“Whatever You Thought 2020 Was Going to Be About, Think Again!” Scott Morrison, Prime Minister

“Whatever you thought 2020 was going to be about, think again!” The Prime Minister, Scott Morrison has certainly laid down the challenge for all of us.

As accountants/business advisors/bookkeepers, what services can you offer to your clients to assist them to “Survive These Difficult Times” which in a few short weeks have grown from the consequences of clients suffering from drought, bushfires, floods and cyclones to a worldwide major health problem which has caused severe disruption to international tourism, supply chain havoc, caused illness and quarantine for 118,000 people resulting in over 4,291 deaths. COVID-19 (Coronavirus) has definitely got the world’s attention.

The Australian, State and Territory governments have released a number of specific loans and grants which are targeted at farmers, primary producers and small business operators who have suffered property damage or trading losses caused by the natural disasters.

The Prime Minister is expected to announce the Australian government’s Coronavirus Stimulus Package on Friday and we will prepare a special Accountants Minute to summarise the policies as they affect small businesses and medium-sized enterprises.

The Queensland government has released a "Special Coronavirus Package".

What is your new strategy to assist your clients now?

Determine which clients need to lodge special loan or grant applications because of natural disasters and assist them in this process.
Can diversification be made to supply lines?
Is the debtors’ system operating efficiently within your clients’ businesses?
Review Budgets and Cash Flow Forecasts to facilitate discussions with clients' bankers about different facilities.
Discuss with your client a “Plan B” for financing which could include capital raising from the public.
Review operational costs – can changes be made?
Review the investment in stock/inventory – can a reduction be made in the investment?
Does the client have any underutilised assets that could be sold?
Suggest that your client contact suppliers and attempts to negotiate longer payment terms and requests additional assistance in promotions.
Suggest your client conducts “think tank” sessions with their team so as to get the team involved in developing an overall strategy.

Last week we uploaded the first instalment of “Survival in Difficult Times” onto www.essbiztools.com.au/Survival In Difficult Times/Learn More. Please visit to review the loans and grant packages that the various governments are supplying in Australia.

This week we have released the 2020 edition of “Business Evaluation for SMEs” which gives you a resource document to work with your clients to identify strategies which will assist them to "Survive These Difficult Times".

You can obtain more information on how the “Survival in Difficult Times Product Package” can give your accounting team, resources, information and checklists to assist your clients to “Survive These Difficult Times” by clicking on to “Want To Know More?”

I invite you to view the Accountants Minute video which gives you more details on the challenge that the Prime Minister has made “Think again about what you are going to do in 2020!”

For more details on strategies to assist you to guide your clients during these “very difficult times”, please visit www.essbiztools.com.au/Survival In Difficult Times/Learn More.