Before hiring a bookkeeper, ask about response times, preferred communication methods, and what's actually included in your service agreement. Find out their current client load and whether urgent requests cost extra, since unlimited email support doesn't mean unlimited phone calls.
What does your accessibility to the accountant look like? Review your agreement. What does it say about their availability to you based on the services you agreed to? A client that pays us to file their taxes is not receiving the same accessibility as a client that is paying for email responses to their answers and questions, or a client that is paying for additional consulting services. Ask about response times. Asking about their typical turnaround time for emails, calls, and other communications is going to give you an idea of how promptly they will address you. Find out how they prefer to communicate. Is it by phone? Is it email? Is it meetings? And how do they handle urgent requests? For example, many of our clients pay for unlimited email responses. This means they are not paying for unlimited phone calls or meetings. Client load. Ask about their current client load and how they manage their time. This can help you understand if they have the capacity to give your business the attention it needs, or in this case, the attention that you're paying for.
