We're passionate about getting businesses/charities organised with their day-to-day bookkeeping and payroll. This enables them to spend less time working on their bookkeeping and more time working on their business/charity.

If your financial systems fill you with dread then we can be the calm to that storm. We can provide a full software and systems review and will make recommendations of how you can save time and money. We provide a menu of services you can add and take away including bookkeeping support, software training, payroll and debt collection. We offer a fixed price per month but you can also use us for one off training and advice.

Our ethics and values are centered around what is best for our clients and for our staff. Some software companies want us to recommend their software alone to clients, we disagree because it would not be in our clients’ interest. Our recommendations come from hours of research into our customers' business functions and needs. This is paired with an appropriate system matched to their budget.

–The COS Family–

We’re proud to have a very low staff turnover with some staff celebrating their 10 and 20 year anniversaries recently.

The team is committed to supporting our clients and go above and beyond what is expected. We’re celebrating 35 years and we would not be where we are without our incredible employees. Becky organises monthly socials at local independent restaurants where everyone gets a chance to blow off steam.

–Commendations –

*Winner of FSB Professional Services Business of the Year

*Highly Commended Employer of the Year in The Altrincham and Sale Chamber Awards

*Judges' Choice Runner Up in Professional Services at the The Female Business Festival Awards

*Shortlisted for Professional Services Business Leader in the North West Leadership Awards

–35 years of community spirit and 35k raised for charity–

Owner Karen runs an amateur dramatic group with her family called The Music Group. The Music group is a multifaith, multigenerational group who give everyone a chance to shine on stage, no matter their experience level. Staff members Becky, Amy and Ann are all involved with volunteering too. Becky (Karen’s daughter) writes the scripts, does the marketing and takes part in the show. Amy is our ticket officer and Ann is our lighting (and soon to be sound) engineer. The remainder of the team come along and watch, donate raffle prizes, bind scripts, and attend fundraisers. COS sponsors the group with everything from printing scripts to using our office for rehearsal space. The Music Group involvement allows our staff to learn new skills, showcase their talent and be an active part of their local community.

Building community trust

We used to have an office in Urmston and at that time we became a part of the Urmston Partnership. It was a wonderful organisation built to bring community and business together. On joining we formed friendships and built business relationships, and Karen became the official voluntary treasurer. When we moved to Trafford Park 2 years ago we sadly had to step down as you’re only allowed to be a part of it if your business is in Urmston.

How we raised 35k for Cancer Research UK

Karen’s son Luke (Becky’s brother) was diagnosed with cancer as a child. They had the most horrendous journey as a family but Luke was very fortunate that it was caught early and he was cured.

As a family they wanted to do something to give back and support the scientists behind the fight against cancer. As a result COS & Friends fundraising group was born. Becky started the group whilst studying at university and it was a formation of Karen’s company and the community coming together. It was a voluntary group and over the 7 years, Becky organised everything from masquerade balls to quiz nights. The group raised £35,000. Becky couldn’t continue to run it due to life commitments but we are proud of what it achieved and have many happy memories.

– Supporting the next generation of bookkeepers –

We work with Trafford and Stockport College, and Manchester College offering work experience placements for their students.

We also support adults who have retrained under AAT and ICB (Institute of Certified Bookkeepers) offering shadowing and work experience opportunities. A number of our staff started out this way and we hired them after seeing their skillset bloom.

Several of our staff are currently undertaking bookkeeping qualifications.

Environmental impacts

We endeavour to do our best to reduce negative environmental impacts. Our website is hosted by Krystal, (a B Corp) using 100% renewable energy, we have LED lighting, and we refurbish IT equipment when possible. Our staff are reminded to switch off anything they aren’t using to reduce our energy consumption. We even do little things like using leftover water in the kettle to feed our plants and our leftover coffee grounds go home with the staff for compost. They may be small things, but we believe you have to start small when you are a small business. You can find our full sustainability policy on our website.