst they are with us. • Answer the phone in a friendly and welcoming manner. • Make sure the post gets opened and distributed in a timely manner. • Support the team with scanning, sorting customer records and making appointments for them. • As well as many other things.
Whilst not essential, it would help if you had some qualifications in marketing and were looking to build on that with some experience.
GreenStones is an award-winning accountancy practice, recognised as one of the most innovative and forward thinking in the country. With a rapidly expanding team, this is an exciting time to join us at our Peterborough office.
To find out more about what we can do for you, go to www.accountancyjobspeterborough.com now.
In the first instance, send your CV together with your salary expectations and a video of why you would like this role to jobs@greenstones.co.uk
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Receptionist and Social Media Administrator Required
We are currently on the look-out for someone to join the team as a Receptionist and Social Media Administrator.
The role (which could be part time or full time) is to cover maternity leave from July 2019 through to March 2020 and absolutely no experience is necessary.
... All you need is an outgoing personality, a passion for looking after customers brilliantly and be dedicated to supporting your colleagues.
If you have all that, then we can teach you how to…
• Meet and greet customers when they first arrive at the office. • Make sure they are comfortable whilst they are with us. • Answer the phone in a friendly and welcoming manner. • Make sure the post gets opened and distributed in a timely manner. • Support the team with scanning, sorting customer records and making appointments for them. • As well as many other things.
Whilst not essential, it would help if you had some qualifications in marketing and were looking to build on that with some experience.
GreenStones is an award-winning accountancy practice, recognised as one of the most innovative and forward thinking in the country. With a rapidly expanding team, this is an exciting time to join us at our Peterborough office.
To find out more about what we can do for you, go to https://accountancyjobspeterborough.com/r eceptionistrequir…/ now.
In the first instance, send your CV together with your salary expectations and a video of why you would like this role to jobs@greenstones.co.uk
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Bourne Town Juniors u8's had the opportunity to 'play on the pitch' at the ABAX stadium today.
The boys had a fantastic morning playing in the sunshine and even got to enter the pitch via the tunnel as their names were called out. ⚽️☀️

Yesterday, GreenStones had Yahya from Solutions4Health in, carrying out health checks for the team.
By working on our own individual health and happiness, it helps us to be more productive at work and as a team.

