Questions to Ask Before Hiring Virtual Bookkeeping Services

Whether you are running a start-up or a well-established company, outsourcing some of your daily tasks is necessary so you can focus on your core business activities.

One job you should outsource is bookkeeping, especially if you aren’t trained in it. To that end, hiring a virtual bookkeeping service is your best bet.

But with so many options available, choosing the best one for your business is no easy task.

To make an informed decision, here, we discuss the vital questions to ask your candidates.

What Questions Should You Ask Before Choosing Virtual Bookkeeping Services?

Here are important questions to ask when hiring a virtual bookkeeper.

1. How Much Do They Charge?

A vital question to ask is how much your online bookkeeping company charges for its services. Avoid candidates who impose hidden fees. Always hire a well-reviewed company that offers quality services at competitive rates.

2. Do They Hire Expert Bookkeepers?

Always choose expert virtual bookkeepers. Ensure that they have relevant certifications, accomplishments and accreditations. Moreover, they should be familiar with modern online accounting programs like FreshBooks, Sage, QuickBooks and Wave.

3. Are They Familiar With Your Industry?

Remember, an expert bookkeeper working in one specific industry such as hospitality may not be fit for healthcare or a different industry. So, find out what kind of industry-specific expertise your online service provider has. Also, check whether they have already worked for companies with similar structures, sizes, or accounting processes.

4. Do They Use a Secure Network? And What Are Their Policies When There Is a Data Breach?

It is vital to check whether your preferred virtual bookkeeping service uses a secure network. If not, hackers can access their computers, network servers or other devices to steal important financial data. Try to learn more about their hosting provider and ensure that their staff is reliable and expert when it comes to data security.

Also, find out about their alert system so that you know about the breach and what steps they will take.

You should also be confident in the policies they follow to retrieve data, minimize damage, and offer compensation.

5. How Do They Communicate with Their Clients?

The online bookkeeping services you choose should be committed to honest and open communication so that their clients are always updated on their accounts. Ensure your online bookkeeper is communicating with you in the mode (think phone or email) and the frequency (weekly or biweekly) you prefer.

Outsourcing your bookkeeping to reliable virtual bookkeeping services allows you to focus on other key areas of your business. A trusted online bookkeeper will provide solutions that cater to your company’s specific financial needs. Hopefully, this guide allows you to choose just such a provider. Need an outsourced accounts receivable company? For more details about online bookkeeping, AP, AR solutions and more, feel free to contact us. Read these reviews to learn more about how we serve our customers.