10 Things To Ask Your Accountant

This is a quick checklist of a few things that you, as a new business, should expect to ask your accountant (or potential accountant).

1. What will you do to help my business?

2. What guarantees do you offer?

3. Do you offer fixed prices?

4. How long will it take you to prepare a set of accounts?

5. Can I expect to have a tax planning meeting before my year end?

6. Will you recommend my business to others?

7. Can you show me some testimonials / case studies from existing customers?

8. How often can I expect to see / hear from you?

9. Can you refer other people who can help my business?

10. Can I expect to receive proactive advice?

Answers / explanations ? what you should hear when you ask these questions.

1. They should list a number of things, possibly even answering some of the other questions. A good response would include, introducing you to other professionals, potential customers and networking groups; referring your business to other customers of theirs; proactive advice and support ? recognising that you might not know the right question to ask, so they shouldn't wait until you ask to offer advice where relevant.

2. Again expect several, around services standards, turnaround time for work etc.

3. Yes.

4. 30 days (60 max)

5. Yes, as standard (and included in fee)

6. Yes, its our policy to do so.

7. Yes, they should have a selection. (The fact that they ask for them will also tell you something about the type of firm they are ie forward thinking, proactive)

8. This should be more than once a year! You should at least expect newsletters, occasional invitations or recommendations even if you don't have any work done during the year.

9. Yes, they should have a network of reliable professionals who can help you.

10. Yes, should be matter of course, see 1.

© Copyright Julia McDaid 2003 www.startupright.co.uk

Julia McDaid is a business coach and author, specialising in helping business start ups. For more information on these issues or on coaching for new business owners, see http://www.startupright.co.uk or enrol on Julia's unique Start Up 101 ecourse, where you can go into each question in a lot more depth. Julia also publishes a free ezine 'Secrets of the Successful Entrepreneur' ? to sign up just send an email to [email protected]

---

The Top 7 Marketing Tips You Dont Want To Overlook

1. Combine Emotion and LogicConsumers buy because the want to... Read More

10-Point Checklist for High Visibility in Google

Google is the pre-eminent search engine (SE) with no close... Read More

Never Sell Again: Get Repeat Business and Avoid the Need to Prospect

If you're a business owner, you know that repeat business... Read More

10 Nifty Tips for Better Business Cards

Not having a business card is as bad as using... Read More

Top Seven Questions for Starting Projects More Effectively

We all are project managers. Some of us manage projects... Read More

How To Eliminate Your Competition Without Bloodshed

So how do you eliminate your competition without bloodshed? You... Read More

Increase Business Profits - Ten Ways

How do you increase business profits? Answer the following questions... Read More

Seven Ways to Improve Your Results with Follow-up

What follows is a bold statement, but sometimes it takes... Read More

Surviving When Clients Arent Rolling In

As the holiday season starts to settle in, the workload... Read More

7 Reasons Why Training Doesn?t Produce the Desired Results and What You Can Do To

Seven Reasons Why Training Doesn't Produce the Desired Results and... Read More

10 Budgeting Tips for Business People and Small Companies

It is possible for small companies and individual business people... Read More

Ten Ways To Sell Your Ideas To Anyone

You have a great idea you know is a winner.... Read More

7 Reasons You Want Referral Business and How to Get Them

Studies have proven that there is one reason why people... Read More

Ten Steps To Better Listening

Talking is the least important half of any conversation. Listening... Read More

The Ten Best Kept Secrets For Protecting Your Business Property Against Theft

1. Locks and Padlocks ? Locks on all outside entrances... Read More

7 Ways To Make A GREAT First Impression!

1. Focus on the other Being known as a... Read More

Advice for New Coaches: 10 Ways to Attract Your First Paying Client and Receive Endless Referrals

Many new coaches struggle to attract their first client. Often,... Read More

The Benefits Of Helping An Online Business Newbie

Do your remember when you first ventured out in the... Read More

Increase Exposure, and Profits With Powerful Memorable Business Cards Using These Ten Strategies

Your business card is a valuable piece of real estate... Read More

11 Things Small Business Owners Can Learn From Star Wars

1. Great Things Take Time ? Three years passed between... Read More

10 Steps for Business Owners to Take if They Are a Victim of Identity Theft

Be aware that 40 million crooks obtained credit card numbers... Read More

Top 10 Ways Websites Makes Me Suffer

I believe some people create and publish websites for the... Read More

10 Tips to Successfully Use Business Networking as a Marketing Strategy

Networking is probably the best way to build a profitable... Read More

My 7 Most Important Business Lessons

Millions of people start new small businesses in the United... Read More

Want a Web Site that Turns Lookie Loos into Buyers? Seven Passion Copywriting Tips

Web Site Blues? Need one, don't know where to start?... Read More