The Positive Accountant Vol 1 Ed 41

Obfuscation is catching, or maybe it isn't.

After Boris' 'you can go to work except when you can't' we have the Chancellor telling us that furloughing is continuing until end October, except it isn't as at some point it will be down to the employer to fund it.

Now, call me old fashioned, but if I pay an employee I kind of expect them to work for it rather than stay at home....so maybe the suggestion that there can be some work done is aimed at that reactionary tendency !

What the Chancellor actually said was:-

"Full details will follow by the end of May, but I want to assure people today of one thing that won't change - workers will, through the combined efforts of government and employers continue to receive the same level of overall support as they do now, at 80 per cent of their current salary up to £2,500 a month."

Which I read as 'the employee will continue to be paid at the 80% but it won't be Government funding it all.'  I wouldn't mind speculating the Evening Standard was right all the way along, that the Government grant will be 60% - just that it will be up to the employer to find the other 20%.  

But we'll see at the end of the month.

Remember, if you have 'missed' any previous editions, they can be found at

http://www.positiveaccountant.com

What are my positives today:-:

1. I picked up a new client .

I don't normally boast about this kind of thing because, as you know, dear reader, I onlyactuallylook afteroneclient - and that is you.

But I really think this one deserves a mention.  It is a business known as Open Attire and they specialise in fashion clothing, online sales only.  Take a look at 

https://openattireuk.co.uk

The reason for mentioning it is that is run by a couple of young men who are - or would be were it not for lockdown - at Uni.  It was odd pitching for the work as on the one hand they needed to know I could do what they wanted, but equally I made them pitch to me as to why I would want to act for them.  And we all passed...

I'm really excited because this is the generation that is going to end up paying for all this furloughing etc, and we need ambition and enthusiasm like these two are showing. It's easy to knock the young, let's encourage them instead

2.  Robert's judgement is still (hopefully) sound

At the other end of the age spectrum of clients sits Robert.  

Robert is the opposite side of 80 to our two heroes above and is (was, pre lockdown) actively commuting and running a successful stockbroking business.  A  larger than life character who has earned the 'elder statesman' title.

I was very worried this morning when he send me an email suggesting that I should be in the Cabinet.  That they needed people with my outlook.  That suggested that something seriously was amiss, and maybe age had eventually caught up with his judgement..

I mentioned it over supper - and after my two daughters had finished rolling on the floor in laughter (thanks girls), Debbie did point out that Robert probably, maybe, didn't know me all that well.  So we'll conclude that his judgement is still sound and leave it at that...

3. I saw a Robin in the garden this morning

Yep, and you're all wondering where the heck this is going this time (see editions 38 and 34)

By coincidence at the time I was working on a business that a few weeks ago looked bust (it was a restaurant) but which has reinvented itself (selling ingredients etc in take out boxes with recipes).  Whilst not raking in profits it is at least staying open.

My friend the Robin sat on our windowsill, cheeped at me , fluffed his feathers and off he flew

So our further (and I promise last) Robin moral is 'Maybe when the situation looks all over, it really isn't'

What have I been talking to clients about today ?  

I have a really odd question posed today -  "are you Reopening soon ?"

And the answer is, No.

As in we can't reopen as we never closed !!

We have shut down the office for the time being and are all working from home, but all of our team continue to be working, and remain contactable, doing just the same work as before.  I suspect we're working harder, we're certainly working smarter.  

But it did make me think whether I should have anofficial policy for meetings- and so this is it.  

For the past seven weeks we have generally avoided having client meetings on a face to face basis.  FaceTime, Zoom and many other solutions have given us the ability to continue to 'meet', and to continue to offer the same service.  All with the advantages of:-

- Built in social distancing

- No travel time for either party

- A lower carbon footprint

- Lower cost

And the time that I'd normally have spent travelling around each day (on average at least two hours) has been soaked up doing 'useful' things like this, and talking to vastly more people than normal.  Which must be a good thing.

So I see considerable attraction in continuing as we are now.  It's not that I'm avoiding meeting anyone, just I remain to be convinced that the old way was the better wayin all cases.

Until tomorrow, stay safe, stay positive

Adrian 

adrian.mole@quove.co.uk

07917 338342

Melanie sent me a picture of Mr Scarecrow last week, this is his wife.

Lockdown hasn't been kind to everyone, a few weeks ago she was a Supermodel.  The scarecrow that is, not Melanie.