What to Look for When Choosing a Professional Bookkeeper
Every business needs one: a bookkeeper. Don’t just go out and just your run of the mill bookkeeper. We’re here to tell you what qualities you should look for in a professional bookkeeper whether you choose our services or not.
The Average Bookkeeper
Most businesses don’t give much thought to how their current books are run, let alone the person that runs them! This is a vital part of your business that is essential to your success. Technology has brought lots of great innovations for small business so why are you still dealing with bookkeepers that:
Are inaccurate, inefficient, and always behind schedule.
Distracting you from other vital areas of your business that need your attention.
Negatively impacting the financial performance of your business.
You should not be dealing with any of these factors and your business deserves a lot better.
What a Professional Bookkeeper Brings to the Table
Virtual bookkeeping is a business model that is just starting to take off and are great for how many advantages and benefits they can bring to a small business. Not all are created equal and the following is what you should be looking for when finding one:
Reliability. You want to be partnered with someone who is actually going to reply to your emails and return your phone calls in a timely fashion.
Well Informed. You want your bookkeeper to not only talk the talk but walk the walk. Being well versed in bookkeeping is one thing but also staying up to date with the most recent software, systems, and cloud based technology.
Organized. A bookkeeper who is detail oriented and obsessive compulsive about keeping data and processes organized is exactly what you want for your business.
Good Communicator. Bookkeepers are typically introverts by nature but a good one will be excited to communicate with you and provide you with up to date information on your business’s performance.
Educated. A great bookkeeper’s learning never truly stops. They will always continue to pursue knowledge and make their processes better.
Understands your Industry. One that operates within a niche or several ones truly understand what your industry entails given they have multiple clients within that same industry. They can spot common practices in your industry and can adapt what works for another business to your own.
Provides the Big Picture. Your success depends on seeing the true cost of how your business operates and a great bookkeeper will help you work towards that goal of better understanding your business and helping to improve your business’s performance.
Handling the books on your own is a recipe for disaster but you don’t want to hand your books to just anyone. Use your judgement and these practices to find the cream of the crop for your business.
