Home
>
Small Business
>
Small Business Operators - 7 Reasons You Should Change Your Accountant

Small Business Operators - 7 Reasons You Should Change Your Accountant

A recent survey showed that only 28.7% of small business owners were happy with their accountant, and only half of those would recommend him to their friends because he was too busy already.

The following are the most common reasons small business owners give for their dissatisfaction. Do any apply to you?

1. The accountant in charge is not accessible and never returns phone calls. In the early stages he couldn't do enough. He used to come out to the factory at least once a year to have a look. Now he seems to have time only for the big fellows. It seems I'm too small for him to be bothered with.

2. I am forever being foisted onto less senior staff who just do not know the answers. They have to research the matter or get hold of someone more knowledgeable It means delays and wasted time that I am being billed for.

3. The change over in staff is frustrating. I have a complex structure and I have to explain it anew every time I visit. It would be lovely to build up a relationship with someone permanently. (or at least for two years in a row).

4. I deliver my work in plenty of time but the accountant sits on it like a clucky hen for months. Sometimes I receive fines from the Tax Office which are not my fault. My accountant reimburses me if I kick up a stink about it, but I am afraid I am building a bad reputation with the tax people.

5. Even though the work has been in his office in loads of time, the completion always seems to be hurried. Work is sent to me with errors. Surely this isn't right? Now, I insist on seeing the work in draft form first, and I am able to pick up most of the errors

6. He charges for everything. I rang him to point out a mistake his firm had made in my account and he charged me $35 for fixing it.

7. The fee he charges is out of all proportion to the service he gives! The fee goes up each year while his service gets poorer. I don't mind paying the appropriate fee but he charges like a wounded bull.

These are the perceptions only from disgruntled clients and may be colored by many things. They may be even untrue! I am sure that the accountant would tell another story, but?

Before you engage an accountant or even in dealing with your presentaccountant you should clarify his terms of engagement. You wouldn't go to a mechanic and say, "Fix my car. Do whatever you think is appropriate. Never mind the cost just send me the bill."

Nor should you with your accountant. Your accountant may be performing a service you don't need and don't use. How will he know if you don't tell him?

On the other hand, there may be a service you really do need which he is not doing. Ask him to give you an estimate. Don't be put off with,"It's a bit hard to estimate I charge an hourly fee".

Once his tasks for the year are nailed down why shouldn't he have an idea of how long each task takes.

The charge out rate for each employee may range from $35 to $200 dollars per hour according to the skill and experience of the employee. The Accountant should be able to estimate the fee using the rate for the appropriate employee. If during the year a specialist just happens to do some data entry over the weekend to get the task finished you shouldn't have to pay his rates.

The most important attribute of a good accountant is his ability to act as your confidante. You should be able to tell him anything.

You won't be able to if each time you are in his office you are worried about the fee he is going to charge for the visit.

Kelvyn Peters and Associates
http://www.profitstrategies4business.com

About the Author

Kelvyn Peters is one of Australia's longest serving Tax Agents. Kelvyn was registered in February 1962 and became a CPA in September 1964.

Kelvyn has served on many not-for-profit and charitable boards including St Aubyns Private Hospital, Alzheimer's Association, Older Peoples Advocacy Service and the Golden Years Center.

As a young man he won the Outstanding Jaycee Award three year's in a row. Kelvyn is a generous and kind man who loves helping people. Kelvyn feels their pain.

Kelvyn Peters was Mayor of Kingaroy Shire Council from 1977 to 1983 and campaigned as the 'Young Man of Action"

Over 20 years later he still regards himself as a 'Young Man of Action'.

He is a director of Restaurant Catering Qld Inc the peak employer representative in Queensland, and has advised the hospitality industry for many years.

His specialty is moving in to rescue an ailing business.

Kelvyn Peters CPA has spent over 20 years experimenting and researching methods to help small business in meaningful ways that are affordable.

Ashley limo service at o'hare ..

In The News:

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how a VPN boosts privacy by encrypting data and hiding your IP, but more is needed for anonymity.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how NoviOcean's hybrid platform uses wind, solar and wave power to generate clean energy.

Scammers are offering video streaming for funeral services and taking advantage of people who are grieving to get credit card information.

Windows operating system users face more than 600 million cyberattacks every day, according to Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson. The attacks are on the rise.

Natural disasters like Hurricane Helene in North Carolina illustrate the need for aircraft capable of accessing remote or disaster-stricken areas with minimal infrastructure.

Scammers have illustrated that cryptocurrency is not as foolproof as it has promised. Americans lost $5.6 billion to crypto scams in 2023, according to the FBI.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

A humanoid robot made by a Chinese company proposes to redefine personalized elderly care and assistance for people with disabilities.

An architecture firm has unveiled the concept for a 454-foot gigayacht that combines luxury, innovation and style and can accommodate 22 guests and 52 crew members.

For those with visual challenges, there are a number of voice-dialing apps and features to help make phone calls without having to see numbers.

Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals some of the iPhone settings you may want to turn off to improve privacy after updating to iOS 18.

Preserving the memories of loved ones through photos, videos and media content have advanced with technology, ensure you can experience those fond memories for years.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about a new AI-powered scam that targets Gmail users and is harder to detect unless you're very cautious.

Tesla's "We, Robot" event reveals the Robovan, Robotaxi and the Optimus humanoid robot. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson examines the company's latest innovations in autonomous technology.

Reports warn of a scam text falsely claiming that recipients aren’t registered to vote. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals what you need to know and five tips to avoid such schemes.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explores the iOS 18’s new features to hide and lock apps for better privacy and organization.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how security experts found new malware, Lumma Stealer, spreading via fake verification pages.

First indoor vertical berry farm opens in Virginia, using AI to grow 4 million pounds annually. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson takes a closer look at the "growing" trend.

Having Wi-Fi has become a necessity for many of us. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explores the top five ways to equip your vehicles with Wi-Fi.

The Vulcan is Icon's massive 3D printer, which stands 15½ feet tall and weighs 4.75 tons. It's capable of creating buildings with 12-foot-high curving walls.

Fidelity Investments, one of the world's biggest asset managers, experienced a data breach in August, the company's second in 12 months.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Apple’s new Emergency SOS Live Video feature allows users to share live video footage of the emergency directly with first responders.