As the accountant is local, face-to-face meetings will likely be easier to arrange – and lots of people still prefer to meet their accountant in person now and again. You may also find that they are able to refer you to local business owners who are able to help you with aspects of your business that you can’t do yourself, like putting you in touch with a graphic designer who can help with business card design, or somebody who owns a co-working space if you are looking to hire one. Despite the fact that lots of businesses are now becoming virtual only, there are still plenty of people who enjoy a personal touch. 

 

Even though a local accountant is a great choice for those who enjoy the face-to-face aspect, particularly more ‘old school’ business owners, this is restrictive in terms of working times; online accountancy firms and apps tend to have 24/7 support, however, local firms are normally restricted to office hours only. This might be problematic if you frequently go on holiday to places in a different time zone and need urgent help with something, or if you find that leaving your own office during the working day interferes with your business. 

With online accountants, the services offered tend to be cloud-based and accessible 24/7, which is important in this day and age of technology-driven business. With apps and online software that can be accessed from anywhere at any time via any device, the possibilities for business owners and online accountants to collaborate are truly endless. 

 

Using online accountancy software is also great for the less tech-savvy among us – ironic as this sounds! Apps are always becoming more user-friendly and intuitive, and almost anyone is able to use them once they’ve had the right training. This, however, does of course take time – but is well worth it. 

 

Business owners who prefer the personal touch may be put off by the lack of accessibility in terms of face-to-face meetings with an online accountant – but almost everybody has access to Wi-Fi nowadays, which brings in the option for an online meeting on a medium such as Skype or Zoom, which still enables you to see each other.