While few people love the accounting aspects of their business, my creative clients dislike it more than most. That’s why I’d like to recommend a few ideas to keep your clients and suppliers happy while streamlining processes for yourself.
- Create realistic estimates. This will help you keep clients happy and expectations in check. Have a look at past projects, add up the costs, and compare to current requirements to get an accurate picture of how much to charge.
- Simplify time recording. When timekeeping is a chore, it’s hard to keep up with it. There’s now very useful software that makes it simple to enter time and switch between jobs.
- Get reimbursed for expenses. If there are likely to be expenses on a job, let the client know at the start. Then, when you make sure you’re reimbursed for them, clients won’t mind.
- Stay on top of cash flow - and get access to credit. Keeping a close eye on your cash flow means you can plan for the future - even when the whims of clients can make that uncertain - and you’re much more likely to have access to lending if the bank and other creditors can see there’s money around the corner.
- Minimise payroll work for your ever-changing staff and freelance roster. Keeping payroll simple and integrated with your accounts means happier staff and better cashflow forecasting. Freelancers need consistency more than anyone so pay them promptly to be sure you always have access to top talent.
I can help you build a system to manage all of the above and connect to Xero. With the right technology in place, many of these tasks can be automated so you can get on with your job of being creative.
Please contact me if you'd like to discuss anything here in more detail.
