Client Stories

Client Stories > Financial Services and related sectors > Quipsound

Quipsound is the longest-established global VAT recovery specialist in the UK. Every year, it recovers millions of pounds for its clients, with over £1 billion recovered to date. Many of the world’s multi-national organizations 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 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 realized 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 three 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, while client data is stored in an ISO27001-compliant data center.

At the same time, Quipsound has implemented modern applications to 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, while 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.

Nicole McGrath said:

“While 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 three years. I’ve learned a lot in the time he has been with us.”