Client Stories

Client Stories > Financial Services > Quipsound

Quipsound are the longest established global VAT recovery specialist in the UK. Every year, from its headquarters in Westerham, Kent, it recovers millions of pounds for its clients, with over £1 billion recovered to date. Many of the world’s multi-national organisations use its services across a range of sectors, including automotive, manufacturing, consultancy, finance and pharmaceuticals.

Tax recovery is a complex business, and over the years Quipsound has honed its skills and systems to build trust with clients and tax authorities. Traditionally a paper-based process, the rise of electronic invoicing and tax handling has spawned a number of digital competitors in recent years and by 2017 Quipsound found itself struggling to attract new client accounts.

After years of under-investment in IT, it was clear that Quipsound needed to move fast, but without losing the skills and trust that had served it so well.

Quipsound’s Managing Director, Nicole McGrath, said:

‘Suddenly clients started asking us about our technology and our data security — questions we were ill-prepared to answer. We realised that we need an experienced IT leader who would map out where we needed to be and help us to get there. Freeman Clarke proposed Ian Gates, who has been a valued member of the management team, as well as sorting out our IT legacy.’

Over nearly 3 years with Quipsound, Ian has refreshed the IT infrastructure, putting the network, servers, PCs, email, printers, telephones and security systems onto modern, resilient solutions. The IT systems have gained Cyber Essentials certification, whilst client data is stored in an ISO27001-compliant data centre. At the same time, Quipsound has implemented modern applications to pull in and process electronic invoice transactions and submit digital claims to tax offices. Clients can now look at their claims data via an internet portal. There is a road-map of development to automate and control more of the reclaim processes. Development priorities are set by the business through a weekly management meeting, whilst the IT internal team is stable and following best practices.

At the same time, the business has had to go through several adjustments, and Ian has provided advice as a member of the senior management team.

‘Whilst I know at times it has been a thankless task, we would not be where we are now without Ian’s guidance and support over the past 3 years.  I’ve learnt a lot in the time he has been with us.’ — Nicole McGrath

Quipsound

Refreshed IT infrastructure, putting the network, servers, PCs, email, printers, telephones and security systems onto modern, resilient solutions. The IT systems have gained Cyber Essentials certification

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Freeman Clarke is the UK’s largest and most experienced team of part-time (we call it ‘fractional’) IT leaders. We work exclusively with ambitious organisations and we frequently help our clients use IT to beat their competition.