Why a virtual bookkeeper? Because it’s cost-effective, primarily. If you’re Megacorp, with lots of accounting to be done, if you have tons of client accounts you need to keep track of, if you have to track payables and receivables, inventory and more, you’ll need a full-time bookkeeper and may even need two. But for the average small business, a full-time bookkeeper simply isn’t needed. What, then, are your options?
1 – You can hire a part-time bookkeeper. You still have to pay FICA and unemployment, get someone to cover for him or her when s/he can’t come to work (sick days, vacation, family medical emergency, or other situation), and have a desk, a phone, a computer, a calculator, and other necessities for him/her.
2 – You can have a full-time employee who does two (or more) jobs: bookkeeping and one or more other responsibilities. But what are the odds that someone who’s good at bookkeeping is also going to be good at sales managing or writing press releases… or if s/he’s good at that, s/he may be a second-rate bookkeeper. Can you afford to have someone mess up a function that vital?
3 – You can outsource your bookkeeping to a fully competent, highly qualified professional — a virtual bookkeeper. This type of arrangement doesn’t require paying taxes for an employee, having a desk or other office equipment, or covering for him/her when s/he’s unable to come to work.
Your virtual bookkeeper is always on the job, always at the ready, but working at a remote location, so that you don’t need to provide a place for this person to work or equipment for him or her to work on.
You’re a smart businessperson. Which arrangement makes the most sense to you? A virtual bookkeeper adds up to real savings… and other benefits, too.
