Making sure that your business selects the right Accounting Services is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. Besides yourself as the owner or president, they are likely the next most crucial department to the well-oiled machine you want your business to develop into. Their importance goes far beyond processing your payroll and keeping your bills straight; they can also help you by offering sound financial advice that can directly benefit your business.
Here are a few of the questions you should ask any firm you are considering hiring to perform Accounting Services for you:
In addition, you want to make sure that they fully explain their entire fee structure and billing policy to you, so that you specifically know what their services will cost. You will also want to ask for (and remember to actually check!) several references of theirs from previous clients. Above and beyond all, check your gut; do they seem like a trustworthy and competent individual you will be able to work with? Trust is especially important between business owners and their accountants, because they develop such an intimate knowledge of all your business operations.
Also make sure you speak with them about what their role in your business will be. Will you use them primarily as an auditor, or do you expect them to actually delve a bit deeper into your business to give you advice on maximizing revenue and minimizing expenses? You may even use them as a financial advisor, or as an expert who can assist you through the process of obtaining finances.
As you can see, deciding who you will hire to fulfill your Accounting Services is a very important step for a business. Make sure you make the decision correctly by following this advice and your business will thank you for it!