5 Questions to Ask Your New Bookkeeper

Good bookkeeping is essential to running a successful business, and the easiest way to ensure good bookkeeping is to work with a professional and quality Maryland bookkeeper. At CFO Source, we’ve helped a lot of Maryland small business owners with their accounting. The process of hiring a new bookkeeper can be stressful, so we wanted to make the task a little easier, by going over five questions you should ask any prospective accountants you’re interviewing.

   1. What Qualifications Do They Possess?

When hiring a new accountant, the very first bar that they should pass is their level of qualifications. Professional accountants will have an accounting degree, or degrees, and may be either a Chartered Accountant or a Certified Public Accountant. The more qualifications they have the better.

   2. Do You Have Any Testimonials?

Want to get a good idea of what it’s like to work with an accountant? The best way to do this is to read through some of the testimonials submitted by their previous clients. Nothing will give you more insight into how an accountant operates than testimonials from their past customers. If an accountant doesn’t have any testimonials on hand for you to read, this should be seen as a cautionary sign. You can also find testimonials and reviews online on sites like Google or Yelp.

   3. Do They Have Previous Experience Working in Your Industry?

Many accounting practices are transferable across industries, but that doesn’t mean that they are. The unique aspects of each industry dictates the need for unique accounting measures. If the accountant you’re considering hiring has experience working in your industry, consider bumping them up to the top of your list, as they’ll likely possess some tips and tricks that others do not.

   4. What Can You Expect from them in Terms of Communication?

The last thing you want is to hire an accountant, only to discover that they have poor communication skills. Good communication is essential to the efficient running of any business, so we recommend you set out an outline of how often you expect to have communication with your accountant. Poor communication can lead to a breakdown in supply lines and misunderstandings.

   5. What Kind of Protections Do They Have in Place for Client Data?

Your business’ data is crucial, and if it falls into the wrong hands, you could find yourself in the midst of a disaster. Data breaches have been happening a lot more in recent years, which has made the encryption and protection of data all the more important. Only work with an accountant that has a robust security network.

Consult with an Experienced Maryland Bookkeeper

If you’re looking for a new accountant to help with your business, you’ve come to the right place. At CFO Source, we employ a highly-trained team of bookkeepers, who are standing by ready to help with your business. Reach out to us today to learn more about all of the services we offer, and to learn about how we can support your business.