If you have ever started up a business the you probably know that in the begining you usually end up doing everything yourself This generally involves everything from answering the telephone, invoicing, to tidying the office not to mention actually doing the work that your clients pay you for.

As your business grows you reach the point where you can’t do everything yourself and if you want to continuing growing you need employ the services of other people. The first person that you should consider hiring is an accountant. But choosing the right accountant for your business isn’t as easy as you might think. Here are a coupleof things to think about before you make your selection.

Make sure that the person you select has the right qualifications. There are many people who will offer to do your accounts for you and they may be able to to carry out a good job but you won’t know how good a job they are doing until the Inland Revenue ask to look in to your accounts in detail. If this occurs then you really [needwant] the assurance that your accounts have been professionally prepared by a qualified accountant who is up-to-date with current tax legislation and allowances.

Select an accountant that you are sure that you can have a genuine professional relationship with. Once you start searching around for an accounting firm there is usually a dividing line between the larger accounting firms and the smaller local accounting firms. The more personal attention that you receive from a smaller accounting firm often suits a small to medium sized business better. This is because it is ofetn easier to build up a strong working relationship between businesses of similar sizes.

Choose someone that can understand your business. You normally find that with larger accounting firms, they tend to specialise in certain areas of business. Smaller accounting firms tend to have a wider experience in dealing with different business types. Who ever you choose, making sure that your accountant understands how your business operates is essential for them to carry out the best job they can for you.

Select an accountant that offers a comprehensive range of services. Check to see what services your account can provide and what level of service you will be getting for your money. At the basic level most accountants will file your tax return to the Inland reveue for you and should the need arise be able to present all of the relevant documents needed for a finacial audit. Many accountants will also measure your business performance, help with business and growth planning and support your management team.

Make sure that you interview the accountant before choosing and don’t just interview one. Always compare the services that you get for the money that you are paying and compare several accountants like for like. Check to see if they already have clients in your area of business and see how deep there understanding of your business is.

Neil Houghton Accountants Clevedon offer a broad range of accounting services and have over 25 years of experience looking after the accounting needs of a diverse range of businesses. Neil Houghton Accountants Nailsea.