With over 28,000 clients across the UK, AIMS works with businesses of all shapes and sizes. Our new feature, AIMS Clients in Focus highlights just a small sample of those businesses we help every day.

Here Sam and Maggie Booth, tell us about their business, Echo Living. You can find out more about Echo Living on their website. 

What is the name of your business?

Echo Living

How long has the business been going for?

7 Years

What does your business do?

“We design and prefabricate small, bespoke, site-specific buildings”

What are the main challenges your business faces?

“The planning system is a long and often unpredictable process, the outcome of which can change the status of any project on our order book. This makes estimating timelines for our building schedules difficult and, with limited capacity in the workshop, it can impact on our ability to schedule new projects.

With the exception of some elements of a project, we operate on a fixed price contract. Estimating costs accurately for each unique building specification and site is challenging.

We use sustainable, innovative materials and construction details in our buildings, and we need to find and recruit suitable personnel, not only with good construction skills, but who are also open to adopting new building techniques and adaptable to learning new practices.”

Why did you choose an AIMS Accountant?

“Our accountant is local and understands the needs of rural SMEs so she can provide us with a tailored service with individual attention. We operate in a niche industry that straddles both the construction and manufacturing industries, and therefore specific accountancy challenges. As part of the bigger AIMS organisation, our accountant also has access to expertise and support if required.”

What has your AIMS Accountant brought to your business?

“Theresa has brought much needed structure, expertise and stability to the financial side of our business. She provides Self Assessment, VAT, CIS, and Payroll services, which allows us to focus on the aspects of the business we are best suited to. With her help and direction, we have been brought up-to-date with QuickBooks, allowing us to access our accounts in detail at any time. If we need help she will personally answer our queries promptly, efficiently and patiently. She is supportive and always goes above and beyond to help – it can sometimes be hard to remember she is not our own in-house accountant!”

Why would you recommend AIMS to other businesses looking for an accountant?

“Over the last few months, with a raft of financial policies to navigate, Theresa has worked tirelessly to support us. Where there was ambiguity and confusion, she was able to bring clarity. Theresa personally kept us informed of all the developments for the new financial measures we could take advantage of, local and national, and implemented the necessary changes to the payroll, and all within the original fixed monthly fee.”

“Our previous experiences of accountant’s practices was of minimal involvement till the year-end loomed. With Theresa, we now enjoy an affordable holistic tax and accountancy service, with excellent communications, readily available advice, and an excellent personal and professional relationship that we value.”

For further information, please contact your local AIMS accountant.