Recently I have seen numerous emails, tweets, and ads offering many
services to businesses (really on the verge of overkill!). The social
networking boasts of services and money-making schemes, I have
experienced, reminds me of the bulletin board at the post office.

All
our local small-town post offices have bulletin boards where people can
hang business cards, ads, etc in the hopes of receiving a phone call. I
have to admit, rarely is there one that catches my eye.<< MORE >>

If you currently own a business or plan to own a business in the near future, it is no surprise that we are in a new business climate. Traditional company procedure and policy is fading as we are reaching a new plateau.  Emerging from everywhere you will find a consultant for just about anything for your business.

These consultants are professional contract workers - highly productive, self-employed individuals.  A business owner can greatly benefit with these "specialists" in every business department - administrative, accounting, legal, government contracts, internet marketing, recruiting, public relations - the list is endless.

There is much talent to be had in using these specialists in their fields of expertise. Building your own network of contract workers has benefits over simply hiring employees.

Typically a contract professional will be licensed and insured, even certified in his/her field.
Contract professionals do not usually expect benefits such as medical/dental/life insurance, retirement, vacation pay, sick or personal leave, unemployment.
Contract workers are professional in their work, behavior, attitude, appearance, etc.<< MORE >>

DIV class=blogContent>Most small business owners today are fearful of the current economy - the unknown, highly volatile reality facing us all today. 

The best way to avoid issues is to have a plan of action (an offense) to guide you down the field and around the bumps and obstacles (or defense).

As an entrepreneur or small business owner you should have a business plan from the inception of the business. 
Don't worry - you are not the only business owner that flies by the seat of your pants. Most small businesses are started with little planning. It is the very idea of the business that sparks its flame.

Just because you currently don't have a plan does not mean you are shut out from creating one.<< MORE >>

When the going gets tough, the weak business owner tends to cut all resources - overhead, labor, equipment, sales, etc.

What business owners do not seem to understand is that cutting too many resources also cuts the amount of business that flows through the company. Cutting resources will lead to cutting sales.

As an example - take a small business with five employees. When hit with a slower economy, the business owner is quick to cut all five employees to eliminate all overhead and labor possible.  All the work that these five employees performed will then heavily crash down on the business owner's shoulders.  Where he or she would have been focusing on business growth, strategy, and sales - he or she would now inherit all the activities that used to be performed by the five employees.  It's definitely overwhelming going about the course of business alone.



The business then takes a hit in production, service, and eventually - sales.  The business will inevitably make less money with less resources.

There is nothing wrong with trimming the fat when you feel crunched by the economy, but know your limitations. As a business owner you must be aware when you are cutting too many expenses which leads to sacrificing service and production and could eventually lead to no sales and no money coming in the door.

Update your business plan. What - you might ask. Yes your business plan. It is viably important to your company's growth and stability to know how your business will overcome the economic obstacles and reach its goals.

As a bookkeeper-for-hire, I have seen bad decisions make a situation worse.  Believe it or not, small business owners can have affordable help with accounting and paperwork - leaving them free to focus on growth and planning.

Swift Business Consulting will also help you write a business plan to guide you through rough times. It can be as easy as an outline or as in depth as you desire.

Small business owners have affordable, experienced options to managing their business. If you feel your company could benefit from you focusing more on growth and planning and less on accounting and paperwork, contact our accounting consultants today.

Visit our website www.swiftmgmt.com for more details on the services we provide.  To schedule help right away call Roxanne at 302-745-1286 or email info@swiftmgmt.com .

We look forward to helping you reach the goals of your company.

Outsource Your Bookkeeping Comfortably

It has become more and more popular. Companies have began regarding employees as burdens.  The service industry welcomes many new areas ranging from staffing, bookkeeping, personal assistants, secretaries - all willing to work as an independent contractor.

You have vast choices when you decide to outsource your bookkeeping services to a bookkeeping company, accountant, or online service.  All will make excellent arguments on which service is best, however you must go with your gut instinct and choose what you are most comfortable with.

Many bookkeeping companies have popped up recently offering "online services at cheap prices" to handle your outsourcing needs. Be wary of these type of companies. Many of these online providers are bookkeepers from abroad, outside the United States.  Another issue you face is your paperwork lies in your office and your bookkeeper is many miles away (in another state or country). You will either incur hefty postage to send all your paperwork to them or incur an immense amount of hours to scan all your paperwork to them.  You will also face a problem when you need to research or obtain a copy of paperwork you no longer have in your possession.  Lastly, you could become victim of identity fraud if your confidential information is compromised. These types of businesses need the most confidential information to effectively operate - bank statements, credit card statements, personal identity information, etc.

Many accountants have also joined the ranks of full-service bookkeeping to increase their profits.  Instead of being around only during "tax time" they receive a steadier income by maintaining your records during the year.  However, the rate you are charged is much higher than what a bookkeeping service would charge.  The difference can be dramatic - $50/hour or more than what a professional bookkeeper charges.  The results are often the same whether you use your accountant or a bookkeeper, but if you are looking to cut costs a bookkeeper can reduce your accounting expenses by up to 50%. It is also beneficial to have an experienced bookkeeper on your side as a checks and balances person to double check your accountant. 

Many local bookkeeping services get the job done, but you need to review how effectively the work gets done.  Some bookkeepers scurry far away from automation - computerized accounting - due to either intimidation or desire to have more hours to bill for.  Other local bookkeepers would prefer to work at home and retain your records at their site. Again this becomes a hassle when you need a receipt or invoice on the fly and could possibly be a breach of security with a dubious individual.  Finally, individuals offering to work as 1099 contractors count as employees for worker's compensation purposes and will cost you additional worker's compensation insurance if they are not licensed and insured.

SBC Bookkeeping Services LLC would like to offer the most comfortable approach.  We come to you, create a schedule flexible to your needs, and tailor our services to fit your needs.  We offer full-service bookkeeping - invoicing, bank reconciliation, bill paying, payroll, payroll tax reporting, manual or computer accounting, and filing.

Additionally, we provide all your other necessary back office functions - answering phones, office organization, marketing, advertising, business planning, budgeting, inventory control.  Our goal is to save your company money and save you time. We estimate thousands of dollars in savings with our cost-effective, efficient, and accurate bookkeeping and office services.  Our bookkeepers work in a professional, discreet manner on a part-time basis flexible around your schedule.

You can call us at 302-745-1286 or visit our site at http://www.swiftmgmt.com for more information. Try us out today and you will see the asset you are missing in your office.  Fully licensed and insured, reputable bookkeeping - references available upon request.

According to research firm IDC, nearly half of small businesses in the United States still don't have a dedicated Web site. Register your .BIZ domain for only $7.49 for first year new registration.  This offer is only available until May 31, 2008.  Once you have successfully regisitered, please contact us for web site design packages.