000847 - Astley Hire Sollertia 25/9/09 13:48 Page 1
EXECUTIVE
REPORT
Sollertia’s ‘dashboard’ indicators show a
range of detailed financial data.
Accurate accounts
By adopting an outsourced management accountancy
system, Astley Hire of Leigh has increased its efficiency
and enabled itself to face the challenging economic climate with confidence.
Until a year ago, Astley Hire used the services of an outside “Sollertia utilises a specialised Sage ERP (enterprise resource
accountant to prepare its annual accounts, like so many other small planning) software called Accpac,” says Stephen. “Now when we
to medium sized businesses. However, when the company became enter data into Syrinx, it is also sent via the internet to Sollertia’s
dissatisfied with the accuracy and efficiency of the service it was remote servers in Manchester. I can interrogate the information
receiving, it sought an alternative provider. whenever I want to, in many different ways, and so can Sollertia’s
management accountancy team. The screen also presents you with
“For some time we had also become aware of needing to ensure we a ‘dashboard’ type display, specially developed by the company,
maximised our own efficiency and planned as accurately as possible indicating key business parameters at a glance, such as debtor days,
for the future to cope with the challenging economic conditions,” revenue details and forecasts. When a business is expanding, data
says Stephen Dorricott, Director of Astley Hire which was founded like this is invaluable in controlling the rate of growth. And during a
43 years ago and employs 20 people. downturn it is perhaps even more important. We know where we
stand at any given time in accounting terms, and we can generate
“There was also a need for accurate and up-to-the minute meaningful results to ‘what if’ scenarios.”
management accounts in order to chart our future growth and make
informed decisions. I have always kept our accounts myself, and I still Andrew Mault says that “most companies do not realise this sort of
do as a kind of backup, but we outsourced service exists. Furthermore, Sollertia integrates with
ideally needed someone with commonly used hire software systems. The typical small business
specialist knowledge to at least could not afford to employ someone full-time to generate the detailed
confirm what I was doing. data that we can. We are now rolling out the concept as a franchise
Moreover, being a family throughout the country and aim to establish a network of specialists
owned and run business, who can provide the service locally.”
having the opinion of a
disinterested outsider is, Stephen Dorricott points out “it is not simply about cutting costs and
perhaps, even more reducing expenditure. In fact, we have kept buying for our fleet,
necessary for us. including powered access machines such as Genie Z30/20NJ boom
lifts, Niftylift 120T work platforms, and a JLG M600JP 66ft boom,
“We had already decided to replace our hire management software as well as general kit like Hilti breakers and other tools.”
•
with Syrinx from Higher Concept Software, having been impressed by
the functionality of the program when we saw it demonstrated at the
0845 0946 202 www.sollertia.info
Executive Hire Show last year. Also, shortly afterwards, I was talking
to a human resources consultant and when I mentioned to him about
our accounting frustrations, he mentioned an outsourced
management accountancy service he had heard of, called Sollertia.”
What particularly interested Stephen about Sollertia - which is the
Latin word for skill - is that it was the brainchild of someone with
specific hire industry experience. MD Andrew Mault was previously
Group Accountant for the lifting gear hire specialist, LGH Group,
and has also worked as a financial analyst with A-Plant. He has
spent four years developing a web-based system that enables a
company’s accountancy data to be received and interpreted by a
team of specialists 24 hours/day. Face-to-face meetings to discuss
particular issues or developments can also be arranged.
Astley Hire has recently added more powered access machinery to its fleet.
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