Hiring the wrong bookkeeper can destroy your business!

March 17, 2008 on 6:03 am | In Advertising

What must you consider when hiring and managing your bookkeeper?

Why are we so concerned about making sure that you hire the right bookkeeper? Two reasons. First, yes, we do have something to sell that will help you be sure to get the right person for the job (honesty is the best policy). Second, we believe that, even if you don’t purchase anything from us, this information will help you hire and manage the right bookkeeper and be more profitable. And, if you’re more profitable that means your business will be around for a long time to come and, in the future, we may be able to provide you with some other valuable product or service.

With that said, take a look at the following links for some really great and valuable information from which any business hiring or managing a bookkeeper can profit.

- First, an urgent note about your bookkeeper and accounting issues..

- What do you need your bookkeeper to do?

- How will you know if they’re doing the job you need?

- What are the signs that your bookkeeper may be setting up a potentially business-life threatening situation?

- Could your bookkeeper be “helping themselves” to your hard-earned money?

- Let your bookkeeper help pay their own wages!

- “Who needs a bookkeeper with those easy-to-use, do-everything, no-brainer business bookkeeping software programs I got with my fancy new computer?”

- Finding the right bookkeeper and setting up some simple steps can help you save bundles of money on your CPA’$ bill$.

Ask your CPA.

What, you thought your CPA would automatically tell you if they thought there might be a problem?

Well, generally, yes. But, frequently your CPA may not be dealing directly with your bookkeeper on these types of issues. In fact, very often it will be one of your CPA’s junior staff that has the majority of face-to-face contact with your bookkeeper. Now, this is just fine, but, maybe the CPA’s staff is the one who has gotten what they need and formulated an opinion of the bookkeeper’s work product. And, just as likely, unless the bookkeeper’s work is really awful, may not have found it to be a big enough issue to bring up. So, make sure it is brought up… ask your CPA.

Ask your bookkeeper.

Well, why not? In general most of us can be fairly objective about our own work, our challenges and issues. You will find that if you set up a safe environment and are genuine about using this “self-review” to improve things the results can be very rewarding for you, your company and your bookkeeper.

What is a safe environment? It has nothing to do with the physical environment, but with the emotional environment. It is important to make sure that the person performing the self-review knows that it is to enhance their job security and satisfaction, and their value to the company. Further, I believe that it is important to also make a point of stating affirmatively that pointing out areas needing improvement in their work, will only be discussed in a positive light. That is to say you will help them find ways to hurdle the obstacles.

Certainly, there are as many ways to measure the effectiveness of your bookkeeper as there are companies. But, if you follow these fairly simple guidelines you will be well on your way to a truly satisfying experience with your bookkeeper.