Tapping the potential of your accounting outsourcing service provider to the fullest?

Outsourcing has taken the business world by storm, and accounting is no different. Accounting practices everywhere are seizing the opportunity to make use of a large talent pool, while outsourced accountants on the other hand are only too glad to have a job that gives them global exposure.

When working with an outsourced team of accountants, remember that there are best practices to follow to make the most of their expertise. Here’s how you can optimize their potential for your practice’s benefit.

1. Help them feel like a real part of your team

Many accounting practices make the mistake of treating their outsourced teams like temporary staff or external consultants. However, what needs to be remembered is they are as much of your employees as your in-house team, except that they are physically located elsewhere.

Your accounting outsourcing service provider may occasionally feel alienated because they cannot participate in office activities or conversations; therefore, help them feel integrated by including them in every conversation.

Use tools like Slack, Trello, and Skype for communication so that all your employees, including the outsourced ones, can contribute with ease.

2. Provide incentives for engagement

Just because your accounting outsourcing service provider isn’t physically present doesn’t mean that you cannot show them appreciation. Value their efforts by giving them shout-outs on your communication channels after they have completed a project or scored a new client.

You can also order gifts for them online and send them ecards of appreciation. Remember select dates like birthdays and anniversaries and send them some token of goodwill on those days.

Such gestures will go a long way in helping your outsourced employees feel welcome and valued even though they aren’t in the same city or country as you.

3. Have one-on-one conversations with them

Even though you can’t physically meet or supervise them, you can always reach out to your accounting outsourcing service provider for one-on-one discussions. Schedule phone calls or Skype conversations where you encourage them to share any problems they may be facing or any suggestions that they may have to ease up the workflow.

Since you cannot connect with your accountants physically, it is all the more important that your virtual communication is regular and meaningful. Technology allows you to do just that, so make the most of it.

4. Establish joint check-in times

Make sure to set up a check-in time where everyone – both in-house and outsourced – connects via a communication tool and updates the rest of the team on the work done so far.

That is an excellent way for your accounting outsourcing service provider to stay accountable and for you to keep track of they are doing. When choosing a fixed time, be sure to take your outsourced employees’ time zones into account so that it is neither too early nor too late in the day for them.

That is also a good time for you to share any critical updates or to appreciate any team member for doing good work.

Over to you

It is not easy for every accounting practice to know exactly the way around maximizing the potential of accounting outsourcing service provider. If you want to work with a qualified team that knows its job, respects deadlines and are globally exposed, QXAS is what you are searching for.

We are attending the XeroCon San Diego 2019 on June 18-19, and we were hoping if we could meet there, and discuss more on the topic. You can schedule a meeting here.