Accountants more than just a port in a storm for SMEs

March 25, 2009 - PRLog -- News this week from Insurer QBE which predicts the number of SMEs using accountants’ services will nearly double to 52% in 2009 is encouraging for the profession.  However this opportunity needs to be handled carefully if it’s to be capitalised on, warns e-conomic’s UK Country Manager Mark Davies today.

“For accountants the value of business development is not purely in accumulating a high volume of clients, it is efficiency which is the key.  An accountant who can assist an SME owner in managing cashflow, controlling costs and identifying opportunities to grow revenues and margins, is far more valuable for the SME and more profitable for the practice, than one who is bogged down in the details of book keeping,” said Davies.

He believes the way to maximize the opportunity which (according to QBE’s research) the economic downturn has prompted is to look for < HREF="http://www.e-conomic.co.uk/website/language/uk/docs/downloads/Online_Accounting_White_Paper.pdf">smarter ways to do business.  

“Online accounting software is one such option,” he said.  “It means both accountant and business owner can see the same information in real time, enabling the accountant to do what they do best and give advice, rather than having to wade through a carrier bag of paperwork at the last minute. Our service is free for accountants and costs SMEs as little as £13.50 pcm.  All it needs is a standard web browser and internet connection and online accounting can help accountants to be more than just a port in a storm, and really prove their worth to SMEs.”

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For more information, please contact:
Isobel Cooley               
Spotlight Communications         
Tel: 07525 211473         
Email: isobel@spotlightcomms.co.uk

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About e-conomic
e-conomic (www.e-conomic.co.uk) is an independent, self-funded company with offices in the UK, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. e-conomic is used by over 17,000 companies and 3,000 accountants/bookkeepers, from sole practitioners to some of the largest accounting firms in the world including KPMG and Ernst & Young. Its SME clients range from sole proprietors to businesses employing over 100 staff. Its UK offices are in Reading, Berkshire.