A bookkeeper is a bit like a GP – there’s one on every corner but great ones are hard to find. And when you do find one, you should never let them go. But how do you know if your bookkeeper is good, or even better, a great bookkeeper?
If you’re unsure of where to start looking for a great bookkeeper, here’s a handy tool to help you find someone nearby to you.
But knowing what to look for is another challenge entirely.
Let’s start with the things every bookkeeper should have before we look at what makes a great bookkeeper.
Training and accreditation
Every bookkeeper should have some sort of formal bookkeeper or accounting training and preferably be a registered Business Activity Statements (BAS) agent.
A registered BAS agent means that the Tax Practitioners Board are satisfied that the bookkeeper has the required skills, qualifications and a minimum amount of experience to correctly account for GST and prepare your BAS according to legislation. Use this link to check if your bookkeeper is registered.
Experience
Like most professionals, the less experienced and less qualified bookkeeper will usually be cheaper. But judging bookkeepers by price is fraught with danger.
If you’re simply comparing hourly rates, a highly experienced bookkeeper will always seem more expensive. This is not true because most experienced bookkeepers will also work significantly faster and smarter than someone who has less experience.
An example of this happened to one of my clients recently. He was paying his previous bookkeeper almost half of my rates but she charged him 16 hours a quarter to do his work. When he came to me, he almost fell over when I told him our prices. However, it took me four hours in total to do his work – so yes, my rate was almost double but his bill was less than half.
Now, if you want to focus on kicking some serious business butts and not worry about your bookkeeping, a good bookkeeper may not be good enough. You want and need a great bookkeeper. A great bookkeeper will do more than just get you over the line with your compliance. Here are five signs your bookkeeper is doing a great job.
1. Great bookkeepers understand your process
He or she will take the time to really understand your business and how you operate so they can make sure that the processes are as simple and efficient as possible, and nothing is missed or duplicated. They will be able to see areas that can be streamlined in your small business.
2. Great bookkeepers ask questions
Many business owners find questions annoying. However, in order to ensure transactions are correctly allocated, it is better that your bookkeeper ask questions rather than guess.
3. Great bookkeepers know what they don’t know
Not only do they know what is legally within their scope. For example, BAS agents are not permitted to give any income tax or fringe benefits tax (FBT) advice. But they are also not afraid to say “I don’t know” rather than worry about looking silly and will contact your Melbourne accountant for advice.
4. Great bookkeepers do their homework
A sign of a really great bookkeeper is one who is up to date on what is happening in the bookkeeping, accounting and technology spaces. The bookkeeping and accounting industries have evolved considerably over the past few years due to changing technologies.
5. Great bookkeepers are people you can trust
Finally, the relationship between a client and a bookkeeper is sacred. Most people won’t share their financial details with friends or even family, yet this person is privy to everything – especially if you are using one account for business and personal but that’s another article altogether.
Make sure you like your bookkeeper, that you trust them and feel comfortable being completely honest with them. Your bookkeeper cannot help you get the most out of your accounts if you are not being completely transparent with them.