Brought to you by
The CPAA is at the forefront of representing the accountant engaged in public practice in the UK...
Save content
Have you found this content useful? Use the button above to save it to your profile.

Spotlight on a winner

10th Feb 2016
Brought to you by
The CPAA is at the forefront of representing the accountant engaged in public practice in the UK...
Save content
Have you found this content useful? Use the button above to save it to your profile.
Sharon Pocock from Hereford-based Kinder Pocock, Winner of AccountingWEB’s Practice Growth of the Year sponsored by the CPAA, tells us more about what makes her practice tick.
 
What’s the origin of Kinder Pocock?
SP: The Kinder is my Nan’s maiden name; she’s always been there for me. When I set up the practice in 2005 I wanted to offer jargon-free support. I’d met so many clients who didn’t understand what their accountant was telling them, but were too afraid to ask as they felt intimidated.
 
How do you like to approach business?
SP: I like to work with interesting businesses and am always looking at how to make my work and the Practice’s processes more efficient and enjoyable. New technologies fascinate me as they make the workflow simpler.
 
Congratulations on your award. What’s Kinder Pocock’s growth story? 
SP: Thank you! It was a real thrill to win and a great boost for the whole team. It’s really been the last few years since moving online that our growth has been significant. We now manage over 90% of our internal processes online, and assist many clients in finding and implementing similar solutions for their businesses. It’s also key to have the right staff, who embrace your chosen journey rather than pulling against you.
 
How have you embraced technology and how has it helped you?
SP: Moving to Xero in May 2012 opened my eyes to the possibilities and online solutions available to make running a business really efficient. Nearly all the ones we use are integrated, meaning a lot of our work is streamlined and automated, but we also have access at any time, anywhere, any place to the right information, which in turn helps us to help our clients.
 
You offer different level packages for clients. When did you decide to segment business in this way and how has this strategy worked for you?
SP: I did this quite early on. The online solutions we work with all invoice us monthly, so it made sense to introduce monthly packages. Clients welcomed it as it meant they could manage cashflow better. The different packages offer different levels of service, ranging from Bronze – just annual accounts and tax fees spread over 12 months plus Xero subscription, right up to Platinum, which includes management reports, forecasting and budgeting.
 
Have any marketing tactics been particularly useful?
SP: I’m very active on Twitter which is really good for our reputation. Apparently I come across just as I am – friendly, informative, and a huge cloud advocate! Our rebranding and new website has also had a massive effect – we get so many enquiries from Google searches, and clients are happy to tell us we don’t come top of the search, but our website stood out. We also hold regular events for existing and potential clients, and local business communities. It gives us a great reputation for being the ‘go to’ accountant.
 
How are you finding today’s business landscape?
SP: Very interesting. I think there are some great new businesses being set up, especially locally. We’re seeing a really vibrant artisan food scene in Hereford, and are proud to be supporting a few of these new businesses. There are also some fascinating online solutions being created, so it is exciting to see these grow, and to see how they fit into business processes.
 
Are there any organisations, trade bodies or member associations that you’re part of that have helped you to develop as a business?
SP: I’m a member of ACCA and WiRE (Women in Rural Enterprise), and also XPAC UK (Xero Partner Advisory Council). I belong to local business networking groups that are massively supportive and actively promote their members.
 
What advice might you offer practices hoping to grow in 2016?
SP: Look at online solutions – they’ re becoming the norm. Also really connect with your clients and get under the skin of their businesses. This makes it easier to offer advice and you then become a key part of their business.
 
What’s next for Kinder Pocock?
SP: We’ll continue to grow, but not too big as it’s important for me to keep the personal interaction. We’ll continue to look at new online solutions and improve on the services we offer. I also enjoy running events, so we’re planning a series over the next year, not just on online solutions or tax planning, but also social media and marketing. 
 
Follow the CPAA on:
 
Contact the CPAA on 01204 693988 or via email at [email protected].
 
Tags: