There is a common misconception that choosing a big accountancy firm will guarantee a better service. However, as medical and pharmaceutical equipment supplier Belimed UK discovered, this is not always the case.

Because it is the UK sales arm of the Swiss-based Belimed Group, the firm was using the group-appointed auditor, a big firm. However, Belimed UK found that it was not satisfied with the service it was receiving for the price it was paying.

Caroline Lothian, an external accountant who works for Belimed in a financial director role, said: “They often missed deadlines and even asked to change the audit dates at short notice. In addition to this, we found that there was a new team each time who seemed unfamiliar with the work.”

Belimed UK’s parent company agreed to let the company put the work out to tender. Three firms were invited to meet with the senior management team, resulting in TWP being appointed in summer 2011.

Caroline said: “We are extremely happy with the service we have received from TWP. It’s a more personal service and they come when they say will.

“Also, rather than having to teach them to suck eggs, as we felt we were doing with the big firm, TWP has picked things up very quickly. We deal with Laura Taylor and find her and the rest of the firm very easy to get on with.

“I would have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending TWP to anyone else looking for an auditor. People often think that a bigger firm means better service, but this has proved not to be true in our case.”