Why Do You Need A Responsive Accountant?

There are many skills you should be seeking out when it comes to hiring your perfect accountant. Are they experienced? Tick. Are they helpful? Sure. But what about when it comes to responsiveness?

Being responsive is something that really matters when it comes to your finances, because more often than not, your query is going to be of an urgent nature. In this day and age, being available is absolutely vital. And the right accountant will make their availability a priority.

If you are struggling with an accounting issue, whether it be tax, bookkeeping, or general financial planning, you need to know that you’ll be receiving professional and practical support, and most importantly in a speedy fashion.

So, which are the key ways in which a strong response rate from your accountant would really benefit your business?

It Helps You To Feel Supported

As much as you’d like to believe it, not all accountants are born equal. So, it’s crucial to find one with a high response rate, so that you feel supported. Simply put, you’re the client and the accountant is a service provider. You’ve selected them to provide this service for you, so their support system should reflect this.

You may have a late-night panic about your taxes, or find yourself in an early morning payroll crisis, and so, within reason, your accountant should be available for such queries.

One of the worst things a client will want to hear is that their accountant is unable to assist them at this exact moment, due to going through their ‘busy period’. Cue frustration, annoyance and sometimes even sleepless nights.

To find an efficient and capable accountant means to find an accountant who understands that there will be peak periods of business from January to April. Understanding this and putting a support network in place to cater for this is a big, financial tick.

It Can Make For Better Business

Take your taxes for example. When it comes to handling these, confusion can often appear at the top of the list. This makes responsiveness really important to clients. Accountants should realize that when a client reaches out to discuss such matters, they need it sorting with urgency in mind.

Often, you can be dealing with direct correspondence from HMRC and if you’ve received a letter which you’re not quite sure how to handle, you’ll likely want to make a quick call to your accountant with a view to sorting the situation as quickly as possible.

And if your accountant doesn’t place a high value on being responsive? Any delay in this area can lead to an unavoidable payment penalty. If your accountant pride themselves on being super responsive, they could even help to create savings on your taxes.

Building A Long-term Relationship

The right account will understand that being responsive is integral to the service they provide. Getting back to the client quickly in relation to any relevant financial matter will mean that you as a client will be more likely to trust and feel able to rely upon your accountant, therefore building and maintaining a solid business relationship.

It’s important to note that being responsive doesn’t necessarily mean being reactive, so make sure you can spot the difference, and what this may mean for your individual business. Getting back you quickly is great, but getting back to you quickly without the right knowledge or insufficient planning is not necessarily going to solve your problem.

So take your time, do your research and hopefully you’ll find an accountant who is helpful, seriously knows their stuff and is readily available to help whenever you may need it.