I run a very small business so don't know your scale. Here is what I have done:

1. UK Bank account - I use Lloyds Business who are as bad as all of them. I don't think it matters much which bank. 18 months free banking if it matters. Since 9/11 (I think) opening business accounts is a pain. Allow a month, you probably will need a f2f.

2. HR Consultants - not my area. We are small enough to do this ourselves.

3. Conference calls - I use Powwownow and Soho66 for a virtual land line which routes to my mobile as we have no physical office. Can't see how you can do without a switchboard number.

4. Payroll company - we run the business on FreeAgent which handles all the sticky stuff like PAYE. My account does payroll for (I think £10/employee/month). I can pass you his details but don't think they do foreign.

5. Need to get a Photocopier/Scanner/Printer all in one machine. Not sure of your volumes here but I just have a £200 combined printer etc. Works fine. Sounds like you need bigger if you are looking to lease it.

Bank account is a funny one. The this may well be governed by two main factors.

The types of transactions you make and receive . E.g worldpay, PayPal DDs Chaps etc. the company I work for are currently looking for a new bank because of the above. If I remember correctly worldpay is the main issue.

Second is reputation, some of the banks listed have at best an interesting recent history will they fit on with your company ethos and is there any reputational risk.

I have to make conference calls across the world often watching or presenting various ideas or projects. We use webex. No idea how cost effective it is but from a users perspective it's very good.

Used to fix photocopiers all the time at my Uni job and it was rare to have to call in the big guys who leased them as nineteen times out of twenty it was just logic, patience and common sense. They obviously charged the earth when they were called.

If you could find a good, professional photocopier engineer to rely on in advance I would not lease the machine but buy it outright.

Big chest and massive boobs

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Aah hoof what can I say there's always one.....thankfully I'm just glad that the vast majority of people on this site are happy to help someone in need.

Edited by PassDribbleShoot (26 Apr 2015 10.27pm)

Accountant in practice here -

1. Banks - much of a muchness. Steer clear of Santander/Co-operative etc though - internet banking is crap.

Best internet banking - probably Lloyds or HSBC. Barclays have some issues downloading older stuff.

2. HR consultants - Peninsula etc do a subscription based service if you are happy to have it as security. I use a solicitor in Northamptonshire for mine - very good, not the cheapest but you get what you pay for.

3. Look at Voip - it's come on a lot these days - phone systems you can spend an awful lot on without getting very much.

4. Any accountant (qualified and decent) should be able to do this - my biggest client runs a payroll of 500+ a week, will all depend on how many employees you have. 20 employees say though is easy to do. Used to run a payroll for a German company for their English employees - it's not really any different to "normal" payroll

5. Can provide you with Companies that will do this - or on the other hand get a decent scanner for about £250 and a decent printer (I use a Samsung ML5515 (5 year warranty). Office is paperless as far as possible inwards, but still have to generate paper outwards.

If you want any more help mate - drop me a PM.