I’ve hesitated to post this article because I’ve struggled to describe this experience that both Kimberley and I were truly upset about.
Something happened for the first time in our business recently, and we both needed time to digest and reflect so that we could share that experience in a way that would be useful for you.
The relationship with your accountant should be beneficial, and I think that by sharing this, you can improve your relationship with your accountant so that you are making the most of it.
We had to make the tough decision to disengage a client – something that we rarely have to do – and it was really difficult in this instance to say goodbye.
Maximise your relationship with your accountant.
A key point in our client relationships is communication. If we don’t have this, we cannot do our job supporting you successfully. Our accounting and bookkeeping service is here to help you, not hinder or cause further stress, but in this instance, the excellent communication we value broke down.
The client felt they could not respond or react to our questions, emails, or advice but couldn’t explain the problem. After becoming unresponsive to our emails and shouting at us in a meeting, we knew the client was unhappy but unable to determine the problem. The client could not communicate the issue and what they were unhappy about.
Now, we put our hands up to a mistake made 2 years before. We’re human, after all, and although it’s never easy to admit, that’s exactly what we did at the time. This was the only issue raised in the years we worked together, and we wondered what we did wrong.
Disengaging this client has freed up time and headspace to give us clarity over our business, which you should be able to do with your accountant if you have a good relationship with them.
Your accountant can be your business partner.
Having a successful relationship with your accountant is more than just being a number cruncher for you. At MccarthyBrowne, we would like to become part of your company family. We are your business partners and are here to give you advice and guidance when you need it.
Your business can benefit from such a collaborative approach to working relationships with your accountant. You are the expert in your job; we are here to be your financial backup.
Your accountant should be the right fit for you.
Shouting or being shouted at is not how we do business. Being verbally attacked doesn’t sit well with us. Our family is old-fashioned like that – we treat people how we like to be treated. It’s a value that we uphold with each other and our clients. We love to laugh and can banter with the best of them, but we ensure you never miss deadlines and that everything is filed correctly for you the first time.
One of our key offerings is that if we ever miss a deadline (which we won’t), we will pay your fines for late submission.
It is always a good idea to ensure you work with an accountant who is a good fit for your business.
To have that successful relationship with your accountant, you should be able to approach them and ask and answer questions easily. In this specific case, this relationship had ended, and we weren’t the right fit for each other anymore. It’s always a good thing to make sure your accountant understands your business and the stages of your business, to support you in the best possible way. We get to know you as part of our onboarding process.
The foundations of the best relationship with your accountant
Being open, and honest with your accountant is vital to the success of your business. We will always be honest with you, and pride ourselves on how approachable we are. (testimonial picture here)
We know just how intimidating the finance side of your business can be. You are the expert at doing your work and not the numbers. That is why we do strive to be part of your business family – not the annoying aunt that you try to avoid at family gatherings I might add, we’re definitely the cool ones that are always there when you need us.
I hope that these key points help you make the most out of your relationship with your accountant, and if you don’t feel like you can do all of these things with your current accountant, send us a message and get to know us better.