How Will You Respond To SMEs?

Good day!

Welcome to this update on ESS BIZTOOLS ADVISORY SERVICES NEWS.

HOW WILL YOU RESPOND TO SMES?

There are some dark clouds on the horizon when it comes to speculating on how SMEs will operate during 2025.

In Australia there is:

• High interest rates
• High inflation
• Uncertainty caused by the upcoming federal election
• High levels of business failure

The CEO of MYOB Paul Robson identified a major issue confronting many SMEs in an article published in the “Financial Review” 11 months ago that highlighted many SMEs did not have an understanding of “FISCAL MANAGEMENT” particularly relating to:

CREDIT SALES:

• Responding to a request for credit sales – understanding that the business is not obligated to supply credit terms.
• Implementing a sound Debtors’ Management System
• Understanding the importance of monitoring “Debtors’ Days Outstanding”
• An awareness that many debtors do not pay on a 30 day basis
• The need for prompt follow-up action to be implemented when debtors have not paid on the due date for payment of a tax invoice

SUPPLIER ARRANGEMENTS:

• Not assuming that suppliers will automatically offer 30 day accounts
• It is essential financial management preparation to negotiate with suppliers in relation to their payment terms before opening an account
• Not understanding that some suppliers will only supply on the basis of cash upfront or cash on delivery for new accounts
• Confirming the terms that have been offered by email or telephone to the supplier when the account is opened
• Ensuring that the payment terms that have been notified by key suppliers are the payment arrangements that are reflected within the business’ Cash Flow Forecast

TAXATION OFFICE PAYMENTS:

• Having an awareness of the cycle of payments that have to be made to the Australian Taxation Office normally every three months

BUSINESS PLAN:

• A Business Plan for a business is a vital document that should be prepared based on the individual circumstances relating to each business and its owners.

BUDGETS:

• Realistic budgets should be prepared for each aspect of the business operations for the forthcoming 12 months.
• It is important that the assumptions that are utilised especially for a new business are conservative particularly related to sales.
• Key operating costs should be determined based on contracts that have been entered into or to firm arrangements that have been made relating to purchases of key products that the business is going to sell directly or undertake further production activities to develop a product for sale, rental of premises, team member costs, electricity, bookkeeping and accounting fees, legal costs, lease payments etc.

CASH FLOW FORECAST:

• The cash flow forecast should reflect the realistic assumptions that have been made relating to items shown in the budget
• What stock level will be required to be maintained of the purchase of ingredients and other components of the final product to be sold?
• What are the payment terms negotiated with the key suppliers? It is important that the cash flow forecast is prepared based on the payment terms that the supplier has indicated not some assumption that the business will be able to pay on a 30 day basis unless this is what has been negotiated.
• What level of stock on hand will this business need to hold and finance?
• Is the business going to supply credit sales? If so, what assumption has been utilised of the Debtors Days’ Outstanding figure or has the SME assumed that everyone will pay within 30 days? If so, this is not realistic!
• The Australian experience is that Debtors’ Days Outstanding substantially exceeds 30 days. A few years ago, Australia was awarded a very dubious international award, that Australia had the “Highest Debtors Days Outstanding in the World”. Current information would indicate that unfortunately this title probably still belongs to Australia.  We need to highlight these problems so that people operating a business who are going to offer credit terms have an understanding of the challenges of administering a debtors’ system.

WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN?

• The MYOB research is reported to have covered 1000 SMEs many of whom were reported as having widespread challenges after just 6 months of operation.

• Business operators need to ensure that their Business Plans, Budgets and Cash Flow Forecasts reflect the actual situation in the marketplace otherwise they will run into difficulties.

HOW WILL YOU RESPOND TO SMEs WHO APPROACH YOU FOR ASSISTANCE IN FORMULATING THEIR STRATEGIES FOR 2025?

Many (in fact hopefully all of them) are approaching you for your professional assistance in the preparation of their Business Plans, Budgets and Cash Flow Forecast all prepared on realistic data as their Fiscal Management documents to assist them to survive.

Is your accounting/bookkeeping business geared up to be supplying this type of crucial Fiscal Management advice to your clients?

You will note that whilst taxation has been mentioned in this article it related to the end product of payment of the amount owing on the Business Activity Statement, taxation deducted from team members’ wages and superannuation, not the preparation of the Taxation Return.

Thousands of SMEs around Australia will need assistance to navigate the challenges presented by the business and economic conditions in 2025.  The logical group of professionals to supply these services are Accountants/Bookkeepers.  ESS BIZTOOLS has developed a wide range of articles training and support material under the heading “Financial/Commercial Advisory Services” to assist accountants/bookkeepers to utilise preprepared systems to be able to promptly respond to requests for assistance from SMEs.

You can find out more information on the services which are available to assist SMEs through these difficult circumstances by visiting www.essbiztools.com.au or by telephoning our Managing Director/Founder -  Peter Towers on 0418 190 181.