We know, we know, the accountant meeting can feel like the last thing on your to-do list. To make it more exciting (and higher priority), here’s what you should expect to get out of a meeting with us (or another good accountant). And, why you should prioritise (and even look forward to) it.
Meetings can take different forms and be for different topics, but here are key areas covered in most of them:
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A cup of tea (or coffee)* and a good catch up
A good accountant meeting will start by catching up on your business and how you’re finding things. The challenges you are facing and any new developments, not just in the bottom line numbers.
What’s happening with you, your team and the market. Getting a rounded picture of what’s happening outside of your financials helps accountants get a good overview of what to expect and where we can offer more support and advice further down the road.
*Here we have cold drinks and ice as well for those of you who aren’t a lover of the hot stuff!
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A top line roundup of your financials
What’s coming in and going out and where recent changes to tax rules may be likely to impact your business. We can then show you where you might expect to see some changes and savings as a result.
If you have an accountant meeting where they really understand your business, they will look to find any cost areas that could be improved on in each meeting.
To give a common example from our own experience – printing.
We see plenty of business still buying toner for their printers as they grow, but are unaware that they could save significant sums on renting a printer instead. If they are really good, they can refer you to a specialist in their professional network that could help you look into that…
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A deep dive into an area, guided by you
We will use our expertise and insight to support where you might be considering expansion (employing someone for example).
You might be considering investing in equipment or just want to use us as a sounding board. Use our knowledge as you want to, to understand from an accounting point of view, how you can continue to grow your business.
For example, we will be able to tell you the tax saving or impact of buying a piece of equipment for your business and the way the different reliefs might work. Or, if you are looking at investment or lending, we can advise on how best to ‘depreciate’ your assets for the best overall picture of your accounts.
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A friendly reminder for upcoming deadlines
All accountants should give you plenty of notice for what’s needed from you, and when it is needed by. At Heelan Associates we give our clients plenty of forewarning about what’s coming, so they don’t have any nasty surprises (and plenty of time to work in any additional admin that might be required).
If this is a year-end accountant meeting, you will be given your final tax bills, with the numbers and references you need to pay.
For many of our clients we update them at least quarterly, so a tax bill will never come as a surprise!
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As much or as little time as you need…
Just want a quick check in every month? Or, a longer, more comprehensive overview every quarter? No two clients are the same, so you should stay in the driving seat of what to expect.
We (and most forward-thinking accountants) operate fixed fee pricing, so we would encourage you to speak to us as much as you like.
For some businesses, this can just be a quick call with a query every now and then. For others it can be monthly (or even weekly!) meetings.
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…In the venue of your choosing
Face to face in our office in Waterlooville? In your office? Over Skype/GoToMeeting? You call the shots – we might struggle to pop overseas however! We’ll fit in with the location to suit you.
We are lucky enough to deal with clients all over country (and the world in a few cases!) so with the aid of modern technology, location really doesn’t matter.
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No judgement!
We flex our team and resources to help you out.
Need a little more help a little more often? Are the more mundane repetitive tasks like sorting out your invoices becoming a problem?
Ask us and we can add more resource and more time on your work as you need it. We understand that the main focus of your time and effort should be on driving your business forward, so hand us the admin bits that you may no longer have time to do.
Don’t be afraid to ask us for anything, we’re here to help you. A good accountancy firm should be able to support your business as it grows.
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Encouragement
We work with businesses every day, from start-ups to highly successful established business.
For us we love nothing more than seeing our clients grow, and hope that clients come away from the meeting encouraged by our positive attitude towards their business.
We commonly hear clients doubting themselves through tough periods; but worry not – we are here to support you.
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Actions & next steps
You should leave your meeting safe in the knowledge of what your accountant will do and what your next steps are too, and when to expect your next contact.
We firmly believe you shouldn’t have difficulty speaking to your accountant.
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Hopefully that has given you a quick idea of the benefits of speaking to accountants like us.
If you aren’t having this experience, or would like to arrange an initial meeting with us to discuss, please don’t hesitate to get in contact.