Every business needs bookkeeping. Some business owners choose to handle this task themselves, and others choose to hire a professional. In most cases, the wiser choice is the latter. But there are too many cases of small business owners hiring bookkeepers, only to be disappointed with the quality of the work they perform. Do you suspect that you’ve hired a bad bookkeeper? If you see any of these signs, it’s likely you have.
Did you hire a bad bookkeeper? These are some signs to be on the look-out for.
Blocking the Books
Bad bookkeepers tend to send off a lot of red flags. But if a bookkeeper won’t let you see their books, then this is the reddest flag of them all.
A bookkeeper who is on top of their game has no reason to hide their work for you. If they have confidence in the quality of the work they do, then they should relish the opportunity to show it off.
If your bookkeeper behaves like this, the best-case scenario is still a bad one. They’re almost certainly behind or sloppy with their tasks. But the worst-case scenario is hard to believe: they might even be stealing.
They Don’t Understand the Lingo
Bookkeeping isn’t something that just anyone can do well. In order to perform the job effectively, you need to have a certain degree of knowledge about the trade. We’re sure you already know this.
Still, we’ve heard horror stories of bad bookkeepers who don’t know what words such as ‘remittance,’ ‘depreciation,’ or even ‘deductible’ mean. If you find yourself suspecting that your bookkeeper lacks understanding of basic accounting terms, you’d be better off spending your money elsewhere.
Poor Communicator
Have you ever sent out an email to your bookkeeper, only to have to wait days for a reply? You might not even have received a reply at all.
Prompt and effective communication is an important component of nearly every profession. If you have chosen to hire a bookkeeper, you should be able to expect this level of professionalism at the very least.
If you find yourself in this scenario, your bookkeeper may be slacking off. There’s also the chance that they’ve found themselves overloaded with clients. Whatever the situation is, it may be best to hire a new one.
Contact Bowman & Company Today
Bowman & Company CPA, PC provides all of our individual and small business customers with experienced, accurate, and affordable financial services. Our financial services aim at decreasing your taxes and increasing your net worth through responsible, timely, and accurate record keeping. We offer our services to clients throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area including Maryland and Baltimore County, Columbia, and Howard County. For more information on our offerings, contact us online or call us at (410) 381-8121. You can also find us on Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, and Youtube.