With so many options, picking a good bookkeeping firm can be tricky – but the article below will make it easy.
Key Takeaways
- Find an experienced firm that has proven their worth
- Have a conversation to make sure you are on the same page
- Do they have all of the services that you need to be successful?
- Ask about pricing and get a clear quote for the services that will be provided
If you feel like hiring bookkeeping services from outside of your organization is the right way to take a meaningful step forward, you are in good company. Countless other businesses have already decided to handle their accounting services this way, and it works nicely. With financial reporting and other critical tasks taken care of by experts, you can breathe a sigh of relief and get back to focusing on the core of your business.
So, in a world where there are many accounting services available at your fingertips, how do you know which one to pick? That’s a tough question, to be sure, but we’ll help you find some answers below. And, if you’d like to skip the search for an outsourced accounting team and just get started with a trustworthy partner right away, Swiftbooks is here to help. Take a moment to contact us today and get the ball rolling!
Start with Experience
If you want to be sure you are picking from outsourced accounting firms that are worthy of your attention, the first step to take is to look at companies with experience in this space. This job is far too important to trust with accounting firms that aren’t up to the challenge or won’t be able to adapt to your needs over time. Allow newer accounting services to get started by working with someone else – only trust your books to a team that has been there, done that.
Of course, experience shouldn’t be the only factor that you consider when looking at accounting firms, but rather it’s just a starting point from which you can build. Outsourced accounting services are something that businesses will get better at offering with time, so you don’t want to be their first or second customer. With a partner like Swiftbooks, you can be sure that any kinks in our accounting processes have long since been worked out, and what you are left with is a polished outsourced bookkeeping process that won’t let you down.
Take Some Time to Talk
It’s going to be hard to know which contractor you can trust with financial reporting and other key jobs when you aren’t able to talk to the people behind the company. If a business is trying to sell you their bookkeeping services and they aren’t willing or able to get on a call and present their offers, you should think twice about going in their direction.
Remember, outsourced bookkeeping is about more than just financial reporting and running accounting software, as important as those things are. This is a relationship that you will be entering into with your selected partner, and you want to make sure they are just as invested as you are in the future of your business. If you can’t get on a call early in the process to talk with this contractor and make sure they are on the same page with you, it will be hard to develop the necessary trust for this connection to work out.
Make Sure They Offer What You Need
Most, but not all, outsourced accounting firms are going to offer the collection of services that you need to meet your goals. Sure, all of these companies are going to use modern accounting software, and most will provide tax services and monthly financial statements. But what else do you need to move on from your in house bookkeeping services? Now is the time, before a relationship has started, to make sure that your selected contractor is going to check every box.
This is why Swiftbooks makes it a point to offer a comprehensive suite of services to all of our customers. We do monthly financial statements, tax services, standard bookkeeping in popular accounting software tools, and much, much more. You can expect that whatever needs you express to us in terms of advanced accounting processes, we’ll be able to get the job done with ease.
Look for Transparent Pricing
There shouldn’t be any secrets about how much it is going to cost you to upgrade your accounting processes through outsourced accounting services. The cost of the basics like the accounting software that you are using is easy enough to figure, but the big question is how much your chosen service is going to charge you for tax preparation services, accounts receivable management, accounts payable, and on and on.
On these points, don’t accept anything less than total transparency. That’s the name of the game for a business owner – knowing exactly how much money you are going to have to spend on accounting outsourcing to get the results you need and deserve. A good outsourced accounting company is going to give you accurate financial data, but that arrangement will only work out if the price is acceptable and fits in your budget. Ask about pricing right away and be sure you get a direct answer.
It's Important to Get Started
You might find yourself stuck in a pattern of sitting about and thinking about making changes to your internal accounting department without actually doing it. That’s a pattern that can get expensive in a hurry. With every month that goes by using the same process, you’ll just be spending more money to get lesser services. If you have been hoping to upgrade the way accounts payable are managed, and how you prepare financial statements, the right approach is simply to jump into action. If you take the step of reaching out to a company that can manage your accounts receivable and more, you will be thrilled with the change that it enacts in your day-to-day operations.
The Swiftbooks Difference
In the end, the search for outsourced accounting services doesn’t need to last very long. Swiftbooks is a proven, reliable provider in this space, and can be trusted to deliver the results you deserve month after month. Not only will our outsourced bookkeeping services give you great outcomes, but you’ll also be saving money over an in house accounting team. Don’t wait any longer to see what we have to offer!
