Changing accountants is challenging, but it is sometimes vital for your company’s success and growth. A good accountant is essential to a company’s financial well-being. Throughout the year, I’ve met with a number of clients who have complained that their prior accountants failed to provide proactive suggestions on how to improve their firm. Furthermore, inept or lazy accountants frequently provide clients with incorrect or obsolete advice. Because over 80% of small business owners consider their CPA to be their trusted advisor, their advice is rarely fact-checked by their clients. One of the main reasons I’ve produced this piece is because of bad accountants and their misdirection. After reading this article, you should be able to better understand: All you need to know about switch accounting in Southampton, UK.
What is accounting?
Accounting is the process of recording, classifying, summarising, interpreting, and communicating financial data about a company, organisation, or individual. Accounting is a multidisciplinary subject that focuses on an organization’s or individual’s economic operations, drawing on fields such as information technology, law, statistics, business, and economics.
Students of accounting will gain advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of accounting and finance; master computational and calculation skills and techniques used in professional accounting practise; learn how to use specialised accounting software (such as CIMA Sage, which may lead to a CIMA Sage user’s certificate); and gain a broad understanding of the accounting, finance, and commercial sectors, often in an international context.
6 Reasons to Switch accounting in Southampton Uk
So, what are some of the reasons you might want to switch to accounting in Southampton, UK? So, here are six reasons I can think of for you to want to leave your accountant:
#1. No Understanding of Your Industry
It’s vital to analyse an accountant’s or CPA’s experience with your sector or type of business before employing them to help you make sense of your financial statements. If you run an e-commerce business, for example, you’ll want to engage an accountant who is familiar with the special hurdles you experience, such as frequent product returns and sales tax issues.
#2. Lack Of Availability
If your accountant ignores your phone calls or is slow to answer your emails, it’s time to choose someone who is more responsive to your needs. When an accountant takes a long time to react, it means they’re either overburdened with work or aren’t giving you the attention you’ve paid for.
#3. A Reactive, Not Proactive Approach
According to The Sleeter Group’s 2014 report, 72 per cent of business owners abandoned their accountants or CPA because they weren’t providing them with effective business strategies. A skilled accountant should propose ideas to help you overcome financial hurdles or effectively react to tax changes, rather than just assisting you in completing a tax return. It’s crucial to keep in mind that a CPA’s true worth is in extrapolating historical trends to determine prospective opportunities.
#4. Changes Within Your Company
While many firms prefer to keep their long-term accountants, changes in management or structure may indicate that it’s time to switch accountants. As your company expands, your accountant will need to give you more information and guidance to help you maintain and improve your financial health. This goes back to hiring an accountant who has worked in your field before.
#5. Their Price Doesn’t Match Their Value
“Value is dearer than price,” Toba Beta once said. When it comes to hiring an accountant, you’ve probably set a budget for how much you’re willing to pay. If, on the other hand, someone gives you advise that doubles or triples your investment in them, their worth has now surpassed their price.
This is something that a lot of brilliant accountants are recognising these days. I explored how accountants should focus on giving business advice rather than merely compliance-related tasks in an article for Firm of the Future. To put it another way, modern accountants must contribute strategy to firms rather than simply “checking the boxes” on tax paperwork and regulatory compliance. Many legacy accountants, who still use paper documents instead of cloud accounting, lack this perspective.
#6. They Use Outdated Technology
Many businesses lack the ability to use technology to boost productivity. This is regrettable, because effective use of technology may assist accounting businesses in providing better, more reliable service to their clients.
For example, at MBS Accountancy, we use LastPass, a popular password manager, to store and manage login credentials, ensuring that they are kept safe and secure from hackers and data thieves.
We also utilise QuickBooks Online for accounting and train businesses on how to use it because it allows them to safely view their financials from anywhere, at any time. We can deliver better value for our clients by operating more efficiently and focusing on assisting them in developing and achieving long-term financial goals.
The Essential Traits Of A Good Accountant
You should have a better notion of whether or not you should switch accounting in Southampton, UK, by now. If you’ve determined that your current accountant isn’t a good fit for your company’s needs, the next step is to determine what qualities you should seek in a new accountant.
There are three qualities to look for in your new accountant, in addition to skill and experience:
- Clear communication
- Collaborative attitude
- Dedication to learning
#1. Clear Communication
Consider how well an accountant communicates with you when choosing an accountant. What distinguishes a competent accountant from a bad one is their ability to communicate effectively. When you meet with your accountant, they should be able to properly express their thoughts on your financial facts and performance without requiring you to become a CPA.
