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BRYAN TRITT

The Future of Bookkeeping: Focusingon What Clients Want Versus WhatBookkeepers Typically Offer

The days of being chained to your desk with stacks of data entry are a thing of the past, thanks

to innovations in cloud technology and web apps. Bookkeepers who put this technology to use

are able to focus on what clients want and offer more than the typical bookkeeping services,

providing more value for their clients and truly becoming a trusted advisor. To keep up with the

present and grow your future, bookkeepers need to adapt their workflows and how they work

with clients.

“These tools (cloud technology) change our workflow, but they don’t change a bookkeeper’s

purpose,” says Jennifer Moore, Founder of Moore Details Bookkeeping, a Firm of the Future.

“At the end of the day, clients still need someone to tell them how their business is doing.”

Clients are looking for an advisor, someone who gives them feedback and whom they hope to

form a relationship with. They want to chat with someone about how to scale their business or

work with someone who can catch details about their current expenses, adds Moore. The

relationship between a bookkeeper and their client has changed with the new technology

available today.

The fear of the unknown is a huge factor for many afraid of taking on this new role. Finding a

mentor or someone to talk to can help you ease into the situation. There are also many

Facebook forums to guide you through the process, since you aren’t the first person to

embark on this journey. “You have to take the first step, nobody is going to push you in that

direction,” says Moore. “It’s good to be slow in adopting the change. Take it slow and try it on

your own books first.”

The best way to become a trusted advisor is through leveraging real-time data available

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through QuickBooks® Online. All the data available within the Bank Feeds tells a story about

each client, which bookkeepers can easily track and provide insight into their client's’

business. This way bookkeepers can also keep their clients accountable since their

involvement is necessary to keeping their story up-to-date, says Moore.

For those who don’t feel comfortable in the role of advisor, being successful is dependent on

your relationship with the client and the information you receive, she adds. Bookkeepers can

only provide advisory services based on the information they receive and it’s important to

communicate that to clients. One option to do this is by creating an engagement letter which

defines the scope of your advice. This could include language such as detailing that the

information shared is for management purposes only, but not as supporting evidence for a

bank loan or to a board of directors.

“The role of the bookkeeper is about what the current client wants, but also what their

prospective clients wants as well,” says Moore. “If we’re not able to show that listening

aspect, you’re not going to succeed.”

About the Author

Bryan Tritt

Bryan leads communications for Intuit Canada's Accounting software,

including QuickBooks Accountant offering and ProFile. When he's not

working, you can usually find him playing hockey, baking vegan treats and

watching Game of Thrones. You can follow him on Twitter at @IntuitBry.

@intuitbry

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