1. Can you give me a few suggestions on how we can make the bookkeeping system more efficient?
Your bookkeeper should always be looking for ways to improve the efficiency of your bookkeeping system.  Simple efficiencies can be made in QuickBooks like using memorized transactions, printing checks from QuickBooks, downloading QuickBooks transactions or linking online bill pay with QuickBooks.  You may also want to look into QuickBooks cloud hosting.  Your bookkeeper should be keeping up with the accounting industry as well as the technological advances that are going on.  New technologies to make bookkeeping easier and more efficient are always emerging so it is important to keep up.

2. How do you think we can improve sales?
It might seem odd to you to ask your bookkeeper about sales but you might get some interesting ideas.  As I said earlier your bookkeeper may know the financial aspects of your business better than you do.  They may have noticed trends in your sales that you overlooked.  They may even have a great idea for a new sales avenue that you haven’t thought of.

3. How can having an outsourced accounting department help me manage my business? 
By outsourcing your accounting position(s), your company doesn’t have to endure the hiring process and lose valuable time and money training bookkeepers, accountants or financial controllers. If you have been doing the bookkeeping yourself, you finally free up your time to focus on other aspects of growing your business. You’ll be able to make informed decisions based on more than just your cash balance at the bank.

An outsourced accounting department gives your company accurate financial data so you can determine what customers and/or products are the most profitable. You can concentrate more time on the most successful aspects of your company. This capability allows a business owner to become truly savvy in investing energy and resources in the right places. The door is left open for you to do the tasks that are most important to your company’s financial success. Using AccountingDepartment.com, you maintain full, round-the-clock control of and access to your information, while we perform all of your bookkeeping tasks and update your accounting records. Truly the best of both worlds.

4.  Won’t I lose control if the books are done by an outside service? 
The short answer: No. You actually have more control since you’ll have accurate, up-to-date financial statements at your fingertips. You’ll have more time and money to plan instead of simply reacting to business events.

5.  I like having an extra employee around here to help with other things. Why should I use a virtual accounting service?
If you need someone to make coffee and fill his or her day with other small tasks, that’s great. But think about this: How easy is it to find a good bookkeeper that knows QuickBooks inside and out? (AccountingDepartment.com Hiring Process) Someone whose number one job it is to maintain the books for you so you don’t have to worry about bookkeeping? Aren’t you tired of the never-ending cycle of problems caused by the entire process of finding, hiring and training employees who claim to have bookkeeping knowledge but always fall short of providing the full accounting services your growing business needs?

6. Can you show me three ways I can use your systems to help me make business decisions?
Your bookkeeping system should be a tool that you can use to make critical business decisions.  If your bookkeeper can’t show you three ways that you can constructively use your bookkeeping system to help you then you may need a new bookkeeper.  It is amazing to me how under-used most small business bookkeeping systems are.  I think many business owners look at bookkeeping as a means to filing your taxes.  Instead, start looking at your bookkeeping as a tool that you can use to grow your business.

If you need any more information on bookkeeping call me 850-877-5613