← Services

Support During the Coronavirus Pandemic

The Spring of 2020 has seen unprecedented and rapidly changing circumstances for us all both personally and in business. It has and continues to be a challenging time for us all.

The key to managing businesses at this time is to have a secure cash flow forecast to inform all operating decisions. The traditional pre-eminence of management accounts has been challenged for some time by cash-flows. Covid-19 has accelerated this process.

I have been assisting my clients in all aspects of dealing with the pandemic since mid-March. This has involved a mixture of cash flow forecasting and cash management, applications for Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans, decisions on furloughing and job retention scheme claims, applications for local authority grants, liaising with banks and other funders and working on cost mitigation plans.

In addition, I have built a considerable “library” of relevant knowledge which I have shared among my clients on a regular basis. I am delighted to say that there are numerous occasions where this dissemination of information has brought real rewards in cash terms for my clients.

Each of these strands of work detailed above has been different for each client, each funder and has involved a constant string of challenges on a daily and sometimes hourly basis.

In the space of a few weeks I have built up an enormous reservoir of knowledge, experience and have learnt how to work in a completely different way. One of the biggest takeaways from this is that remote working using tools such as Teams and Zoom is a really efficient way of making decisions and managing businesses at this most difficult of times.

The range of support available to business and the rate of change of that support since mid-March 2020 has been bewildering. While there is no substitute for seeking professional advice the government have provided a useful quick-checker tool which enables all businesses to ascertain if they have accessed all the support available to them.

The challenges for business are not going to stop for some considerable time. They are going to evolve, change and will continue to be unpredictable and challenging. Taking a pragmatic approach to the financial management of your business and its interaction with stakeholders is something that no business can afford to neglect at present.

But, the single most important piece of advice I have for all clients is to focus on cash. Every day.

You're in good company

  • "“Steve Tancock thank you so much for your help, support, guidance and wisdom in the past but even more so in the present!”" George Friend - Managing Director
    Ventilation Surveys and Services Limited
  • "Steve is a dedicated professional who is readily available which is invaluable. more importantly he is honest and reliable which is vital. I would recommend Steve to any one particularly if there are signs that your financial future is at risk." Gary Sergeant - Partner
    Gary Sergeant & Co
  • "Steve has been known to me for many years. He always operates with a very professional & positive attitude and I have no hesitation in recommending him." Nick Green - Branch Manager
    Handelsbanken
  • "Steve has a great ability to convey complex and specialised processes in a way that those in a potentially stressful situation, can understand. His pragmatic approach is appreciated by his clients and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him to anyone who is beginning to have concerns for their company's financial future" Gill Levett
    Interim Director
  • "I have no hesitation in recommending Steve. His abilities and expert knowledge on insolvency related matters are excellent, as are his interpersonal skills with clients and staff." Nadine Lamont-Brown
    Tax Advisory Specialist
  • "Steve has acted exceptionally well for my clients in difficult circumstances for them giving them a clear way forward and I would highly recommend him." Tim Maton - Director
    Armida Limited
  • "I have known Steve and his team for a number of years. I have always found him to be most helpful and professional. We enjoy a close working relationship and I am more than happy to recommend Steve and his team." Jonathan Watson - Corporate Manager
    Handelsbanken
  • "Steve’s approach to requests for assistance is always the same – highly professional, very thorough, accurate, will look at all the angles and give you as much time as necessary – a real benefit in today’s business environment. He also possesses the often rare skill of being able to look at something, give it to you straight, in black and white, with the benefit of his considerable experience whilst also having a sense of humour and the uncanny knack of being right." Alex de Val - Credit Analyst
    Handelsbanken
  • "Steve came highly recommended to me by my business partner and has been a consummate professional in all our dealings." Andrew Craddock - Founder and CEO
    Commercial Finance Solutions UK Limited
  • "I have known Steve for many years and used his professional services on numerous occasions to good effect. Steve is able to offer achievable outcomes in a challenging environment, which benefit all parties. A personable individual who is able to relate well with clients and prospects." Steve Merwood
    Banking Professional
  • "Steve is absolutely brilliant and very professional. Knows his job and does it with excellence and to the satisfaction of his clients. I worked with him while at Smith & Williamson and found him a very caring person." Mansoor Mubarik - Managing Director
    IP and Chartered Accountant
  • "Steve is a highly experienced SME adviser using his strong background in finance and insolvency to deliver effective business restructuring and turnaround solutions for owner managers. Friendly, professional, practical and approachable. Highly recommended." Mark Blayney - CEO/CRO
    Business Restructuring Professional
  • "Steve was able to implement some great systems that facilitated cash flow and forecasting for the business. Steve’s work was carried out with ease and speed yet with a precision and a refreshingly common-sense approach and understanding our business needs. He was always easily contactable and quick to come back with any queries, and was adaptable, flexible and accommodating at all times. Furthermore Steve fitted in very well with a rather young, unconventional office and was a joy to work with." Jessica Toomey - Director
    The Frog and Bucket Comedy Club
  • "Extract from a letter received. “Just a short note to say thanks once again for your invaluable advice & support recently. I may have said this before, but it is worth reiterating, your depth. Of knowledge and common-sense approach to the issues we have dealt with recently and over the past five or six years have helped me and my business immensely. Please do not have any hesitation in giving my details to any potential clients should they wish to obtain confirmation regarding the quality of the service you offer." Jim Forshaw - Director
    JA Flooring
  • "Steve has worked with us and a number of our clients over the past seven years. In my experience Steve produces high-quality, reliable management information and forecasts for his clients which makes our task of producing year-end accounts and assisting clients with their growth planning much easier. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Steve to any of my clients." Maxine Deese - Director
    Additions Chartered Accountants
  • "OPEN Media worked with Steve for three years. The service was always nothing short of brilliant. Steve provided and honest and reliable approach to business. Work was always turned around quickly, and his professional manner makes liaising with him an easy and enjoyable process." Mike Smith - OPEN Media
    Managing Director
  • "Steve was originally introduced to us by Barclays Bank and quickly instigated very robust and informative financial reporting and forecasting. He worked very closely with the board and helped to establish a very strong financial base on which to build the future of the School." John McLintock - Hammond School, Chester
    Former Chairman
  • "Steve produced our company accounts and took a strategic overview of our finances putting strong controls and procedures in place which helped the business grow progressively. He was also a great sounding board, liked by all the team. I can highly recommend Steve, give him. 5 minutes of your time, you won’t regret it…." Tim Hanlon - Former Managing Director
    Independent Motor Dealership
  • "Since we started our mentoring with Steve our business has made big strides forward. A good mentor encourages, motivates and positively questions, whilst providing insightful and new ideas. Steve is that and more and has been an excellent mentor for us and we look forward to continue working with him." Stuart and Amanda Jewell
    Chilled Children and Chilled for Autism
  • "I have found that Steve delivers what he promises, thinks laterally when conventional thinking won't solve the problem and pushes for continuous improvement and development in all areas of business. It has been a pleasure working with him and I hope it continues for considerable time to come." Hilary Robson - Director of Corporate Services
    Driver Group
  • "Steve is a first rate business support and turnaround practitioner. I have worked alongside Steve on a number of projects and I have been very impressed with the expertise and common sense advice given. I recommend Steve to any business owner, partner or director whose business is not performing in the way it should. He can really help if you make that call today." Martin Kingman
    Kingman Consultancy