Introduction

Ramon Lee is an experienced Accountants and Business Advisors, have been established since 1955.
Our Partners' experience together with the technical expertise of our staff ensures that we have the
skills to help you improve the performance and profitability of your business. We aim to provide timely
and cost-effective solutions for our clients' needs.

We can of course take care of all routine accounting, audit, tax and company secretarial matters,
thereby freeing valuable time and resources for you to devote to expanding your business.

• Part of the SKS Group with offices in West London and the Home Counties:
o SKS Business Services, Richmond upon Thames, West London
o Gilroy & Brookes, Farnham, Surrey
o Avalon Accounting, Tilehurst, Reading
o Ward Mackenzie, Tunbridge Wells, Kent
o Ledger Sparks, Croydon, South London
o Westlake Clark, Southampton
o Baker Watkin, Stevenage
o Thompson Jones Business Solutions, Bury, Greater Manchester
o Cansdales Business Advisors, Amersham
• Clients included sole traders, SMEs and larger companies.
• Our aim is to add value with business analysis and business advice to help you make the right
decisions for your company.
• Our sister company Ramon Lee Audit LLP can perform your auditing and financial analysis with
a minimum of fuss and maximum efficiency and accuracy.
• A more responsive finance processing function at better value.
• Value – this is possible as we use an onshore/offshore shared services model currently
employed by larger corporations and all available technology to cut down on unnecessary
travel. But we maintain very good communication with the use of skype, Dropbox and screen
sharing tools e.g. www.join.me.

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Our Services

• Annual Accounts and Corporation Tax

• Bookkeeping and VAT Services – fast efficient and normally cheaper too
• Payroll Services – including auto-enrolment
• Tax Planning– expert advice on your personal requirements
• Monthly or Quarterly Management Accounts - to help you make the best decisions
• Finance and Accounting Outsourcing for larger companies
• Advice on Funding – requirements and the options available in the market
• Audit Services – we have experience of Audit in all sectors, including charities
• Insolvency services through our sister company Benedict Mackenzie
• Exit Strategy, Acquisitions or Divestments
• Business Plans, Modelling, Budgeting
• Corporate Finance

Ramon Lee Process

Ramon Lee can provide the whole process – bookkeeping to monthly management accounts to year-
end functions. This provides best value to the client as one step leads to the other. Management
accounts puts a check on bookkeeping and year end accounts become a mere formality. Ramon Lee
also use the latest accounting and communication technologies to create efficiencies and drive service
and value to the client. Therefore, our costs are generally 30% to 40% less than a normal accounting
firm but with a higher service level.

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Cloud based systems and processes

Ramon Lee can help you with an integrated cloud based all-round operating environment:
• Evaluation of add-ons available for Xero based on client criteria e.g. ease of use,
subscription charges, ease of integration, supplier reputation
• Set up and training
• Data import from existing systems and migration into new system

This improves the finance function efficiency and provides you with real time reporting.

Xero Example Report

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Finance and Accounting Outsourcing

As an investor, Board Member, CEO or CFO you know how important it is that you understand your
business inside out – the cash flow; performance by staff and performance of the business against
past trends, budgets or competitors. Only then you can formulate your business strategy or tactic.

Using an innovative ‘shared services’ business model that only larger companies have recently
developed, Ledger Sparks provides all this information through accounting services for mid-sized and
small-cap companies.

• Up to 40% cost reduction

• Real time business analysis by qualified staff
• CFO has the time and information to focus on profitability and growth
• You are freed from manual tasks to maximize your value.
• Auditors and Regulators will all respect and value the consistent quality of financial product
received.
• Efficient ERP implementation at up to 50% savings compared to system integrators.

Ramon Lee Ltd can take responsibility for the roles shown in Grey below.

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Key Personnel: Ramon Lee Group
___________________________________________________________________________

David Terry (FCA) Director, joined the firm in 1980 and is the Managing Partner. His
primary responsibility is advising owner businesses from new startups to long established
companies on all aspects of their accounting and taxation affairs. David specialises in the
provision of audit and accountancy services.

Bruce Jones (FCA) Director, joined the firm in 1979 and handles all aspects of accounts
production and audit together with corporate and personal taxation. He has responsible
for IT and can advise clients on setting up or expanding their computerised accounts
function. Bruce also has responsibility for overseeing the payroll and company secretarial
departments within the firm.

Sanjay Swarup, Founder and Director, 52, has over 25 years’ experience of accounting and
15 years of advising businesses. Chartered accountant and MBA (Canfield School of
Management). Small to large public practice experience. Worked for multinationals like
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and BP plc. CFO at Mandalay Resources Corporation.

Anil Swarup, Director, 52, has over 23 years of international business development
experience. Affiliated Member of ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants England
and Wales) and CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing).

