The government has now moved towards the next phase of their strategy for managing the Coronavirus epidemic in the UK. In light of the sweeping impact of this nationwide, we wanted to brief you on the contingency plans we have now put in place at Denney King.

We have completed health and travel reviews for all our staff, our business processes and client contact in order to assess how we can reduce and where possible eliminate the risk of virus transmissionthrough our business activities. 

We believe it is important to protect our team, our clients and our service users, to ensure none of them are placed at any increased or unnecessary risk of catching this virus in their ongoing relationship with Denney King.   

We remain committed to maintaining excellent customer servicestandards for all of our clients, whilst operating our business in a safe and effective way. We will continue to review business activities, contact and service standards on a regular basis throughout this difficult period.

We have implemented a number of important measures at Denney King immediately as follows;

• We have reviewed our company technology and can confirm that all staff are able to operate seamlessly on a remote / virtual basis. 
• Our staff are fully equipped to work remotely from home for a reasonable period of time and will do so wherever this may benecessary until further notice.
• We remain open, working remotely, for our usual business activities and enquiries, all interactions will continue as normal with staff picking up and responding to email and calls remotely and undertaking video conferencing with colleagues and clients.
• We are currently arranging for training sessions to be carried out by way of video conferencing and webinars and will be rolling this out in the coming weeks, so watch this space!
• We will continue to review our working practices in line with government guidelines weekly whilst the COVID 19 crisis continues. 

We have taken these steps to prepare for the increasing challenges that are facing us all during this pandemic. You will appreciate government guidance is changing on almost an hourly basis at present, however we ask you to remain confident that we will continue to fulfil our commitments to you in the weeks and months ahead in line with government advice and shall remain fully operational, albeit in a flexible format

The dreaded business plans are due for next financial year and the pressure creeps in to push “business development” for the agricultural and rural sector of the firm.  The usual questions flow “which work referrers are you targeting?”; “what is the marketing budget?”; and “where does the reciprocity come from?”

Having been a rural advisor for…well longer than I care to admit…it is wholly apparent to me that no amount of wining, dining and golf days has produced the quality and nature of practice that I strive for.  Don’t get me wrong I enjoy a day at the races as much as the next person (in case you were about to send me an invitation) but have never considered them the foundation of a longer term professional relationship.

Success in my eyes, has come time and time again from building strong, collaborative relationships with fellow experts; relationships not established in the pub or at the rugby but through a respect and trust for what they can offer the client that I can’t.

This was affirmed by a junior lawyer recently when we were driving back from a completion meeting at an accountant’s office.  The deal was a land sale for a farmer that had obtained planning permission for a number of houses.  In isolation perhaps a relatively straightforward deal.  However, the nature and structure of the farming business meant that a wider consideration of the tax position, future interests of the partners’ and ongoing finance arrangements was necessary.   Around the table sat the client, the accountant and land agent with the banker being conferenced in.  The sale completed as it started; with complete collaboration amongst professionals.  

After the meeting I asked my colleague “what did you learn today?”  Expecting an overview of “Entrepreneurs’ Relief” I was taken aback when he said “to accept that you don’t know everything and that it takes a team of professionals to do a job properly.”  Of course, I already knew this but started to wonder how many next generation rural advisors are being exposed to this level of alliance?  

So perhaps in a world of increased silo working take a moment to consider, not just what you can do for your client, but what your client needs.  Let’s remember that agricultural clients are special.  They practise a lifestyle not a trade.  Their wealth and assets are often generational and their desire is “legacy.”  Every step along their journey is likely to impact on tax planning, business succession, family dynamics and financial provision.  Their affairs are multi-faceted and so are the professional skills needed to manage them!

So perhaps the 2020/21 business plan should simply read “who does that better me?”