If you are the owner of a new business, or simply looking for a change of provider, then sooner or later you will find yourself having to choose your accountant. Accountants vary in a number of ways, but there are a number of things that could potentially prove to be a deciding factor. These are some of the factors Yorkshire Accountancy work hard to provide because they bring the most value to our clients’ businesses.
Price
Obviously price will be a key factor when you choose your accountant. For new businesses, keeping costs down is vital. When changing service provider, a cost saving will be a very attractive possibility and perhaps the entire reason for the switch. By all means look for good prices, but don’t necessarily choose the cheapest firm you find. Look for a firm that balances good prices with high-quality service, as proper accounts are central to your business and it is better to pay more ensuring they are done well.
Yorkshire Accountancy offer a range of fixed-price plans, and this is often something to look for when you choose your accountant. This is partly a matter of convenience, as you know exactly what services you are getting and exactly how much is going to come out of your budget in order to get them. However, it also helps you avoid questionable tactics. For example, it is not unheard of for an accountant to charge you a percentage of your revenue. As the amount of money you earn should not, on its own, affect the amount of work involved, this should set alarm bells ringing.
Location
Do not limit your search to your local area, especially if you live in London. Accountants outside of London tend to be cheaper than those within the capital, so be willing to look Nationwide. You could potentially save a lot of money by looking further afield without compromising on quality.
That said, make sure you choose a firm you can work well with on a remote basis. Yorkshire Accountancy specialise in remote working and have built up a system so effective that many of our local clients don’t see the need to meet, but not every firm have put the same amount of effort into their remote working processes.
Help, Advice and Extras
For many businesses, an accountant is much more than just a service provider. They are also a trusted source of advice. When you choose your accountant, you might want to consider how much help they seem able to offer. This can be difficult to judge before actually starting to work with them, but there are a few indications.
One of these is whether they offer any extras that will provide very practical help, such as Yorkshire Accountancy offering free bookkeeping software. Another is how easy they are to get in touch with if you need help. Yorkshire Accountancy, for example, offer both phone advice and fast-response email help.