Joanna Green (ACA), Director at Ward Mackenzie, qualified as a Chartered Accountant in

2005 having trained with a local firm in practice. She deals mainly with personal tax, owner-
managed corporate clients and is also an audit partner for WM Audit LLP.

Daniel Glover (FCCA), Director at Ledger Sparks since July 2006 and already has a
substantial portfolio of established and growing businesses. Daniel aids clients in all areas
of their business including start up advice, systems advice, assisting with budgeting, cash
flows and management accounts as well as tax planning for both companies and individuals.

Rob Colepio (FCCA), Director/Owner at Ledger Sparks since 1997. Looking after a diverse
portfolio of clients with annual turnovers ranging from £100k to £64 million. Have
specialization in advising small owner managed businesses and his dynamic approach to
clients’ needs, is one that is highly valued by clients who want a forward-thinking
relationship with their accountant.

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Ramon Lee & SKS Group Experience

CENTRAL LONDON RESTAURANT – START UP TO EXPANSION – TOP 100 in UK

ACCOUNTING AND BOOKKEEPING

• Posting of sales, invoices, delivery notes and bank
• Aged creditors report – highlighting suppliers to whom payment is overdue
• Communication with supplier for missing invoices, delivery
notes, statements, their bank details and payment terms.
• Deal with suppliers’ queries, receipt of invoices, etc.
• Chase suppliers for amount to be received against credit
note
• Tie up delivery notes against the prices and units delivered,
order placed in software and payment to suppliers
• Report items missing a recipe and tie up the codes as per
ikentoo and software
• Reconcile cash received, world pay and credit card reconciliation with bank
• Payment setup for suppliers
• Payroll and Vat returns
• Year-end returns and corporation tax

REPORTING
• Daily sales report, weekly management accounts – summary of daily sales, purchase vs
sales report for drinks and food
• Showing wastage, labour cost, weekly consumables etc.
• Preparation of budget planner
• Four weekly management accounts – summary of weekly sales, comparison inventory
(drinks and food) and payroll
• Weekly theoretical margin analysis by production

COMMUNICATION, BUSINESS ADVICE AND MODELLING

• Weekly call and monthly meeting with account manager
• Analysis of existing performance of current site +
projection.
• Projection and modelling for new site + sensitivity
analysis
• Funding assistance and modelling

"SKS works with us to provide the daily, weekly and monthly reports saving me
time and making my management decisions much simpler. They were also able to
integrate their systems with mine. I would highly recommend them."
Brian Hannon (Director of critically-acclaimed restaurants Smoking Goat and Kiln, London)

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SPHERE – IT SUPPLIER TO AN NHS TRUST

PURCHASE ORDER PROCESSING

• Po raised, approved and posted by Avalon after checking coding is correct

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
• Process invoices, chase outstanding proof of deliveries and deal with supplier queries
• Reconcile supplier statements to supplier account
• Notify Sphere of any discrepancies
• Maintain supplier’s details

INVOICING / ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE

• Raise invoices monthly and release for approval and posting by the Sphere
• Obtain Sphere approval of the invoices prior to posting

PREPAYMENTS
• Update prepayments spreadsheet based on purchase orders / invoices raised
• Submit bank reconciliation and proposed payment run to financial specialist for approval
• Load payment run once approved by Sphere onto the bank account
• Send remittance to suppliers

CREDIT CARD/ PAYPAL PROCESSING

MONTH END
• Raise accrual statement, share to approve and post, reconcile prepayments spreadsheet
to accounts, reconcile bank account to accounts, check consistency between attributes,
raise correcting journals, provide month end reconciliations

"SKS provided an excellent bookkeeping and management account outsourcing

service that reduced our costs and improved efficiency."
Derek Schultz, CFO, SPHERE (IT Provider to an NHS Trust)

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AWARD APPAREL - WHOLESALE CLOTHING COMPANY

ORDER MANAGEMENT SERVICE

• Create/update/amend customer order and create purchase order for factories/supplier
• Create debit notes and credit notes as required
• Generate carton labels from customer's site and send to factories/suppliers
• Prepare original shipping documents / send original documents to buyer / verification of proof
of delivery /provide confirmation letter for documents received to factories/suppliers

BOOKKEEPING
• Receive invoices, seek approval, prepare sales approval sheet and export to Sage
• Update bank transactions by recording the receipts and
payments and reconcile weekly
• Proforma invoice from suppliers checking
• Open Letter of Credit in bank for suppliers. Liaise with bank
for any issues.
• Process invoices, chase outstanding invoices and deal with
supplier queries
• Reconcile supplier statements with supplier accounts.
• Check outstanding bills and Letters of Credit, update cash flow
• Extract the aged payables and receivable and update the cash flow
• Approval of invoices from directors, load payment to bank system
• Get balance confirmation from debtors and creditors fortnightly

