How old school accountancy could be harming your freelance career
For freelancers to remain at the forefront of their industry, they have to know about their field’s technological advancements and how to utilise them. From the design industry to PR people, freelancers depend on knowing their business inside and out. But does their accountant?
Some freelancers think simply by having an accountant they have ticked the box – especially if they’re working at a reasonable rate. Traditional accountants have their methods, which have worked for decades, but the world is moving on.
In some cases there is a risk that they could be hindering freelancers in technologically advanced industries.
It’s time to swap pencils and workbooks for cutting edge technology
When you’re busy working to stay at the cutting edge of your business, you don’t want to leave your finances gathering dust in a leather bound ledger. If your accountant is using software, there’s every chance that it is outdated.
You want the best for your business. 3 Wise Bears does not compromise when it comes to quality. We decided to only work with software that is tried, tested and proven to be at the forefront of the accountancy field.
Award-winning software like Xero provide you with real time information anytime on any device so that you can check in and receive the most current data on your accounts. These kind of programmes are the perfect instrument for tech-savvy freelancers who are ahead of the game.
An old school bookkeeper operating on traditional methods simply cannot keep this up to date. Any graphic designer, computer programmer or social media strategist worth their salt knows the benefits of moving with the technological times – your accountant should too.
They may not be using your time efficiently
For freelancers in every industry good time management skills are crucial. Your accountant may be great at balancing books and balancing time, but if they’re not using the aforementioned technologies they could be wasting time and money.
You don’t want an account manager – you want a chartered accountant that can provide you with support and advice at any moment. 3 Wise Bears ensures you are assigned an expert freelancer accountant rather than a ‘jack of all trades’ manager.
This way they will know both how to use the available programmes to their advantage and how to give the best advice for you on salaries, expenses, tax, dividends and much more.
Can your current accountant communicate effectively?
With your own freelancer chartered accountant you’ll be able to easily contact them with queries in an open dialogue that means you will get the best out of the service. If you’re using a big firm with an account manager you might not get the attention you deserve or need.
With technology and industry advancing at an impressive rate, accountants need to be available to give unlimited support and advice throughout the year. 3 Wise Bears pride themselves on providing such a service so that everyone can stay at the top of their game.
You also need to be able to communicate effectively with your customers. It is widely agreed that online invoicing systems allow you to be paid faster at the click of a button. Modern accountants need to understand this and the invoicing needs of customers.
If you’re still using Windows 7, HotBot and MSN Messenger then you might be happy with the old school methods. But next time you upgrade your computer software you may want to consider upgrading your accountant.
