So, the other day I got a little bored at home and decided to do some light research online. I went to my browser and searched for “remote bookkeeping” and “bookkeeping services” (at least this time I was being useful and not spending hours on cat videos again). What I wanted to find out was if anyone is doing all their bookkeeping remotely. Let me tell you, was I surprise with what I found!

I never knew that people were that interested in the subject, I always thought that terms like “statement of retained earnings” and “comprehensive income statement” were very niche and specific to professionals, but apparently regular folks online just want to know more. Many are just double checking something, but others are actively looking for a bookkeeper online to help them with their taxes. A lot of small business owners too.

That’s when I fell into the rabbit hole that is the internet. A lot of different questions started to pop up in my mind, like “why would you choose to work with a remote bookkeeping company?”. Sure, for some it’s a lot easier to just seek out your friendly neighborhood bookkeeper and do it that way. But why not just do it 100% online? The same way we are doing everything else now.

I tried to answer some of the folk’s questions in some of the forums I found, such as how remote bookkeeping gets done, questions about balance sheets, and some math problems (I love those). People are really helping each other out there, which was another surprise.

But the most important thing I found out is that small business owners (specially the e-commerce people and the “from home” entrepreneurs) are in desperate need to track and put their finances in order. Usually, they will learn how to start their own business online: how to sell products and services, how to do marketing, how to find clients, and many other things. But not bookkeeping. Well, they are already 100% online with everything else, it just makes sense to find a remote bookkeeper.

However, many don’t know they could benefit a lot from hiring such a professional. I can write down a few reasons just off the top of my head right now: better and more accurate budgeting, simple tax filing, easier decision making and strategic planning, providing a more accurate picture of the business. The list can go on indefinitely. Business owners would just start saving money and being more efficient overall.

Then I realized I had work to do and closed my browser. But I still can’t shake the feeling that people really should start thinking about getting help from a remote bookkeeper, but they don’t really know how to do it. Even if the specific things are not well understood, the public at large knows that hiring a bookkeeper will save them a lot of money in the long run. It will at least let them focus on their main business activities and not waste energy with the numbers.

But what do you think? Is it time to hire a remote bookkeeper for yourself or your business? You can always book a free consultation with us here at All Aspects Bookkeeping and find out!