There are plenty of SME accountants offering specialist, dedicated SME accounting services, but what should you be looking for from a professional accounting service?
Why Do You Need an Accountant in the First Place?
You could consider managing your own accounts and doing your own bookkeeping, but by outsourcing these critical tasks, you can do a whole lot more than simply save time and money.
These two aspects of accounting are important ones though.
Bookkeeping and looking after your accounts will get more involved and demanding as your business grows. You’re likely to find that the time you would want to spend on core business activities needs spending on pressing financial issues.
This time comes at a cost, and calculating that you will save money by not outsourcing can turn out to be a false economy, when you factor in what your own time is worth.
And if you’re faced with complex accounting issues, these will take you a lot longer to unravel than someone who is a seasoned accounting professional.
What’s the Added Value of SME Accounting Services?
You should expect more from your accountant than simply filing your annual accounts or self assessment returns.
If this is all you’re getting from an SME accounting firm for, then really you are under-using them.
Accountants have years of professional experience. They know the tax system inside out, and they understand the complexities of managing the finances of a business, including the challenges that start-ups face.
Firstly, there’s the tax advice you get from an accountant. This can include detailed knowledge of tax laws, including different liabilities and allowances. And it’s important for your business that you are fully aware of the exemptions and tax relief measures that can save you money and reduce your financial burden.
An accountant will also have a forensic, detailed approach to all aspects of your finances. This enables them to uncover any vulnerabilities or pinpoint weak spots.
It’s much better to be in a position to deal with these things earlier rather than later, because these issues are likely to grow and become more serious, or critical, if you do not attend to them sooner rather than later.
A good accountant can also act as a mentor for your enterprise, providing you with sound, strategic advice that goes far beyond filing returns for HMRC.
In this sense, an accountant becomes a clear asset to your business, helping it develop while keeping its financial foundations firm and healthy.
What Should You Look for in an Accountant?
A good accountant is someone you can trust. When choosing a small business accountant, you need to look beyond paper qualifications and consider how you can develop a close working relationship with them.
This is because trust is an essential aspect of accounting services.
Personality matters. It is the basis of any solid relationship. You need to have a good, personal connection with your accountant.
In this current age of social distancing, this might seem harder to achieve, but it’s about finding suitable communication channels, and having the reassurance that your accountant will be personally contactable when you need them.
There are various qualities to look for in your accountant.
- Experience and credibility – what depth of knowledge will your accountant bring to support your enterprise, and what testimonials can they show to support this?
- Understanding and commercial awareness – does your accountant understand your business model, how it fits in the market, and the issues you face?
- Communication – will the person looking after your interests be the person you can talk to directly, without you being passed from pillar to post?
- Enthusiasm – you want professional accounting support that does more than just go through the motions.
- Initiative – the best kind of SME accountant will be proactive rather than simply responsive, finding ways to help your business grow and thrive.
- Innovation – yes, you want plenty of experience, but you also want someone who will embrace change by keeping up with the very latest developments, such as accountancy software.
Questions You Should Ask
Based on the qualities listed, it’s important that you ask the right questions of your prospective accountant:
- What experience do you have?
- How do you keep up-to-date?
- Who will handle my accounts?
- What is your range of services?
And, of course:
- How much will it cost?
However, don’t base your decision on price alone. Remember, this is someone with whom you want to develop a good working relationship based on mutual respect and trust.
Your accountant could end up being one of the most important person you deal with in your business life.
Therefore, it is absolutely crucial that you find the right fit.
Accountants offer different packages, and you should choose the option which will work best for you. But you should use them as a ready resource and a strategic asset for your business.
Specialists in Support for Start-up and Small Businesses
Our special focus as an SME accounting firm is on start-ups and (such as those within the technology sector) small businesses. We work with our clients to build close relationships that underpin our professional services.
For more information, or to talk about your requirements, give us a call on 020 8088 2590, email enquiries@vennaccounts.com or fill in our contact form, and we’ll be in touch as soon as possible. We are here to help and are happy to answer any questions you might have.
