From Stress and Uncertainty to Complete Financial Confidence
Author
Love Management Accounts
How Steelwrist UK found an accounting partner they could genuinely rely on
Looking for More Than “Just an Accountant”
When Steelwrist UK started looking for a new accountant, they were not searching for anything flashy. They simply wanted somebody dependable. Somebody who would communicate properly, take ownership of problems, and remove some of the pressure from an already busy business.
As part of a large international group headquartered in Sweden, the UK division works to tight reporting deadlines with regular audits and high expectations from the wider group. Lorraine Beasley, Office Manager at Steelwrist UK, handles finance responsibilities alongside a long list of operational tasks, so having reliable support behind the scenes is essential.
Unfortunately, the accountancy firm they had inherited after a previous acquisition was doing the opposite of making life easier.
“We’d inherited a new accountancy company after an acquisition, and the drop in service was such a shock that we quickly realised it was time to look for a better fit,” Lorraine explained.
Communication had broken down, reporting was delayed, and mistakes had started creeping in unnoticed. One employee had continued paying company car tax long after handing their vehicle back, while important audit figures were constantly being chased. As somebody without a formal finance background, Lorraine found herself relying heavily on external support that simply was not there when she needed it.
“It was really stressful,” she said. “I’m not an accountant, so I don’t know about these things. I’m relying on somebody else to do it for me.”
Finding Love Management Accounts
After deciding enough was enough, Lorraine began searching online for a local accountant who could offer a more personal and proactive service. Out of the firms she contacted, Love Management Accounts immediately stood out.
“Graeme was the one that stood out for me,” she said. “As soon as I emailed them, I had a lovely response back. They just came straight away and said, ‘Yep, great. No problem. We can do all of that.’”
At the time, Steelwrist UK were approaching year end, with a company audit looming just weeks later. Most businesses would probably avoid changing accountants during such a sensitive period, but after meeting Graeme and Ben, the team quickly felt reassured.
Lorraine remembers the first meeting vividly. The office was busy, dogs were wandering around, calls with Sweden were taking place in the background, and yet the LMA team remained completely calm throughout.
“They were just calm about everything,” Lorraine said. “They looked through the accounts, spoke with our counterpart in Sweden and just said, ‘Yeah, great, we can do that.’”
That confidence and lack of panic made a huge difference. Instead of encouraging Steelwrist UK to delay the move until the following year, Graeme encouraged them to make the change immediately so improvements could begin straight away.
A Seamless Transition at the Worst Possible Time
Switching accountants close to year end could easily have become a stressful and disruptive process, particularly with an audit just around the corner. However, Lorraine describes the transition as surprisingly smooth from the client side.
“We kind of said to Graeme, ‘Look, there’s going to be a crossover period,’ he just smiled and said, ‘No problem.’ I genuinely found his calmness so reassuring”
Although the outgoing accountants were slow to hand over certain information, particularly around payroll, the LMA team simply dealt with it. They chased what they needed, found answers independently where necessary, and kept everything moving without adding pressure back onto the Steelwrist team.
“Honestly, we noticed no issues whatsoever,” Lorraine said.
Even during the audit itself, only weeks after taking over the account, the team remained calm and responsive throughout. Lorraine particularly praised Ben for his communication and ability to explain things clearly whenever questions arose.
“If I’m not sure about anything, I’ll just email him and he comes back with a clear answer and what I need to do.”
Creating Confidence Through Communication
For Lorraine, one of the biggest changes since working with Love Management Accounts has been the reduction in stress and uncertainty day to day. Instead of constantly chasing updates or worrying whether things had been dealt with properly, she now feels able to trust that everything is being handled behind the scenes.
“I don’t have to think about it anymore,” she explained. “I don’t have to worry that things aren’t being done.”
That peace of mind has become particularly valuable within a busy business environment where Lorraine is already balancing countless responsibilities. Rather than second guessing financial processes, she can focus on her own role knowing the finance side of the business is under control.
The relationship itself has also felt refreshingly approachable. Lorraine openly admitted that finance is not her background and that she sometimes worried about asking “silly questions”, but says the team immediately put her at ease.
“They’re not stuffy and you don’t feel like you’re going to get told off,” she laughed.
That human approach has made a real difference, especially compared to previous experiences where communication often felt difficult or transactional.
Better Visibility Across the Business
Alongside the improved relationship and communication, the operational improvements were felt quickly too. Before working with Love Management Accounts, Steelwrist UK were not receiving clear monthly management reporting consistently, making it difficult to fully understand business performance month to month.
“Before, we didn’t know whether we were making a profit or anything,” Lorraine admitted.
Now, monthly management accounts and balance sheets arrive consistently and on time, helping both the UK operation and the Swedish head office stay informed and aligned.
“With the old accountants, we were constantly chasing month end figures,” she said. “We don’t get that anymore.”
The support has also expanded beyond traditional accounting work. Alongside payroll and management accounts, the wider LMA team have assisted with HR support and employee tax queries, giving Steelwrist UK access to broader business support than they initially expected.
“I Trust Them Completely”
Throughout the conversation, one thing became incredibly clear: this partnership is built on trust.
Not just trust in the numbers themselves, but trust in the people handling them.
When asked to finish the sentence “We love working with Love Management Accounts because…”, Lorraine’s answer came naturally.
“They love accounts,” she said. “I trust them completely and I don’t have to think about it.”
For Steelwrist UK, that trust has transformed what was once a source of stress into one less thing to worry about.
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