Does your accountant add up?

Jonathan Russell president of the UK200Group looks at the changing face of accountancy.

Is your accountant leading the way or lagging behind when it comes to maximising their service to you?

In today's competitive business environment, there's no such thing as a client for life. More and more companies and individuals are now willing to make the switch if their relationship is no longer fulfilling. Its therefore up to accountants to move with the times and develop their services in order to hang onto clients. Its also up to us to deliver a fully transparent service by advising businesses on what they should be looking for, instead of trying to convince them that basic preparation and compliance work is all that is needed. The fact is that nowadays this type of work is far simpler than it was years ago due to massively improved technology. It's inevitable then that accountants should no longer be charging the same fee for a quarter of the time spent. That's if the accountant even gets the work any more. Clients can now use technology to do most of the work themselves, and an accountant can sometimes only be needed for the very final stages. Finding an accountant who will use their skills and fees more effectively is therefore vital. We should be looking to provide the sort of advice and services that is not simple number crunching. Instead, by looking at the much wider picture accountants can now offer a complete solution for small businesses covering a range of services dedicated to the improvement of all aspects of a business and bottom line performance. The financial aspects of any company are central to every area of its operation so being able to advise on more than just money is essential. These services can include strategic marketing reviews, new product development, enterprise resource planning, strategic business planning, business finance, marketing, expert witness work.

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