Moss Vale-based accounting firm Argyle Professionals has been nominated for two of the 2020 IMB Bank Illawarra Business Awards, in Excellence in Customer Service and Resilience in Small Business.
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The company has weathered a difficult year, doubling its staff size while steering clients safely through financially choppy waters.
"It feels great to be nominated," director Suzie Oukes said. "We're really happy that we're recognised for all the hard work we've done this year."
The award winners will be named later this month. Another Highlands business, Pepper Green Estate, has also been nominated.
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Argyle Professionals - a diversified team of accountants, bookkeepers, and administrators - has operated in Moss Vale since 2015. Their large clientele base in the Southern Highlands includes law, insurance, retailing, food, engineering, manufacturing, government and charitable organisations, building and construction, and real estate, as well as the general public.
Ms Oukes believes the firm's personalised approach makes them stand out. Their open-door policy means clients can walk in and talk to accountants without being charged for meetings or phone calls. The company also provides free training in Xero (online accounting software), and will meet clients until they fully understand their tax returns.
"Clients are number one at Argyle Professionals," Ms Oukes said. "We try to make clients feel like they're part of the team, or we are their employees."
And her approach works; several clients have told her they feel like they're walking into a comfortable home.
Despite the difficulties of COVID, the firm more than doubled its size this year, from four to nine staff members.
"We've adapted; we're flexible," Ms Oukes said. "COVID and bushfires were hitting us left and right, so we diversified the team to be able to help our clients."
Special team members were assigned to answer questions on specific recurring items - individual accountants performing the role of entire departments in bigger companies.
"There were a lot of unknowns, and we did our research," Ms Oukes said.
Argyle is also opening another office in Wollongong; this will make meetings much easier for clients in that town who used to come to the Southern Highlands.
"They won't have to travel to see us," Ms Oukes said. "We have a place to meet them, instead of in their home or talking about confidential matters in restaurants. Those clients are referring their friends or family or business partners to our firm."
Nevertheless, Ms Oukes said, she did not plan to grow the Wollongong business side yet; Moss Vale and the Southern Highlands would remain their focus this year.
"We have a lot of clients here who need our help, so we don't want to split ourselves in two and then offer less service."