In our recent discussions with accounting professionals, we’ve examined the potential to extend their indispensable value beyond traditional boundaries. There is a growing need for their unique expertise in a comprehensive financial advisor role rather than simply relying on their annual contributions during tax season as numerical specialists.
Conversely, it is imperative for business owners to perceive their accountants as indispensable resources that facilitate a comprehensive understanding of their financial landscape.
Whether you serve as the accountant or operate as the business owner, optimizing your client-accountant interaction is integral to maximizing relations. A regularized meeting schedule acts as a fundamental cornerstone in this regard. If you are at the onset of these professional encounters and uncertain about potential discussion points, we recommend integration of several key elements to ensure valuable utilization of your collaborative time.
Taxes
Can the company handle its tax obligations? Should there be an insufficiency in funds, are there alternative resources that could be redistributed to fulfill said obligations and consequently avoid penalties? In the case financial adjustments need to be made, which areas of expenditure require reduced spending within the next month so as to compensate for this reallocation of finances?
Is there money left over?
Should a business be fortunate enough to reflect surplus funds, judicious allocation of these resources could potentially facilitate expansion. What should the ideal investment strategy entail: immediate revenue generation or assets that qualify as desirable yet non-essential?
How much money do you actually have?
Are you, as a business owner, fully cognizant of your current financial holdings? Are you aware of the specific amounts being expended in relation to the revenue generated? Can you confidently identify if your business is experiencing a surplus or facing potential monetary losses due to cash flow discrepancies? Additionally, do you have established objectives targeting profit generation over revenues, and if so, are these targets being met effectively?
Are you weak on collections?
While fostering goodwill with clients by occasionally extending payment deadlines may seem conducive to relationship-building, the potential adverse impact on business operations can often be underestimated. In fact, consistently neglecting strict billing cycles and prompt debt collection could substantially undermine your financial stability and consequently affect the overall well-being of your enterprise. Therefore, it is important to balance customer relationships with prudent fiscal discipline.
Your accountant has the proficiency to provide a comprehensive analysis of your monthly financial deficit, resulting from uncollected payments. They can also elucidate the potential growth you could achieve if such funds were readily accessible.
How is your pricing?
Are you confident that your goods and services are being offered at the best plausible price? Your financial advisor possesses the necessary acumen to assist in determining how significantly one can adjust a specific pricing strategy before it negatively impacts customer retention. Thus, leveraging their expertise allows constant refinement of your pricing model to ultimately maximize profits within your market’s tolerance.
Are you on top of your bills?
Your accountant will assist you in prioritizing your bill payments, differentiating between those requiring immediate attention and others that may afford a grace period. This allows for an efficient allocation of resources enabling a longer hold on available cash reserves.
Are you gaining on your goals?
Your primary objective in these meetings, beyond averting financial insolvency naturally, is to incrementally work towards your designated targets. In the event you lack established goals, take advantage of your accountant’s expertise to define both overarching long-term strategies and more immediate monthly milestones.
Undeniably, this final perspective is set to render these weekly consultations with your accountant as events you eagerly anticipate. As each meeting transpires, the image of your current financial standing will become increasingly transparent and unveil precisely what measures must be undertaken to enhance your monetary condition. Your accountant occupies a crucial role in fostering the expansion of your business – thus it’s imperative that their expertise is fully leveraged for maximal benefit.