MONTH END
• Monthly management accounts with variance analysis including schedules supporting items
of Profit and Loss, Balance Sheet, schedules of accruals, prepayments, graphs for revenue
monthly and year to date, revenue by client margins, performance report and forward sales
reports
QUARTER END
• Prepare quarter end accounts for bank. Includes schedules of accruals, prepayments, age
receivables and age payables reports. Balance Sheet schedules to include reconciliation of
bank account to bank book, aged payables, aged receivables and VAT
YEAR END
• Yearend accounts. Balance Sheet schedules to include reconciliation of bank account to bank
book, aged payables, aged receivables and VAT. Prepare corporation tax return and file.

"We started using SKS as an outsourced Finance function early in 2017. The
transition was remarkably smooth, and, through the dedicated team, we are now
receiving accurate reports on time. This is on top of cost savings and fewer
operational headaches." Viv Singh. Executive Director

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Press Coverage

Top tips for debt management in business By Hazel Davis

1. Devise and stick to a budget

It's easy to throw caution to the wind and either not budget at all, or only use your budget as a rough guide, says
Paul Bryant, MD of Set Up A Company. “Budgets need to be carefully thought through, after considering the
financial position and cash flow. Once a budget has been allocated, you should do all you can to stick to it.”

2. Produce regular profit and loss accounts

Cash flow is one of the biggest problem areas for small businesses and so it's important to
always know and understand your financial position at any moment in time. Producing regular profit and loss
accounts (at least once a month) is a good way to keep on top of things.

3. Use accounting software

Using accounting software such as KashFlow, Sage and QuickBooks can help you to keep a track of income and
expenditure to help you make better decisions if you can’t afford to employ a bookkeeper.

4. Outsource rather than employ

Although taking on employees can be cheaper and more secure, it is a long-term commitment and should only be
undertaken if you are certain the business can afford the wages, not just now but in months’ and even years’
time. Look into outsourcing the work, using a freelancer, or hiring on a temporary contract to reduce your risk.

5. Tighten your belt in the right places

Research shows that businesses are spending more than ever on non-core operations.
Sanjay Swarup, CEO and founder of SKS Business Services, says: “Declining profits should call for belt-
tightening and costs could easily be cut from G&A (general and administrative) functions without reducing the
quality of these services.”

6. Save money on transfer fees

Andrew Woolley, director, CFX at foreign exchange expert Moneycorp, says: “If you plan ahead Moneycorp
offers a service – FORWARD – which allows customers to reserve an exchange rate to purchase a currency to
use up to two years in the future.”

7. Reward quick payments

Consider offering a discount for quick payment or rebates to regular good payers based on a
percentage of the purchase value. Make sure you keep a close eye, however, on whether the quick payments
materialize.

8. Claim interest on late payments

You are allowed to charge interest at the Bank of England base rate plus 8 per cent, calculated on a daily basis
for each day your payment is overdue. You must outline such a course in your terms and conditions. Sometimes
a letter suggesting you will charge interest is enough to ensure a quick payment.

9. Keep your unpaid sales invoices in date order

This way, you can see the oldest outstanding invoices 
first. Set aside a sacred time each week to
chase these. Make sure you focus on the largest debt first and then the oldest.

10. Remember, larger companies operate differently from small businesses

Check whether you need to send a statement as well as an invoice. It’s also worth finding out when a company’s
payment run is so you can invoice at the right time.

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Finance function is ‘root of small company underperformance’ by Richard Crump

SMALL- and mid-sized businesses are failing to use their finance functions effectively to make important
management decisions, a report by CIMA has claimed. The report, compiled jointly with LEDGER SPARKS
Business Services and Loughborough University, explains that many smaller companies are slow to apply shared
services, ‘right-sourcing' and technological best practice.

UK SMEs’ financial systems losing £3.7bn unnecessarily SMEs find RTI costly and unnecessary “The root cause
of smaller company under performance is often inefficient use of their finance function. Finance and accounting is
too often misunderstood as a ‘bean-counting' operation, when financial analysis and forward-looking
management accounts are meant to help you plant and reap more beans,' said Sanjay Swarup, Director, SKS
Business Services.

According to LEDGER SPARKS, some 45% of SMEs don't use regular management accounts, while use of
technology such as accounting information systems, is also limited, as is use of low-cost online technology.

Peter Simons, technical specialist, CIMA, said: "SMEs do not engage management accountants as their larger
competitors do, and as such they are missing opportunities. Globalisation and technology can enable smaller
companies to transform their finance function, making it more efficient and able to provide better support to
management."

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