3 Steps To Finding An Accountant That You Can Trust

Whether you are running a small family business or a large international company the chances are that you need an accountant on your side to care for all of those time consuming financial matters that you have neither the energy nor the expertise for. 

However, knowing that you need a reputable accountant and actually finding one that you can trust are two different things. 

What steps can you take to ensure that the accountant who cares for your business finances is going to be a reliable, dependable and trustworthy member of the team? 

Actually, it can be as easy as following 3 simple steps:

• Referrals Are Your Friends
• Know How To Question Your Potential Choices
• Don’t Forget To Listen To Your Gut Instinct

Referrals Are Your Friends

One of the best ways that you can give yourself a head start in finding an accountant that you can trust is to ask around amongst trusted people for referrals. 

Of course, the people you ask do not need to be within the particular industry that your business falls into.

However, it would be good if their financial and accounting needs were similar to your own.

Referrals really are worth their weight in gold. It’s almost like you get someone else to try and test something before you commit. 

However, to make the most of referrals that you receive you need to know the right questions to ask. For example, try some of the following questions:

• Why did you choose this particular accountant?
• Have you been consistently satisfied with their service?
• How long have you been with this accountant?
• In your experience, have you had any negative effects with the service you have received?
• On a scale of 1 to 10 how much do you trust your accountant?

Know How To Question Your Potential Choices

Hopefully, making the time and effort to acquire referrals will mean that you now have a shortlist of potential options. 

However, you still need to whittle them down to just one; the most trustworthy choice. Much of this will come down to knowing how to question your potential options. 

Remember, you are the customer and have every right to quiz potential accountants on what they can bring to your table. 

Questions such as the following may be useful:

• What experience do you have in the industry, particularly clients who have needs similar to my own?
• Will you be performing the work personally or will you be delegating? 
• What do you view as your three main strengths?

In a way, you are interviewing a potential accountant in the way that you would interview a potential employee to your workforce. 

After all, both are going to have a major impact on your business and its potential for success.

Don’t Forget To Listen To Your Gut Instinct

Of course, up until this point, we have looked at concrete and solid ways to find an accountant that you can trust. 

Yet, there is one step that may prove to be even more important. It’s an easy one; your gut instinct. 

Although a particular accountant may tick every box on your list, there still seems to be a sense of doubt lingering in your mind about the choice, it may be a better idea to cross them off your list and move on. 

Often, your gut instinct can pick up on something that ‘just isn’t right’ even when you have no idea what you are ‘tuning into’. 

If your gut says ‘stay away’, make sure you listen to it!

The Bottom Line

Your choice of accountant will play a significant role in your business and it is essential that you invest time and energy into making the right decision. 

Remember, by getting referrals from people you trust, knowing how to ‘interview’ your potential choices and listening carefully to your gut instinct, you should be well on your way to finding an accountant you can put your trust in.

If you are looking for a reliable and trustworthy accounting firm, look no further than Dillon & Elbourn Pty. Ltd. 

We will provide you with the security, confidence and individual attention you and your business deserves. We’re experts with numbers, but we’ll never treat you like one!

Please call us today on 02 4987 2294 or contact us through our website.