You’ve got your business up and running but you realize, you don’t have time or energy to do the books and do them well. Your time is better spent in your zone of genius, but how do you find a bookkeeper to help?
Defining A GOOD Bookkeeper
Having someone look at your money is a very vulnerable thing. You have to find someone you trust.
Not all bookkeepers are the same. It’s an industry that is unregulated and does not require any education or training for you to open up shop as a bookkeeper. A good bookkeeper is one that is certified in the software that you want to use. For example, we are Quickbooks certified. We have been trained, taken exams and continue with education to grow our skill set.
A good bookkeeper is organized. You want a bookkeeper who has a workflow so you know when to expect your reports to be ready. They should have project management tools in place to keep on top of the businesses they service. You also want a bookkeeper who works with how you work. Some bookkeepers have offices and will meet with you in person. Others are happy to hop on zoom or skype and do all the bookkeeping virtually. Some can have a chat on the phone while others will stick to email. Their process for communication must align with yours. Which brings us to the next point…
A good bookkeeper is a good communicator. We know - we can be a bit geeky because we love the numbers but that doesn’t mean that we only stare at books all day. Behind every set of books is a person who is important and should be valued and treated well.
Having a good relationship with your bookkeeper is key for getting accurate reports and reducing your stress during tax time. They should be reaching out to you for clarification, sharing strategies to improve your books and collaborating on solutions because bookkeeping is a team sport. Your bookkeeper isn’t going to just communicate with you, they may need to communicate with your accountant as well. If you want books that work for you and that allow you to make better business decisions - communication and collaboration are key.
Should I Just Hire My Accountant To Do The Books?
Your accountant plays an entirely different role as part of your financial team. They help with tax strategy and tax filings. Often times people will work with firms that have bookkeepers and accountants working together but those clients end up frustrated as there are two many team members working on the books, creating more inaccuracies and more miscommunication mishaps and the costs are prohibitive - you are overpaying someone over qualified to do your books. . Accountants aren’t great bookkeepers and bookkeepers aren’t great accountants. Hire the right person for the job.
Tips for Finding A Good Bookkeeper
Once you know what you need - a bookkeeper who uses the software that is right for you, who is organized and a good communicator - it’s time to find a bookkeeper. But how? Maybe you landed here because of a google search. That is a primary way that people find their bookkeepers. Or you might be here because someone has worked with us. Talking to colleagues and others in your profession or small business network can lead to great referrals for bookkeeping services.
Hiring A Good Bookkeeper
Whether a referral or a google search, you found the bookkeeper and now it’s time to hire them. We highly recommend you get an understanding of who they are and their processes to make sure it is a good fit. Most bookkeepers offer a free short consult to answer your questions. During that time we recommend you ask some of the following questions:
How long have you been doing bookkeeping?
Who will be doing the bookkeeping?
What type of clients do you typically work with?
My software program is ______. What is your experience with using this program?
How often do you update the books and is it during a certain time of the month? (Monthly is standard)
What is your fee, and are there any additional charges if I need more than your standard service?
How do you receive payment and when?
Do you handle payroll?
Do you hand accounts receivable/payable? (not all businesses need this service, but if you do, please ask)
What is your process for working with clients?
How are you available to your clients - phone, appointment, zoom?
How do you communicate with clients?
If I have questions who do I go to?
What happens if I have a few months with more transactions than others? Do I get charged?
Will you communicate with my accountant?
Do you work remotely or do I have to come into the office to meet with you?
Some bookkeepers work on an hourly basis and others on a flat fee package based on average transaction amounts. We find the flat fee package takes some of the worry out for businesses as they plan their budgets as they know what they will be paying up front instead of waiting to see how long the bookkeeping took the bookkeeper that month.
Finding the right bookkeeper for your business is key in reducing your stress and improving your access to real time data that will help you lead your business into success. We are here to support your small business so you can do what you do best.
Click below to book consult to discover how Grow the Books can empower you as a business owner through bookkeeping.