How many times do we hear business owners complaining about their accountant (not me of course!)? And yet changing their accountant doesn’t really seem to be a consideration. Is changing your accountant difficult?
It is surprising, even to me, how loyal business owners are to their accountant. To this day it is still fairly rare for anyone to switch.
Much like switching banks, utility suppliers or insurance providers, there is a reluctance to change even though the process is relatively simple.
Why change?
1. Do you know how much you are getting charged?
This was one of my pet hates when working for other accountancy practices – and I was the accountant!
You know the situation where you sign your year-end accountant and are presented with a bill, without any idea of how much it would be. Or you contact your accountant for a bit of advice and find an invoice in the post the next morning.
This is not about finding the cheapest accountant (that’s normally a bad idea too!). No other business would work that way, so neither should your accountant.
2. They don’t understand your business.
Accountancy, believe it or not, is not all about number crunching. A good accountant should understand how your business runs, the problems it faces and the successes it has.
An accountant that understands your business can give you the advice and help that you really need, rather than generic statements that mean little or nothing to you.
3. They don’t use technology.
Accountants in general are getting better at this.
Cloud based software means your accountant should now be able to get up to date information.
They can then help you make decisions that are relevant to the here and now, not 12 months out of date.
4. Deadlines aren’t met
Your accountant should be on top of all the deadlines that you and your business face. If not, then they may be costing you money with penalties.
If you’re constantly chasing your accountant to meet the deadlines, then that is poor service.
5. You don’t get on with your accountant
Having a good relationship with your accountant makes talking business a whole lot easier.
If you feel comfortable talking to them, you are more likely to get the help and advice that you need.
If a conversation is difficult, it may be time to change.
How easy is it to change?
The process of changing accountants is pretty straightforward. The hard part is making the decision in the first place.
- Find your new accountant (book a call with me in other words) and agree the services and fees in advance.
- Sign a new Letter of Engagement agreeing the terms, expectations and requirements of both you and I. You will also be required to provide forms of identification as part of the anti-money laundering regulations.
- I will write to your previous accountant to handle the transfer of information. It is courteous for you to inform them too by witing a short letter terminating your agreement and agreeing upon who will complete any unfinished work.
- I will handle the change of authority for me to deal with HMRC on your behalf. This only requires you to forward a few codes that HMRC will send to you by post.
- Within a few weeks the handover will be complete.
Why choose Guida Accountancy?
- I work on a fixed fee basis for all my clients so there are no unexpected bills. If any additional work, over and above the services agreed are required, I will always quote for these in advance.
- My fees include unlimited phone calls and emails, so you do not need to be scared about contacting me and getting a bill the next day.
- I talk to my clients regularly, getting to know them and their business.
- I use cloud-based software so I can keep as up to date with your business as you are.
- My systems ensure that deadlines are met (or at least I am not at fault if they are not!)
- I provide a friendly welcoming service that helps my clients feel comfortable. And I have Ida to help me with that too.
If you think your accountant is not providing the service you and your business needs, then book a complimentary discovery call with me. You have nothing to lose.
