Franchise Article

TaxAssist Accountants, the UK’s leading specialists for accountancy and taxation services to small business, has recently opened its 50th Shop.

TaxAssist Accountants provides small businesses with expert advice tailored specifically for their needs, from the completion of end of year accounts and tax returns to payroll, VAT and bookkeeping.  This is complemented by a wide range of additional services for small business clients, including debt recovery, independent financial advice and personnel (HR) services.

The shops are aimed at attracting the local small and medium sized business owner with a fresh, modern and stylish look.  They are located throughout the UK and a further 18 franchisees are in the process of moving to a shop front, 12 of which are aiming to be completed by the end of September.  Not only do the shop fronts lend visibility and accessibility they also offer the credibility with other businesses and clients that working from home simply could not provide.

The franchisees that hit the 50th spot are Martin and Elizabeth Tapley who operate from Poole in Dorset.  This husband and wife team joined TaxAssist Accountants in April 2007 and they explain, “We had envisaged moving into a shop front after 12-18 months trading.  This timetable, along with our business plan, changed rapidly when we spotted an ideal location…Twelve weeks later having gained permission for change of use from the local planning office we saw Signs Express put the finishing touches to our branded site.  And we think it looks stunning!

Our shop is located on the main arterial road between Poole and Bournemouth and averages more than 30,000 vehicles driving by every day.  Better still the route is renowned for regularly becoming jammed!  We are also set back from the road and have two dedicated parking spaces at the front which will be perfect for our TaxAssist branded cars.

Now that the plaster has dried on the walls and the smell of fresh paint is beginning to recede we are looking forward to letting the brand get to work for us. “

As the numbers of shop-fronts grow, so too does the brand.  Karl Sandall Chief Executive of TaxAssist Accountants comments, “The support Centre in Norwich sees evidence of this in the increasing number of inbound telephone calls that now mention seeing a shop-front.  We developed this client-friendly shop-front concept as a reflection of the professional yet accessible approach to allowing the small business owner easy access to competitively priced accountancy services, which is benefiting clients across the UK”.

Franchisees do not need any formal accountancy qualifications as full training is given, but you do need to have a relevant career background, be self motivated, disciplined, ambitious, hardworking and keen to build a substantial successful business.