I asked Duncan Faulkner from Southern Software, what would you like your accountant to start, stop and keep doing?
Start: Duncan expresses his desire to develop a closer relationship with his accountant. He wants to go beyond the basic tasks of filing taxes and GST and instead have regular meetings with his accountant. Duncan wishes to discuss his business goals, seek advice on how to achieve them, and ensure that the information is recorded. Ultimately, he wants to be held accountable for accomplishing the goals they discuss.
Stop: Duncan expresses frustration with his accountant’s handling of invoices and end-of-year returns. He dislikes receiving a yellow memo from them, which requires him to manually write down information such as the amount owed and outstanding invoices. He finds this redundant since all the information is already available in the accounting software, Xero. Duncan believes that his accountant should access the information online instead of asking him to provide it on paper or through scanning. He understands the compliance requirements but finds the use of paper and scanning bothersome.
Keep: Duncan appreciates his accountant’s personable and non-judgmental approach. He values their ability to create a warm and encouraging atmosphere that motivates him to keep achieving. He mentions using Mead Stark, a smaller family accounting firm in Cromwell, who understand that businesses go through ups and downs. They remain calm and reassure him that things will be okay, offering guidance and allowing him time to reflect. Duncan emphasizes the importance of having such support and understanding from his accountant.