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Owner of four popular pubs, including The Henson and Sydney Park Hotel, Ray Reilly lives and breathes the industry and its challenges. It is a busy environment that constantly changes so he needs to adapt to keep the business thriving.
The hustle and bustle of meeting customers’ needs and the interesting, fun environment, made an early impression on Ray.
“I started working in a pub when I was just 17 years old, and it’s basically what I’ve done since then,” Ray says. “I bought my first leasehold in 2002, and in 2009 I got a freehold business and I’ve grown from there.”
Keeping on top of the books is key to running Ray’s business. Flexibility and adaptability were important when seeking an accounting and bookkeeping firm.
“I was confident straightaway when I met with NetSurplus,” Ray says. “They’ve been with us since 2013, since we first owned The Henson. In our industry, everything is changing all the time, and we need to roll with it. NetSurplus is always agile and flexible enough to go on the ride with us.”
NetSurplus took the time to truly understand the uniqueness of each of Ray’s businesses and the hotel industry. They are agile and quick to adapt to keep services relevant.
“NetSurplus has learned a lot about our industry over the years, and together, we’ve created a better system along the way,” Ray says. “There’s been so much movement with technology, for example, over the last seven years, and NetSurplus has helped us to adapt with the technology and to achieve our goals. And they always keep us posted on anything that’s new in the tech and across the tax and legal side of things.”
COVID-19 hit the hotel industry hard, so Ray needed help to navigate the minefield. NetSurplus understood the challenges and went above and beyond to help him survive.
“NetSurplus was a massive help to us during COVID. There was so much information to keep on top of, and so much happening all the way through. And JobKeeper was a minefield. Without NetSurplus, we couldn’t have got through it all,” Ray says.
“Our relationship has really grown and blossomed over the years. NetSurplus knows my business inside out and it makes it easier. They’ve really helped us on our growth journey.””
NetSurplus has put processes in place so Ray has more control. In addition to designing multiple reconciliation processes to detect unusual activity, NetSurplus also:
“NetSurplus has eliminated redundant processes and saved us costs. They’re honest and genuine and have a knowledgeable approach that you can rely on and trust.
“We sit down and talk about what we want to achieve, create a plan, create the process and make sure it works. It’s a partnership that works.”
Luke Dryland had a rough start as a new business owner. He had barely settled the contract for the Sutton Forest Inn, in the picturesque Southern Highlands, when the pandemic hit.
“We settled on March 16, 2020, just a week before the government implemented the six-week lockdown due to COVID-19,” Luke says. “So all pubs were closed, and it took us three-and-a-half months after that to be able to actually open.”
The effects of the pandemic were certainly not what he expected when he bought his first business. It was working with NetSurplus, that gave him the confidence to get through it.
“Because I was a new business, I wasn’t eligible for the first round of JobKeeper. But NetSurplus did a lot of research during COVID on my behalf, and the minute the law changed, they assisted me with receiving benefits.”
As a nervous first time business owner, Luke brought NetSurplus on board as his business accounting and bookkeeper partner.
“I’ve worked with NetSurplus in a previous business, so we had a strong relationship, and I immediately knew that I wanted to bring them into my new business.”
“They were instrumental in giving me the right direction for how to set up the business. And although I had a tough time opening, I felt really supported by them. I knew they were only a phone call away and that they would do everything in their power to benefit my business.”
Although Luke faced many challenges in his first year, he has always had confidence in his working relationship with NetSurplus.
“NetSurplus are great communicators. They dot all their i’s and cross all their t’s and make sure I understand the details when we’re implementing something new. The thing about them is that they’ll put your business first, and I know that they’ll always guarantee the best for my business. They’ll strive to make sure if there’s any loophole or any other detail that can benefit the business, that it’s implemented to get the best outcome.”
Running a small business or medium enterprise is complex and multi-faceted. When you’re a start-up trying to establish yourself, it is even more challenging.
As Luke’s small business accounting and bookkeeping partner, NetSurplus assisted by:
“It’s a great partnership. NetSurplus are very good at what they do, and I feel very confident in their knowledge and experience. I have faith and trust that they’ll do their best for my business because of everything I’ve experienced with them.”
