Earlier this year, our accounting software partner QuickBooks announced the launch of its own small business bookkeeping services arm called QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping. Dedicated to providing one-on-one support from a QuickBooks-certified bookkeeper, the service could potentially replace third-party accounting firms when it comes to basic operations like categorizing transactions, reconciling accounts, and closing your books every month.
The service seems simple enough to adopt, especially for current QuickBooks customers, but it might not be the best option for your company. Why? Because every business is different, and basic bookkeeping isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution.
As your business grows, you’ll want bookkeeping services that can grow with you. What if you need more sophisticated controller services? Bill pay? Expense reporting? This is where Acuity can help.
Our offerings are better suited for growing businesses because we can grow and evolve with you. At Acuity, we combine people, process, and technology to create curated solutions based on your company’s ever-changing needs.
Here’s how a services firm, like Acuity, can tackle the challenges that QuickBooks can’t:
Get bookkeeping services that are tailored specifically to your business.
QuickBooks services aren’t going to be tailored to your business. In fact, they will likely recommend or even limit you to using other QuickBooks products. A services firm, on the other hand, is going to be technology agnostic — we’re going to recommend the best or most affordable option for your business regardless of the company it comes from.
When customers come to us, we first establish what the most important operational tool is for their company. Then we help them pick their general ledger based on which ledger best integrates with that tool. In other words, we’re encouraging people to pick the technology that helps them operate their business most effectively.
We specialize in specific industries and can make expert recommendations when it comes to: cryptocurrency, chapter-based organizations, professional services, real estate, and SaaS businesses. One of the downsides of QuickBooks Live is that you won’t have specialists that are attuned to your most important technology resource.
Acuity knows the ins-and-outs of many platforms, not just one.
QuickBooks knows QuickBooks, but they aren’t necessarily experts on other platforms that you may need. In the modern age of accounting, bookkeepers act as tech support for all of the various providers that you use. A QuickBooks bookkeeper may be able to provide quick, timely, and accurate support for Inuit products, but what about for other products you may be using? There’s a reason QuickBooks has always worked with trusted firms like Acuity that can provide expert-level services, are certified on a multitude of platforms, and have established partnerships with all kinds of companies.
If your business is growing, we can grow with you.
A firm can address your current needs and help you plan for the future. QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping may satisfy your needs now, but as your business grows, your needs will grow too. Why not go with someone like Acuity that already offers these extra add-ons and can also seamlessly transition into more advanced services?
Consider additional needs like bill pay, expense reporting, and invoicing. If you only have QuickBooks services, you’ll likely need to work with a separate services provider for each of these tasks. However, through Acuity, you’re able to have one dedicated team member that is certified to handle all of these needs for you.
Need tax help? We’ve got that covered, too.
Bookkeeping and taxes go hand-in-hand, so it makes sense to work with one company that can provide both. Because our online tax services are paired with our bookkeeping services, we’re able to leverage our knowledge of our customers’ personal tax and financial situations to provide more personalized services than they could get from using separate service providers.=
We have high-level accounting and CFO solutions for more advanced needs.
Our customers may start with bookkeeping but over time may develop the need for high-level accounting or CFO services. If this becomes a need for your business, QuickBooks Live is not going to be able to fulfill this. At Acuity, our on-demand CFOs have an average of 25+ years of experience and can help you with everything from navigating funding to managing a merger.
Ultimately, your needs as a business will determine what bookkeeping service is the best fit for you. That’s why we encourage you to think about how your business uses bookkeeping, what other add-ons your business could benefit from, and whether or not you anticipate needing advanced services in the future. This will help you make your best decision when it comes to which services partner to move forward with. Have questions? We are happy to talk you through your options.
