What makes a good accountant?

||

Once you make the decision to outsource to an accountant, you want to select the right one for your business. An accountant who is qualified is an obvious starting point, but what about the other qualities that can make a professional in this field a huge asset to your company?

An accountant’s role

Decide what role you would like your accountant to play in the company. Ideally, they will want to know about your business at the present time, understand your aims and help you to reach them in the most cost-effective way.

Finding an accountant who has experience

An accountant with relevant experience in your chosen business field will understand how it works and what needs to be done to succeed. For instance, if you have a farm, you will need an accountant who has experience in the farming industry. The rules and regulations are often different for each industry and experience is advantageous. An accountant who has been established for many years will be able to offer the benefit of their accumulated skills and knowledge, and will also be happy to offer solutions based on their experience.

Value for money

An accountant should add value for money to your business. By outsourcing accounting functions, you expect to be able to trust the professional to deal with all aspects of the accounting so that you can concentrate on other areas of the company. A good accountant will offer more than the services they are paid for, especially if they are established.

Decide what you want from your accountant before hiring, so that you know whether you are getting value for money. Many accountants offer a range of services and are proactive when it comes to offering advice about business growth or return on investment. A reputable accountant will provide a benchmarking service, providing advice about how you can improve your company to reach the same standards as other businesses in the same sector.

Flexible payment schemes

There are still a number of accountants who charge by the hour, even for quick phone calls. A good accountant will offer a number of payment schemes to suit the client, including fixed fee monthly payments. The fee should be based on the services you require. Check the hours of availability so that you know that you will be able to contact your accountant at times that suit you. With online accounting, contact is rarely a problem.

Please get in touch with us to learn more about the services we provide.