What is your relationship like with your bookkeeper or bookkeeping team? Do you speak regularly or do you only catch up once or twice a year? Perhaps you don’t have a bookkeeper yet and you’re not quite sure how to embark on this very important business relationship journey.
Whatever the case, your relationship with your bookkeeper should be high on your priority list as they are integral to your business and ought to be your closest confidant when it comes to all things financial. A strong relationship with your bookkeeper or bookkeeping team should be a building block in the process of building a successful and healthy business.
If you’re a business owner wanting to build a strong and lasting relationship with your bookkeeper, here are 10 ways to make it happen:
1. Know your strengths:
Ask yourself why you started your business journey and keep your focus on doing what you set out to do. And keep that focus narrow. Stick to the things you are good at and keep working on providing the best service possible or making the best products the market has to offer. You will be much more able to delegate effectively when you know what you’re good at and where some expert support is needed.
2. Be organised:
Spend a bit of time on your records before meeting with a bookkeeper for the first time. Be sure to organise paperwork, sort through receipts and invoices and get your online banking set up and other cloud based tools working. You will leave a lasting impression on a bookkeeper, and if you’re organised, you’ll be off to a flying start!
3. Understand your own numbers:
It is an essential part of running a business – knowing your numbers and understanding what they mean. This is where a good bookkeeper comes in handy. They can help you understand those numbers along with implementing systems to keep those numbers accurate.
4. Know what you require – and ask for it:
Make sure you determine exactly what you require from your bookkeeper. Do you purely need help with compliance? Or do you need their expertise and experience to stretch a bit further? Once you are clear on your needs, be open and honest in sharing these with your bookkeeper – it is important that both parties involved know what is expected and how they will work together.
5. Collaborate:
It is your bookkeeper’s job to know your numbers. Therefore, it will be in your best interest to make these numbers accessible and readily available when required. Cloud based accounting systems make collaboration and data sharing super easy these days, wherever you may be located. These tools can also help your bookkeeper analyse your business data to help you make better informed business decisions in the future.
6. Befriend technology:
Utilising the right cloud based accounting software for your business can save heaps of time along with saving you some dollars in the long run. Your bookkeeper should be able to recommend a suitable system for your specific business needs and help you implement it too. These systems (for example Xero, Quickbooks and MYOB) will undoubtedly improve business operations for you, as business owner, and your staff members.
7. Ditch the paper:
Having piles of paper in your office should really be a thing of the past. Actual paper records only create extra work which requires extra time and money spent on managing it. Storing data electronically, including copies of invoices and receipts, has never been simpler. Data extraction and digital storage tools such as Dext and Hubdoc will also give you peace of mind that your records are stored safely and can be accessed at any time.
8. Leave tax to the experts:
When it comes to year-end tax time, your bookkeeper will help with getting all the relevant information collated and systemised. It is helpful to introduce your bookkeeper and accountant to each other as their collaboration can become a valuable asset to your business. Bookkeepers that are Registered BAS Agents are able to advise you on all GST-related matters, and can take care of BAS (Business Activity Statements) lodgements for you.
9. Don’t keep your bookkeeper in the dark:
Be sure to involve your bookkeeper when making key business decisions such as making large purchases and investments or entering into partnerships. By being transparent and sharing your vision and plans for your business, your bookkeeper will become better equipped to make recommendations when it comes to financial matters.
10. Make a referral:
It’s easy to forget that your bookkeeper is also a business with plans of growth and hopes of success. If you’re really happy with their work, show them some love by recommending them to your network and peers. A bit of support in their business growth can truly lay the foundation of a trusting and long lasting professional relationship.
Oh… and always bring donuts!
At SYM, our Dream Team thrive on the relationships we build with our clients and the collaborations we form with business owners and their accountants. If you’re ready to embark on your business journey and need a trustworthy and hardworking bookkeeping team behind you, we would love to accompany you along your way.
Contact us today!