How to raise your prices without losing customers
The cost of running a business goes up every year, but when was the last time you increased your prices?
Many business owners and managers worry that if they were to increase prices, they would lose customers. However, a customer will often be willing to pay a higher price if they feel they are getting value for their money.
... A good way to increase your prices can be to bundle products or services together and offer the combined bundle at a price that offers value to the customer. For example, a phone contract might have a higher price, but it may include a bundle such as unlimited calls and 20GB of data per month. The key is providing value to the customer.
Find a way to differentiate your offering. Perhaps you could offer new online services to your customers such as an online portal or an app. Maybe you could create faster, more efficient processes so that your customers get a faster, more efficient product or service from your firm, compared to the competition. If you offer something that is seen to be the best in its class, that offers a benefit to your customers, you may be able to increase your prices.
You can test a higher pricing strategy on new customers. Your existing customers might be resistant to a price increase but new customers will be unfamiliar with your pricing, so they may accept the higher price if they feel that you offer more value to them than your competitors.
If you do increase prices for your existing customers, you need to communicate well and explain clearly why you had to make the decision to increase your prices. Do your market research to make sure that your pricing isn’t completely out of line with competitors. If your business is not significantly different to the nearest competition, you may run the risk of losing customers.
Large sudden jumps in your prices will not go down well. Instead, introduce gradual increases such as 5% or 10% per year, depending on the type of business that you run. Everyone knows that the cost of doing business goes up each year. If you communicate with your customers, they may be more receptive to small increases.
The GreenStones Team are always on hand to guide and support your business. Give the team a call on 01733 371180 and set the ball rolling to increase your prices today!
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How do you deliver customer value? Understanding what your customers really value can help you to market yourproducts and services more effectively.
Customer value is the perception of what a product or service is worth to the customer. Customers don’t buy features - they buy benefits. Your customers will buy your product or service because of the benefits that they get. If you take the time to understand what your customers value and what they are willing to pay for, you w...ill be able to market your business more effectively. You may also be able to win new customers from your competitors.
Most businesses make the mistake of thinking about value purely in terms of money. They create special offers to promote their products and services, but all they are doing is cutting their profit margin in a race to the bottom. Sure, there is a place in most markets for a lowest priced competitor but this doesn’t work for everyone. Take the airline industry - there isn’t room for more than a handful of low cost airlines and that is why many of them are in financial difficulty - their costs have gone up, but there is downward pressure on pricing.
Value is about much more than just money. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes - your customers think of value in terms of goals, benefits and results. They are seeking an outcome and this is what drives their purchasing decision. For example, an accountant might save a customer £6,000 on their tax bill and charge the customer £2,000 for doing the tax work. The monetary value to the customer is therefore £4,000. But what if this is only the beginning? What if the customer wants to grow their business over the next 5 years. The accountant could add value by providing advisory services to the customer over the next 5 years, to help them to achieve that goal. The customer would be willing to pay for that additional service because it helps them to achieve their goal.
The overall perception of value is, from a customer’s perspective, also influenced by experience. If the accountant in our example is difficult to deal with and the customer has to regularly drive to their offices to sign paperwork, have face to face meetings, etc. the customer will not think that the service is great and may question whether it is worth the money. Conversely, if the accountant offers meetings over Skype, at a time convenient for the customer and provides documents by email with e-signature capability, the customer may value the convenience and efficient service to the extent that they may even be willing to pay more for that service.
https://buff.ly/Afzhtk is a great example. The high street is struggling yet the world’s largest online retailer continues to grow. Why? Because its customers value the convenience, the vast range of product choices on offer and the ease of purchasing. Amazon has aligned its business model with the values of its customers and that is why it continues to succeed.
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Sunflowers & Pumpkins https://accountancyjobspeterborough.com/s unflowers-pumpkins/
The GreenStones games continue this month with growing sunflowers and pumpkins.
... Team members have been given 2 sunflower seeds and 2 pumpkin seeds with the aim of growing the tallest sunflower and the heaviest pumpkin.
The sunflowers will be measured at their peak in August and the pumpkins will be harvested in October…ready for pumpkin carving.
Watch this space to see which team members have green fingers!
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Are you ready to start your journey with GreenStones?
We are pleased to announce the launch of our new website, www.accountancyjobspeterborough.com which is designed to make it easy for you to apply to join our team.
The website includes lots of “Team Talk”, giving you an insight into what the team are up to and what it is like to work here.
... We don’t advertise specific roles, we hire people not job titles.
So, what are you waiting for? Visit www.accountancyjobspeterborough.com and have a look for yourself.
Get in touch, tell us about yourself and we can have a chat about how you could complement our team.
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How do you remain productive whilst you are travelling?
In theory, when you travel with work, you should have time to focus on getting a few things done. In reality, it can be almost impossible to work in a busy airport or on a busy flight. Here are a few tips to help you to be more productive when you are on the road.
Plan ahead... There is nothing worse than starting a piece of work and realising that you need WiFi because the document you need is in the cloud, or that your battery on your laptop is low. Staying productive while you are on the road is all about planning ahead. Download the files you need, take a power pack with you for your devices and hit send / receive in your inbox, when you are on WiFi. Try to avoid relying on in-flight WiFi - it is generally slow and frustrating.
Make the most of being away from the office If you are in an airport lounge or on a busy flight, put on headphones. Listening to music can help to drown out distractions and allow you to focus. If you need to write a business plan, sometimes it can be good to do so while sitting on a plane, away from interruptions, phone calls or emails. If you are driving rather than flying, maybe you can do a few calls (hands-free of course).
Exercise If you are jet-lagged or tired following time spent traveling, some gentle exercise will help to re-energise you and get you ready for the day ahead. Many hotels have a gym or pool. If not, a morning jog is a good way to start your day.
Don’t forget to rest Travel can be exhausting. Make the most of being away and get some sleep in a hotel room. If you are traveling through the night, try to get at least a nap. If you need to work, maybe focus on simple tasks like clearing emails, when you are too tired to focus on anything complex.
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Make sure you are extracting the profits out of your company in the most tax efficient manner

We are pleased to announce that we will be sponsoring Bourne Town Juniors u9 Clarets for the 2019/20 season.
The Clarets have been together since 2016 and have two dedicated coaches, Sean and Ben, who continually support and challenge the boys to develop their skills.
The boys were very excited to receive their brand new kit and will be showing it off early at various local football tournaments throughout the summer.
... GreenStones’ Customer Manager, Mark Wrigley, whose son plays for the team, said: “After opening an office in Bourne in 2017, GreenStones are delighted to be supporting the local community. A lot of time and effort is put in by the coaches, players and their families at Bourne Town FC and we are pleased to be able to contribute towards and recognise all their hard work”.
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Congratulations Potting Shed Press Limited
Each quarter we hold a prize draw for customers who complete our Customer Satisfaction Survey*.
We are pleased to announce that Potting Shed Press Limited won £50 worth of John Lewis vouchers in our prize draw for the quarter ended 31 March 2019.
... For your chance to win, look out for our Customer Satisfaction Survey which is sent via email with your final accounts.
*To be entered into the draw customers are asked to complete the survey with their name. Only surveys complete with a name in this section are entered into the draw. Congratulations Potting Shed Press Limited
Each quarter we hold a prize draw for customers who complete our Customer Satisfaction Survey*.
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