A Reassuring Role
Now that the major tax deadline of the year has passed, I find myself out of the office more spending some face time with my clients. During these visits I have heard the same questions over and over: “How do things look?” “Does everything look okay?” “Am I doing things right?”
What amazes me is that these questions are coming from people who are indeed, “doing things right.” What they need from me most-often is help understanding their financial reports and reassurance that the financial side of their business is being taken care of properly. These are successful business people; they know how to make their widgets, sell their widgets and service their widgets, but when it comes to knowing their financial numbers, they sometimes need reassurance.
I use QuickBooks in my business and in our clients’ businesses to provide many of the reassuring tools they need. By reviewing their QuickBooks data on a monthly or quarterly basis, we are able to assess the general health of their company, reconcile their accounts, and run enlightening reports on the status of their businesses. The purpose of these reports is to give them the information they need to help them make important decisions: “Do we have the cash to buy more inventory?” “Do I need to lay off an employee?” “Do I have enough sales to hire a new employee?”
It is our goal to train clients to understand their numbers, so they know that “everything looks okay,” and they can focus on their business. Business owners want to feel confident that they are doing the right thing, and that they are making educated decisions. If nobody is reviewing a company’s financials on a regular basis, the owner may end up surprised when they run out of cash or materials!
QuickBooks gives our clients the ability to receive detailed reports, but that’s only half the battle. It’s equally important for them to have the ability to understand and use the information, so they can make informed decisions quickly. Successful business owners need the flexibility and control to take advantage of opportunities and avoid pitfalls.
If you don’t know if your numbers look okay, maybe you need to find someone to provide the reassurance necessary to become confident. Maybe you need to invest in the tools you need to generate your numbers accurately. Maybe you need me to visit you after tax season!