#2. Collaborative Attitude
Because advising is such an important element of modern accounting, finding an accountant who can work well with you or your financial team is critical. If you’re choosing an accounting firm, consider whether the CEO prefers collaboration or dominance with his or her employees.
#3. Dedication To Learning
The top accountants are dedicated to learning about their businesses and their clients’ industries on a regular basis. An accountant who takes this approach will make sure that they or their firm are always advising you based on the most up-to-date tax rules or industry best practises.
The 3 Steps To Switch Accounting in Southampton UK & Get A Better One
Though it sounds like a lengthy process, there are only 3 main steps required to change accountants:
- Find a new accountant
- Inform your existing accountant
- Wait for your new accountant to transfer your information
#1. Finding the Right Accountant
There are various areas to look for a new accountant when you’re looking for one. While suggestions from friends and family are valuable, keep in mind that their accounting requirements may differ from yours. While I don’t want to discourage you from seeking the advice of a family member or a referral from a friend, here are some more resources to consider:
#1. UpCity
This website is meant to make finding a reliable accounting partner simple. Because they place a high value on genuine evaluations, it’s pretty simple to filter down your alternatives based on the amount and quality of reviews.
#2. Three Best Rated
This directory selects the top three service providers in your area, based on a 50-point inspection.
#3. Clutch
This platform is another directory that includes a brief description of the business as well as customer reviews. This is a fantastic resource for B2B companies looking for great service providers who can be trusted and reliable partners.
#2. Inform your existing accountant
It’s time to inform your current accountant that you’ve found a wonderful accountant. If they presented you with an engagement letter, I’d strongly advise you to read it to see if there is a timeframe they require you to give them before terminating their services.
#3. Transfer your information
Your present accountant and your new accountant will work together on this phase. After you’ve informed your current accountant of the change, they’ll work with your new accountant to transfer your data.
Then it’s time to give yourself a pat on the back! You’ve just given yourself a much-needed upgrade, and your new accountant should be able to provide you with more smart guidance in the future.
Can I switch Accounting UK software mid-financial year?
Absolutely. And you may be forced to do so at times.
However, starting in the middle of the year adds the complication of having x number of months’ data in one accounting package and the remaining months’ data in another.
This is sometimes fine because you or your accountant can add the two numbers together, but it can be difficult. Customers may, for example, pay you in one accounting software for invoices raised in another.
Having two software packages running at the same time, even if just for a short time. This can result in additional work and an increased risk of errors.
If you’re a few months into the new fiscal year, I recommend recreating this information in the new software. This has the advantage of allowing you to utilize your own data as training material. It will also ensure that you have all you need for the entire year in one box.
Alternatively, unless you absolutely need to switch right away. I would recommend remaining with your present plan if you are a few months away from your financial year-end. You can still begin setting up the new one so that it is ready to use. But the financial years will be kept separate.
Should I move my old information across to the Switch accounting software UK?
You are not obligated to do so.
As part of the setup procedure, every accounting software product will require you to enter your opening balances.
Opening balances are similar to your bank account amount on the last day of the fiscal year. A list of everyone you owe money to and who you owe money to.
It’s to guarantee that your running bank balance is accurate and that client payments are properly allocated to invoices rather than being handled as duplicate sales and so on.
Obtaining your opening balances is as simple as downloading a trial balance from your current accounting software and entering it.
A trial balance, on the other hand, while providing comparisons and a precise balance sheet, does not provide information. You won’t be able to go into sales and see a list of all the sales invoices that have been raised; instead, you’ll see a total figure.
FAQs
Is accounting replaceable?
There are human elements of accounting that cannot be replaced by a computer. There is a human instinct that comes to an accountant when they have been in the field for years. When you have years of accounting experience, you are able to spot a problem even before it becomes clear in the numbers.
Can computers replace accountants?
Despite the obvious benefits that AI can bring, there is real concern that the technology poses a threat to job roles such as accountants. While the technology may remove the need for accountants to perform traditional services like audits, it won’t replace human accountants or accounting departments completely.
Are accountants replacing by AI?
According to Wong, who authored a CPA Canada paper, Big data and artificial intelligence – the future of accounting and finance, switch accounting Southampton there is no doubt that AI will have an impact on the profession. But it won’t replace CPAs if they embrace it and make the most of the opportunities it presents.
