An Accountant plays an important role within a company, including strategic planning, fundraising, external compliance, and corporate tax return preparation. An Accountant is also responsible for the safekeeping and input of financial data, which can be sensitive and lead to serious consequences if mishandled. Therefore, using secure and efficient accounting software is necessary for an Accountant in any business. If you are considering a career in this field, there are several key benefits you can expect to reap.
Accounting is a critical function of strategic planning.
The strategic planning process helps the Accountant be proactive in forecasting and anticipating potential problems while keeping the business on track. Strategic planning aligns all organizational and functional activities and guides management discussions and decisions. Without it, an organization may be profitable one year but in debt the next. Without a strategic plan, it won’t be easy to ride the next wave and achieve success. Accounting is an important part of strategic management and is critical to long-term growth and profitability.
External compliance
When your clients ask you to prepare reports, you should know all the laws and regulations that apply to your industry. Where you practice, you might also be required to comply with accounting rules or filing guidelines. This is done in the interest of transparency and to inform investors and other stakeholders about the operations and results of your company. Aside from keeping track of compliance costs, you should also maintain records of your business transactions. Many compliance kits also include sample operating agreements and bylaws.
Fundraising
Fundraising for accountants requires a different approach than traditional fundraising. While fundraisers concentrate on raising money in a particular time frame, accountants focus on the dollars needed to support a specific program. The accountant is also concerned with determining whether a particular program has specific restrictions. Fundraising software can help by integrating accounting and fundraising software. It can provide real-time information from both sides and help keep the two departments on the same page.
Operations management
Operations management is the process of converting inputs into more efficient outputs. In essence, it aims to maximize profits through the best utilization of existing resources. It involves various processes such as product and process design, plant layout, material management, maintenance, and quality control. At its core, operations management focuses on the production process, which uses various inputs to create a tangible product. Ultimately, the ultimate goal of operations management is to improve profit and customer satisfaction.
Customer service
Customer service is one of the most important aspects of running a business, and good customer service starts with a positive attitude. It’s important to give clients multiple ways to communicate with you, from email to phone surveys. It also helps to have a formal complaint system, so clients can raise any issues they may have with your company. Finally, it’s important to respond to client complaints promptly. This can’t be done casually – clients expect to have issues addressed immediately. For this reason, most accounting firms use Quick Reply, where they send common responses to client inquiries.
