If you’ve reached the stage where you feel you can no longer handle the processes yourself, or you’re simply worried about doing something wrong or missing important information or documents when you compile and file your accounts with HMRC and Companies House, then you know it’s time to find yourself an accountant.
But this in itself can be a cause of anxiety for many small business owners. Finding a competent, reliable professional accountant is one task. Finding one who also understands your business and who you feel you can trust and build a rapport with is perhaps the bigger challenge.
Here, we’re going to cover both sides of this coin. But let’s deal with finding first.
How to find a trusted accountant
There are a few ways you might attempt to find an accountant you can trust, rely on and get on well with:
Personal and professional connections
Word of mouth is a powerful marketing channel, and easily still the most common way to find an accountant. If someone is recommended to you personally and you feel like you have something (and someone) in common, then you’re more likely to trust them.
Similarly, if you recommend an accountant to a friend, you need to know they are going to provide good service, or it’s your own reputation on the line. You wouldn’t want to recommend someone who went on to let down your friend or business contact.
There are rare occasions where people will recommend an accountant solely because they are a friend rather than because they have the expertise. So you still need to exercise your own judgement and pay attention if something feels ‘off’.
Google search
This can be perceived as a bit of a lucky dip, and the ones you see first in any search results are likely those who have paid to be there or have mastered ways to game a search engine’s algorithm.
However, an online search is exactly how one of our biggest clients found us. They Googled “Accountants Midlands”, studied the results and decided we would be a good fit. The best advice (as with anything in business) is to do due diligence and find out if the accountants you have found are a good fit for you both business-wise and personally, especially if you are a small business or sole trader.
Asking AI
Very similar to a Google search, but the AI will also take into account a wider range of factors than a ranking score. An AI will typically also use information from review sites, online public forums, social media and historic listings in order to give you an informed response. This saves you trawling through reviews and doing a lot of research yourself, but watch out – some information can be out of date, or even made up!
Social media
It’s not unusual to see a professional post a thought piece on LinkedIn or Instagram about something that’s happened that sparks your interest or even impresses you. It could be an issue they’ve had to deal with in their own business, an insight that’s cropped up from a pattern they’ve noticed, a comment on a new piece of legislation, a new tip or hack to save you time and money, or something else.
You see the piece, you feel like you’ve learned something valuable, they seem relatable as a person and you decide to follow them to see what else they have to say. A post like this has helped you to feel they have both the character and expertise you’re looking for. They’re a good candidate to be the right accountant for you.
You might even feel they’ve hit the nail on the head about something you’re trying to deal with right now and get in touch with them right away. It happens.
But, as ever, you need to do your due diligence and exercise your own best judgement. I’m sure you’ll be curious to find out what else they’ve posted, check out their website, read any case studies they have and see if the way they think and talk is relatable to you.
So far, so good. There is no shortage of ways to find a skilled professional accountant. So, let’s move on to the important part…
The reason you need to be sure they’re right for you
An accountant is someone you’ll be sharing very personal information with. We’re talking about your address, date of birth, earnings, bank account details, assets, etc. All the things you’re told not to reveal in general – it would be a gold mine to identity thieves, hackers and fraudsters.
So, you need a high level of certainty they’re someone you can trust. But not only someone you can trust – someone relatable. Someone who will understand your aspirations and where you want to go in your business. And who will be able to solve problems, help you spot opportunities and also take security very seriously while they’re at it.
This is a rare, but vital, mix.
How can you know they’re the right accountant for you?
As you’ve probably realised by now, it’s not just about accountancy skills. It’s also not only about integrity. It’s about attitude as well.
While we’re all human and a good personality fit might be different for each business owner, there are certain traits that we feel are important, have stood us in good stead in our own business and have helped foster excellent client-accountant working relationships.
They lean in to engagement
The right accountant for you will be receptive and proactive in talking over any problems or opportunities you come to them with.
You might pick up the phone to them, or drop them a quick email to say anything from, “I’ve got this issue with my cash flow” to “I need to see how doing X will change my tax position” or “I want to do this with my business”.
The important thing is, they won’t shy away from talking to you. They’ll be brave enough to have an open conversation – about tough issues as well as exciting new prospects. They’ll trust their own professional judgement just as you trust your instincts, and they’ll want to help.
They’re accessible
The pace of business has increased dramatically over the last few years. There will be times where you need to make informed decisions quickly, or want to know if a new idea is worth spending time on while it’s fresh in your mind. Or you need to strike while the iron is hot on an important issue that’s just presented itself.
So, your chosen accountant needs to be accessible. You need to know you can contact them at reasonable times and they’ll be happy to field your query so you can get resolution or get moving without delay.
Of course, boundaries exist. Calls at weekends and late nights are usually avoided, but then that goes for most people.
But we’ve found it’s far more productive and gets better results if clients are able to send us quick messages via WhatsApp or a voice note whenever they need to. Using the channels people use in their day-to-day life, rather than relying on formal updates or convoluted emails, makes contact far simpler and straightforward. It’s also easier to send those quick, impulsive ideas you might have – and for us to respond – without engaging in a long call.
If it helps to encourage people to take this less-formal approach, as an aside, we are surprised at how many people say they’ve waited until they have a list of three or four things before ‘bothering’ us. A quick query that we can respond to quickly is not a bother for us, and in fact it saves issues building up and creating more problems or a bottleneck further down the line.
They have the right mindset
What all the above boils down to is that you’ll want an accountant who wants to support you. They’ll take a positive approach to your business, any issues, the possible opportunities, and they’ll want to see you succeed and be happy.
The best accountants understand people before they understand the numbers. The right accountant for you wants to help, has the skills, has the experience, has the time and has empathy for your circumstances.
That last point is often overlooked, but empathy can be the most useful tool at an accountant’s disposal. It gives them a definite advantage in understanding your business and what’s important to you and why, which can lead to better insights, improved trust and more relevant, useful advice.
The practical applications of accountancy produce answers. But understanding people leads to the right questions, and that’s where the most valuable advice begins.
A caveat
We should point out that this level of professional attention does come with a price point that might not be right for everyone. Many small businesses and sole traders who are happy with their business as it is may simply need an accountant for compliance reasons and periodic tax obligations rather than close business support.
In this case, a franchise accountant will do a perfectly good job for you at a lower cost, but also with very low levels of personal intimacy or business support. However, if you’re at the stage where you want more than the bare minimum, and considering how your business might change, then it is worth considering budgeting for a more comprehensive service, if your business could grow as a result of their advice.
Your accountant doesn’t have to be the one on the high street
Your options are much wider than they were five or ten years ago, thanks to technology. An accountant’s physical location is no longer important as you no longer have to take in boxes of files and receipts – both you and they can now deal with all the spreadsheets, invoices, receipts, statements and other paperwork quickly and conveniently online.
So, you can cast your net for a trusted accountant wider than ever before. And if you want advice on your situation, just drop us a quick message.
