Accountants need a range of skills to succeed in the world of business. It isn’t only about qualifications anymore; soft skills play a vital role in how well accountants relate with their clients and deliver value. Now that we mentioned soft skills, you may be thinking about hard work, adaptability, creativity, trustworthiness, and organization. However, those are traits that you can expect to find when working with a professional in any field.
We will go one level deeper and examine the qualities that are a must-have for accountants specifically. These skills guarantee the best service for you and customer loyalty for the accountants. Accountants that possess these characteristics will go out of their way to ensure your success.
Here is a list of qualities you should look out for when partnering with an accountant for your business:
1. Detail-Oriented
A good accountant must be able to scrutinize every detail of your finances to catch any discrepancies. Proper education and training also contribute to how competent accountants are at spotting anomalies and business opportunities. This trait should be evident in the daily operation of a good accountant.
Accountants need to process and present information with a very high degree of accuracy. A good accountant does this all the time without being told. Simple mistakes here and there results in customer complaints and bad reviews. If you’re already working with an accountant without an eye for detail, it is best to switch before any damage is done.
Ensure your accountant is meticulous enough to process hard data and figures, and that they have a system for dealing with the cluster.
2. Effective Communication and Collaboration Skills
An accountant should be able to communicate the state of your finances in a way that you can easily understand. Without clear communication and prior accounting knowledge, the average business owner might get lost in the intricate concepts of accountancy. Proper relay of information, expertise, and insights is critical to formulating effective strategies for the financial goals and objectives of a business.
The accountant should be able to interact well, both in writing and in-person, to advance the interests of the business. Since accounting is where the money comes from, your accountant should also have excellent cross-departmental collaboration skills. Not everyone will understand accounting jargon, complex data visualizations, graphs, or statistics. Your accountant should be able to convey those complex information in a straightforward manner.
3. Professional/Ethical Behavior
Licensed accountants are bound to a strict code of ethics that discourages mismanagement of a business’ finances. It’s best to hire an accountant with a sense of integrity because they are strongly inclined towards honest and transparent business procedures. Accounting and bookkeeping are delicate aspects of your finances that could have negative impacts if handled by an individual or firm with malicious intent.
Mistakes can be made by the most diligent of accountants; however, they must be able to declare these errors and accept responsibility for them. Further, the accountant must be able to learn from such mistakes and avoid them ever occurring again. When hiring, you can check their work profiles to assess their track record with previous clients.
Good track records are signs of good working relationships, a necessity for you and your accountant. Lastly, the business processes of a company are confidential and should never be relayed to external third parties without your consent. Ethical accountants are aware of this fact and would never betray the trust of your company under any condition.
We have curated a list of ethical professionals with a keen eye for detail and a long history of customer satisfaction for you. We take vetting seriously because we understand the thin line between a good and lousy accountant. The accountants in our network are nothing short of exception with a stellar record. Fill our form to reach them.
4. Organizational Skills
Tracking the performance of business requires daily recording of raw data for frequent analysis. Diligent accountants have a system in place for keeping track of data generated by your company. This affords them an updated and comprehensive overview of your business, which will be useful during analysis and strategic planning sessions. An accountant with poor organizational skills is prone to data oversight and late deadlines, which often results in missed opportunities.
The accountant must be able to manage several duties and tasks without underperforming. With an effective accounting system in place, the business owner gets access to regularly updated information on finances. This information can be used to optimize productivity and financial performance through targeted strategies.
5. Vigilance/Flexibility
Every industry is susceptible to change in trends and practices, tackling this demands flexibility, which means the accountant must be able to adapt as needed. There are often developments in the economy, laws, tax policies, and technologies that could impact your business processes.
To stay competitive, your accountant needs to stay updated on such news for creative alterations to your business processes. Your accountant must be committed to continual learning so that they can serve you better. Look for that willingness to adapt to challenges while providing multiple solutions to fix the current situation when choosing an accountant.
Conclusion
Delegating your business processes to a qualified accountant is an effective way to improve your finances and expand your business. However, not all accountants can deliver the same kind of performance despite similar academic backgrounds. The qualities we listed above are just as important to get your money’s worth. At FindUKAccountant, we work with accountants that have proven their mettle in these areas. Their customer reviews speak for them, and we are confident that you will be satisfied.