How to select the right accountant firm for your business?

When you are thinking about expanding your business to another country you probably have to think about selecting an accountant firm. There are many different accounting firms from the big four to small local firms. They all have their own specialty. So, it can be a bit challenging to select the right firm. We like to help you with giving a couple tips. 

Tip 1: Know what your company needs

Is your company moving to the Netherlands? Then you probably are looking for an accountant firm in Amsterdam. But if your company is only selling products in another country without moving the whole business, then it is not necessary to hire a local accountancy firm. Before you even think about hiring an accountant firm you have to know what your company needs. 

Tip 2: You need to understand the accountant

The second tip we would like to give you is that you need to understand the accountant. For example if you talk about numbers and financial statements or other financial topics you need to be able to understand what he or she is saying. If you can’t follow the conversation because the lack of knowledge or clarity, than you should skip the firm. Communication is very important. You need to understand each other, otherwise it is hard to do business. 

Tip 3: Check if they have enough knowledge 

If you want to hire a company for their audit services they must know from A till Z how the auditing process works. If you have zero knowledge about the financial subjects the accountancy company has to explain it to you in the right way. So it is always good to check the knowledge level of the firm that you want to hire. 

Tip 4: Know if you want to hire an accountant or a bookkeeper

There is a difference between a bookkeeper and an accountant. Even though they carry out the same task it is good to know which one you want to hire. A bookkeeper can help you with a lot of things but has a lower education level. So it can be a bit risky if you have a large company. And accountant need to learn every year about new topics and knowledge. This will guarantee that they can help you with your business. However, accountants are often very expensive. And there are a lot of good bookkeepers. So before you decide to only look at accountants, make an appointment with a bookkeeper and use tip 2 and 3. 

Tip 5: Make sure you make the right agreements 

Actually this is the most important tip. When making agreements about financial stuff you have to know what you are agreeing to. Write everything down in a formal document. So you won’t be surprised after wise with a bill that you didn’t sign up for.