- "In the last 20 years our business has changed considerably…and as the focus of our business has changed, Bird Luckin have moved with us."
Alex Tanner, George Tanner (Shalford) Ltd - "Bird Luckin has looked after us incredibly well for over 60 years, they are pro-active and innovational - meeting all our needs to help us achieve our aims."
Richard Stubbings, Cliffords Limited - "I can honestly say that Bird Luckin are the best firm of accountants and auditors I have ever dealt with - and I don't say that lightly!"
Colin Webb, Walthamstow Stadium - "It's important for us to know that we will always be able to contact the right people to give us the right advice and support."
Jane Bennett, Bennetts Funeral Directors - "Although we deal mainly with one Partner … we also know that if we need to contact someone else who is a specialist in another area, we can get the advice we need quickly and easily"
Jeremy Ruggles, J.S. Wright & Sons Ltd - "Bird Luckin got us to a stage which would have taken us months - if not years - to reach on our own, and they got us there in a matter of weeks"
Matthew Sullivan, SNC Ltd - "You can be a good accountant, but if you don't have an understanding of the industry it can be very difficult. "There are two or three people we have regular contact with at Bird Luckin who know our business well, and it makes a difference.""
Robert Church, W A Church (Bures) Ltd - "The work which Bird Luckin has done for Boddingtons over the past few months has helped shape our future direction for the better."
John Warner, Chief Executive, Boddingtons Ltd - "Bird Luckin has acted for us since our inception 10 years ago. They have a very 'can do' yet highly professional attitude - we are very appreciative of their support and advice over the years."
Marlon Fox, Outlook Property Ltd
No business is an island unto itself
Do you see your business as an island unto itself or as a vital link in a chain? Do you use process-based thinking to add value to your products or services? Whatever the nature of your business, the chances are that you are part of at least one supply chain that delivers products or services to the end customer or client. Looked at in this way, all the other businesses in that chain, from origination through to final delivery, are effectively your trading partners.
Everyone adds value
Each one of you has a vested interest in the performance of all the others because the supply chain is effectively a value chain in which each participant adds value at each stage of the process for which they are responsible. This way of viewing your business points up the interdependence of all the businesses in any chain of which you are a part.
In a nutshell, any value added at any stage in the process is inherited by all the business further down the line; and any waste, redundancy, excessive cost, or reduced value is also passed on in a similar way.
Collaborate with your trading partners
A key strategy in maximising profitability, therefore, must be collaborating with other businesses in the chain to reduce waste and increase value at every stage. Inevitably, such strategies begin cautiously with confidence building and trust building exercises. These should be designed to help both parties recognise areas of mutual interest and develop understanding of how you impact on each other's cost and value structures. The next stage is to develop strategies to reduce the costs and increase the value you pass on to or inherit from each other.
Breaking down boundaries
This process-based model breaks down the traditional boundaries, not only between different stages of the process within your own business, but also between businesses in a shared chain. It enables you to act collectively to reduce costs and increase value so that everyone involved will reap rewards.
If you would like to examine ways in which you can begin to collaborate with some of your trading partners in this way, contact us today to discuss how we can help.