So, you basically don’t know what they do each day, week, month, or year. You can usually get reports on the past month’s performance within a few weeks of the end of each month, but sometimes it takes much longer. When you ask them why there is a delay, they give you a number of excuses, the worst of which is blaming you.
Meanwhile, they haven’t created a succinct workflow for your business to follow for accurate and timely accounting, so you aren’t sure how to fix the problems. Some of the reports you ask for are never produced. You ask again each month, hoping something will change, and you still don’t get what you need every month. They might even begin to make you feel like you are bothering them, distracting them from their work. Thank goodness they don’t take much sick leave or vacation, or you would be lost entirely. You are not even sure how to cut a check if they aren’t around.
If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. Small business owners find themselves in this situation more often than you might expect. If any of the above conditions are present, you may be in a hostage situation. These are intimidating and frustrating times, and only you, as the business owner, can change it.
The easiest way to implement a change is to bring an outsourced accounting company to work with your in-house person to ‘lighten the load.’ Use a firm that can host your books and records so the bookkeeping department is transparent and accessible to all – this will move the wizard out from behind the curtain.
Then sign up for a package that takes all of the mundane tasks of account reconciliation and reporting out of your accountant’s white-knuckle grip – this will create oversight and review so you know that a professional is seeing every transaction.
Finally, assign your in-house accountant to memorialize all the tasks and procedures they perform in a brief manual so you can decide if those tasks are efficient and necessary and identify any gaps as a team. If your accountant resists this change, they might be hiding something. Or they might know they are overpaid for what they do and are more worried about their job security than making good business decisions for you. Either way, resistance is a big red flag. The good news is that with an excellent outsourced accounting team on your side, you will be able to evolve quickly, no matter what changes you need. You will finally be free to run your business – not have your accountant run you!
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
