10 Tips for Picking the Ideal Accountant

Are you considering getting an accounting service in Singapore for your small business? Hold on! Don’t take a step further, until you have read this post. Hiring an accountant is not as easy as walking up to an ice cream machine and ordering for your favourite ice cream. You need to do due diligence before arriving at the right person.

How to pick the perfect accountant

You want to pick the perfect accountant, no doubt. If you are really interested in getting the best possible hand, you need to do the following.

1. Choose an accountant from the outset: If you are just starting a new business, you need to think of hiring an accountant from the very beginning, as he will be in the right position to provide you with the right start-up advice （Also see Your Startup’s Top 2 Most Trusted Accounting Allies).
2. Identify areas where you need the services of an accountant: You should identify the core areas where the services of an accountant would be needed. This can be in the area of tax returns, end-of-year financial statements, budgeting, or invoicing.
3. Verify his experience: You don’t want an accountant that would start learning the rudiments with your business, do you? You surely need someone with experience that would help give your business the leverage it needs.
4. Get referrals: Ask to be linked with the clients he has previously handled, who would be willing to personally recommend him for the job. Someone should vouch for his character and competency.
5. Ensure he is qualified: It is not just enough to hire an accountant just to do double entry accounting. Be sure the person you are engaging is qualified and belongs to professional organizations that regulate their conduct.
6. Make comparisons: You should make the hiring process competitive by comparing qualifications, services, and charges. This will help you get the best candidate for the job.
7. Be sure of accessibility: If you are just starting off or your business is involved in a lot of transactions, it means you would need the accountant to be around most of the times. So, it is good to find out if the person you wish to hire is going to be easily accessible when needed.
8. Use of technology: Is the accountant tech savvy? Or does he still depend on obsolete ways of doing accounting jobs? Technology is evolving daily and more accounting software are coming onboard. The prospective accountant must be willing to embrace modern technology.
9. Consider value: Ask to know what value he intends to add to your business besides the basic accounting service.
10. Be sure of his character: Is he a team player that can easily work with you or other members of staff? This is vital to the success of your company as nobody works in a vacuum but as a part of the success team.

Conclusion

Before you go ahead to pick an accountant for your business, ensure you have read our advice and followed the suggestions we made.