This is 2016 and technology brings us closer together, even when we are physically far apart. This is not only because of social media, but also because of applications like QuickBooks online, and Skype. Are you seeing where this is going?
I work with some clients that I rarely ever see. In this day and age it is not entirely necessary to be physically present in the office as a bookkeeper. Now, that means that it is absolutely CRITICAL that you communicate efficiently with your clients. They need to be confident that you are there for them when they need it, and customer service can not slip just because you are not present in the office.
For a lot of long-time business owners it is hard to see how working remotely can work for them. Here is why it works for just about everyone.
1. Communication. Customer service is everything in this industry. So it is important that your bookkeeper be available to support you when you need it most. Email and texting allow for easy communication 24hours a day. And in emergency scenarios there is always the phone. However, for initial meetings, and annual reviews I like to use Skype just to remind your customer that you are a real person!
2. Scanning / Emailing / Online Doc Storage. There are so many paperless options out there. I like Google Docs, and DropBox. Google Doc's allows you to create spreadsheets and other documents, and you can share them with people and store them there, and also upload documents. I am always able to print out my own copy of bank statements (which paperless usually saves the account holder money). Setting up a regular schedule with your bookkeeper will allow you to prepare the sharing of bills, and invoices. And establish a routine for getting work done together.
3. Bill Payments. With QuickBooks Online you can print checks from any computer any time. It is best to establish a routine here though as it can get confusing if too many people are handling bill payments. So, the best thing to do is have your bookkeeper deal with the regular bill payment, and to have the owner/manager handle things on an as needed basis. Online banking also offers a free bill pay feature that helps stream line things for your regular bills like electric, and rent.
4. Money Savings. Hiring an inexperienced bookkeeper that also acts as an office administrator can end up costing you more. A experienced part-time bookkeeper will get things done right the first time, and can work faster then some one who has no clue what they are doing. Hire an office administrator to focus only on office management, they are less per hour and having a separate bookkeeper will that admin position to be part time as well. If an inexperienced person is working on your accounting, you have no clue what the results will be, and your CPA is going to charge you a lot more if they have to correct things. Besides, you want some one who will pay attention to your expenses, and make sure that everything is what it should be.
The bottom line here is that you need to trust your bookkeeper, so make sure that you get to know them before making any decisions. Make sure that you are able to communicate well with them, and be confident that they know what they are doing.
A good bookkeeper can offer a lot more then your financial data entry. They can give you a good picture of how your business is doing, and help you make things better.
