How Can You Tell That Your Bookkeeper And Or Controller is Overworked?

Many small businesses find out that their bookkeeping staff is, instead, utilized for money earning tasks that take away their ability to complete money saving tasks. They help with marketing pieces instead of invoicing. They complete sales proposals instead of making collection calls.

In many small, privately owned businesses, this is the right thing to do: Make money first, count money second. This does not relieve us from paying our obligations, payroll and vendors - without whom we could not survive.

It is easy and appropriate to outsource payroll, tax payments, bookkeeping and even payables check writing. Talk with your financial services professionals. They usually work with several payroll companies that will ease your bookkeeper's workload. These companies also help outsource your bank reconciliation and/or Accounts Payable check writing - a great improvement to internal controls - without you losing control of your money. Design and build proper systems with proper controls and your bookkeeper and/or controller will be more productive and your company more profitable.

Some business owners have been with the "Big 2" payroll companies and switch every year because the service does not meet their needs. They say "there are no other decent payroll companies." That's like saying, "I've owned Fords and I've owned Chevys, neither fit my needs, but there are no other choices." This is ridiculous.

There are great payroll companies, all over the country, who can provide all of the service and products you need: Online Payroll, Time clocks, Biometric Time clocks, Online Employee Service, Multi-state & Multi Local companies, Certified & Union Payroll, everything. You should demand better service and more response from you payroll provider.

As with everything in a company, the owner must dictate the direction and force of any idea or change. Set the tone of your company to improve productivity in this area. Set the tone to improve efficiency and internal controls. Demand that your staff follow the rules. Most importantly, you must follow the rules. If expense reports are due a certain day, get it done. If notification must be given to get a check, give notification; don't just tear a check from the checkbook. If you break the rules, everyone breaks the rules.

These are simple and inexpensive changes to make. You don't have to implement everything at one time. Start now and make one change every two months. In twelve months time you're likely to have more money, time and a happier bookkeeper and controller.

Six Conversations for Team Success - The Key Questions

Intelligent conversations for teams help them to focus on what really matters. Team development events, away days and team meetings are all opportunities to review how the team works. The danger is that the team only focusses on what they are doing, a project review approach, rather than thinking how the team works and how they can better deliver. The most value comes from making sure the team is best equipped to satisfy their customers' and stakeholders' expectations rather than just updating each other on what has or has not been done.

The Six Conversations for Success ensure that the focus is not just on how the team works together but what the outside world thinks and feels about them and their work. In the commercial realities of today's world, teams and organisations are entirely dependent on the support and investment of outsiders. This may be in the form of financial investment from shareholders, loyalty from customers, or the tacit support of sponsors and stakeholders within the organisation. Unless the team provides what the customers and stakeholders want, they will seek other sources for a return on their investment of time, money or energy.

There are fundamental questions that any successful team or organisation pays attention to on a regular basis. These twelve questions cover six areas and together ensure a balance between an internal and external focus. Both are important in sustained success and if the team doesn't know the answers this should act as an early warning signal that the team's performance is out of line with stakeholder expectations.

Success Criteria

Who are our sponsors, customers and stakeholders and what are they looking for from their investment in us? What criteria are they using to compare us with other ways of achieving their objectives?

Stakeholder Management

What are we doing to keep interested parties up to date with developments? How do we engage stakeholders in what we are doing so that they feel part of our work?

Delivering on Promises

What is our track record for delivering against what is expected? How consistent are we in delivering on time, on budget and in line with expectations?

Structure and Organisation

How do our processes and structures make delivering our outputs easy or difficult? How does our structure help the customers and stakeholders get what they need from us?

Working for Each Other

How are we supporting each other in our work processes and delivering to customers? How do our working relationships and processes increase our customers' confidence and trust?

Continuous Learning

What feedback are we getting that tells us what we need to do more or less of? What new skills or capacity are we developing that helps us consistently deliver quality outputs?

The answers to these questions provide a rich source of feedback and information which helps the team make sure they are on track, not just with their current processes, products and projects but that their future is supported by all the interested parties who are key to their success.