Banding Together

For more than five decades the practice has established itself as a vital cog within the community.

Smith Dosser has been a constant in Benalla for the past 50 years; a locally owned firm built upon family values, with an insistence on giving back to the community which has helped the business flourish.

What began as HF Fox & CO in 1957 quickly became James H Smith & Co, and through a raft of mergers and name changes, the business that Jim Smith took full ownership of on the 1 July 1962 has grown in leaps and bounds.

By 1999 two of Jim’s sons, Tony and Brendan Smith, were working together as partners within the practice, ensuring that the Smith name lived on following two further mergers. The latest occurred in 2004, as System Operated Business, headed by Vicki Dosser, joined the firm.

With so many shifts in personnel, it seemed only a natural progression for the business to expand its services as the needs of the local clientele grew. Nowadays, Smith Dosser is a “one-stop shop” according to Vicki, with specialist consulting available, as well as an association with OzPlan Financial Services. Brendan Smith is a founding director of OzPlan, which is a separate business that provides a complete slate of services to new and old clients.

As Smith Dosser has grown, so has the city that surrounds it. Benalla, now with a population of 10,000, is quite the central conduit, located 2.5 hours from the Melbourne CBD, and 1.5 hours from the surrounding snowfields – what started as a borough of 4,500 people has now grown into a tight-knit and

thriving community.

Unsurprisingly, agriculture features heavily among the firm’s client base, but a wide array of industries and individuals provide the partners with some day-to-day variation and stimulation. For those firms working in regional areas, variety is the spice of life. “We’ve got quite a broad base. We have a large number of manufacturers through to private producers, retailers and trades,” Tony states.

While the rural surroundings have brought fresh faces from all walks of life through the Smith Dosser doors, they have also posed many a hindrance to the residents, with poor internet connections stifling many day-to-day operations that are often taken for granted. “We’ve got clients that will only get internet access at particular sites on their properties. For some of them it’s only when they go to the mailbox,” says Vicki. “So they take their laptop, and do what they have to do perched in the car at the mailbox, which is just ridiculous. It’s not like we’re talking the middle of the Territory or the Top End, or the outback of Western Australia – we’re talking Victoria.”

With technological hurdles in the way, the role that Smith Dosser plays for their clients becomes even more vital within the community.

“We’ve got a lot people that cannot get internet access, so they do seek guidance from us to get information because it’s not at their fingertips,” Vicki notes.

Grass Roots

Today, Smith Dosser has no less than six IPA members within its ranks, and the qualities of the IPA are directly aligned with those housed within the walls of the firm. While the IPA of Victoria has recognised Vicki as a member since 2000, she notes that she has been a part of the initial institute since 1984, with her journey starting as a student member of the Institute of Affiliate Accountants in Perth. Her membership stayed a constant through to the formation of the Institute of Public Accountants

in 2011.

Although professional development turns into an all-day affair and commute thanks to the rural location, both Tony and Vicki are thankful for the opportunity to further their own education and stay at the forefront of the profession. Tony also suggests that the implementation of regional training opportunities would further benefit firms such as Smith Dosser within the surrounding cities of Shepparton and Wangaratta.

While it is rare to find so many IPA members under the same roof, Tony applauds the ability to have so

many partners and associates on the same page.

“We just thought it was worth everybody being a member, so everybody gets the communication. You’re able to maintain some education and professionalism purely via that too,” he says. Moreover, he believed the IPA had more in common with them. “It’s a bit more ‘grass roots’.” Vicki agreed. “Probably the professional development is the most [beneficial aspect of IPA membership].”

Time to unwind

It’s not all number-crunching for Smith Dosser; there’s plenty of time for fun and games. “Socially we do make a point of catching up with each other and supporting each other,” Vicki explains. “A couple of the staff members are in a band, so we’ve enjoyed their company and listening to them. It’s just something nice and light to be a part of.”

Accountants aren’t often ones to embrace the glitz and glamour of the music business, but try telling that to the members of The Buffalo Theory, a band that has become somewhat of a household name within the firm. Vicki states that from Adele through to folk, the band offers an eclectic mix of genres and eras – quite the contrast to a day spent at the office.

It would seem that Smith Dosser is quite the breeding ground for musical talent, as Tony points out that “only one or two” of the band’s members have not been employees at the firm at one point or another. Perhaps there’s something in the water.

When the members of the firm aren’t belting out a collection of classic musical hits in time with the band at a local gig, they can often be found at what Tony elegantly describes as a “hit and giggle” tennis tournament.

This is a firm that could complete your tax return, perform a cover of your favourite song and break your serve all in the one day. Talk about a diversified service offering.

“A true local firm”

Giving back to Benalla has remained a constant throughout the firm’s 50-plus years. Hanging in the client waiting room, a poster up on the wall greets new and old clients, displaying what organisations and events the firm has sponsored in the last 12 months. “That’s a rolling display,” Tony explains. “I think it’s important that people know where we put some of our money.”

Sponsoring junior football, local school events and the annual Benalla Festival are part and parcel of Smith Dosser’s connection with the local community.

“It’s a friendly environment, and I think I personally enjoy knowing a lot of the people, and enjoy running into people I know wherever I am. It’s that friendly nature of the place that I think is key,” Tony adds.

In a city where everyone knows everyone, the importance of building and maintaining relationships is paramount. “I understand that in metro [areas] you can sort of have a division in the connection with the people you’re working with,” says Vicki. The same rules don’t apply for Benalla.

“It’s not just about turning up to work with a nod and a wink and a, ‘Hello I’m here!’ We know whose children are in the footy finals, and whose children are at university – so we do involve ourselves.”

Walking down the street, it’s not uncommon for Vicki and Tony to be bombarded with tax questions, commendations on their latest sponsorship, or just general chitchat. The tax agents in Benalla are not faceless beings, and the clients are family and friends.

“It’s not unusual for me to say I’m only going to go for five minutes, and come back 15 minutes later because I ran into this person, and this person, and this person,” Vicki reveals.

“I think one of the best ways to describe it,” Tony adds, “is that this is a true local firm. We’re locals employing locals, enjoying the local aspects.” At last count, over 120 Benalla residents had been employed by Smith Dosser over the past five decades, a number that is bound to grow as the years pass.

Tony exudes the passion he maintains for the business and his clients, something rather refreshing despite his 30-plus years in the industry. His father’s business is thriving, and is a mainstay of the Benalla community itself. It is this community presence that has positioned Smith Dosser perfectly for future successes and growth.

“I think it’s just enjoyable to be a part of this. I’ve been doing this for 30 years and I still get out of bed and still enjoy being a part of what is an enjoyable place to work. I think that the diversity of our clientele and the diversity of our staff are what make it worthwhile, because if we were all the same it’d be a bloody boring world wouldn’t it?”