Always make the best decisions for you and your business.

David Pinkham, Partner

I was watching football on TV the other night, Girona v Liverpool in the Champions League. One of the Girona players, the Colombian, Yasser Asprilla, has recently joined them from Watford FC.

I recall his spell in Watford. He was incredibly skilful but perhaps a little lightweight for the rigours of the English Championship. However, here he was, owning a midfield role against the best team in the Premier League, in Europe’s top football competition.

I have no idea why he left Watford. Most likely it was for career advancement or perhaps the attraction of Girona’s medieval architecture and proximity to Barcelona. Maybe the weather or the desire to live once again in a Spanish-speaking country, or a combination of many things. He may be regretting his move, but I somehow doubt it.

Change isn’t for everyone, sometimes it is easier to stay put, and I certainly think that can apply in the world of accountancy.

I spend a lot of time chatting to people about their businesses. Quite often this conversation develops into one about their accountant. This can range from “I’ve got the world’s best accountant” to “I’m not really sure why I use this accountant.” If you already have the world’s best accountant, I am delighted for you. If not, then consider why?

Many people have concerns over changing accountants. Often, they share a long history and are concerned about breaking a relationship that isn’t broken. That all makes perfect sense, but in a business sense, shouldn’t you be striving for the best you can achieve?

What is it you really need to drive your business forward? I would argue that a strong relationship with your accountant, based on regular communication and understanding of the drivers in your business, are extremely high on that list. Accurate and up to date financial information gives you the best intelligence to make informed decisions. Being 100% perfect from a compliance point of view is great but there is so much more value in understanding what the numbers are telling you.

So, if you are not already getting this, what is holding you back from exploring change? In my view it is quite often the combination of not wanting to upset someone combined with accountancy jargon that is a turn off. Professional clearance letters, disengagement letters, 64-8’s. Why put yourself through all that when you don’t need to.

Let me help you turn this jargon into something more relatable. In its simplest form:

• Professional clearance letter – one accountant asking another if you are a “good egg.”
• Disengagement letter – one accountant letting the other know what has been done, and what still needs to be done.
• 64-8 – you letting HMRC know we’ll be dealing with all that tax stuff for you

Just like Yasser, we all want to advance and improve. Sometimes you must step out of your comfort zone to achieve that:

 Understand the reasons you are with your accountant.
 Make sure you make the most of the beneficial services they provide.
 Don’t let barriers put you off changing if you think that is what you should do.
 Always make the best decisions for you and your business