What Is The First Thing A Small Business Should Outsource?

Everyone has their own opinion on this subject. I certainly have my own but it is a little bias. I was curious to see what everyone's opinion was and so I listed it on a forum. Do you think it is payroll, marketing, human resource, hiring, etc?  Here are some responses I got:




Linda Wall • "Payroll. If you use QuickBooks payroll, Paychex, ADP or any of the many others out there, this is one area you want to get right. Also, the time saving and peace of mind that payroll deposits are made on time".







 Barbara Bublyk •" Personally, after working with a number of small businesses, I strongly urge everystart-up to get COMPETENT bookkeeping help. I've spent a ridiculous number of hours trying to set up systems and straighten out messes that could have been avoided had the owners asked for help from day one".



Amy Trader • "I agree with Barbara, bookkeeping would be the first. I, too, have spent a lot of hours correcting mistakes or having to throw it all out and start over".



Kevin Harris • "Thanks to each of you for your input. I believe bookkeeping is ultra important to get right from the start, for exactly the reasons Barbara and Amy mention. If I had to choose, I'd say payroll is the first thing that I'd recommend small businesses take off their plate. Not only do you get the guarantee on accuracy and timing (as long as it's a reputable payroll service), a better reason is the simple trade-off between a ton of time & energy spent versus a minimal cost".



Catherine Haig • "I agree with bookkeeping and payroll because I've spent countless hours with owners hanging all over my head worrying about their payroll when all they had to do was give it to a competent company and that would NOT be Quickbooks payroll which, imo, IS THE WORST EVER! "


Stephanie Wells •"Ditto the bookkeeping. And unless the business is IT related, anything and EVERYTHING to do with setting up and maintaining computers, networks and peripherals".



Linda Morgan •"Definetly the bookkeeping and payroll. After these two I would add the record keeping. Hopefully if the bookkeeping is outsourced the bookkeeper is attending to the record keeping. New and stringent rules regardine retention are coming down in the next couple of years and businesses need to be prepared".


Demos Loizides •"You gotta love the small businesses that give important functions, such as bookkeeping and payroll in to inexperienced and apathetic employees. Their screw ups keep us busy".



Meghan Blair-Valero •"I am always amazed by what people decide to cheap out on. The amount of money they end up paying the IRS or the accountant because they decided to let the secretary be the bookkeeper. - often wonder if they even asked the person that they have largely left in charge of there business finances if they have ever balance their own checking accounts? I charge a premium when cleaning up someone elses mess".



Demos Loizides • "Since I'm hourly, I don't need a premium for cleaning up messes. They take longer than routine maintenance jobs, so I earn more anyway".

I personally can relate to this last one.  I recently acquired a client that has been merrily going about posting there business expenses, etc in QuickBooks.  When I looked at their check register nothing was classified, all put into accounts payablenot into business expenses, payroll, donations, etc.  This entire year has to be gone through again to get ready for tax time and this will take hours.

I can help give you peace of mind with your bookkeeping for as little as $75.00 per month but when we're talking about re-constructing an entire year of business.......

Call now for a FREE consultation and estimate (562) 420-0043

http://www.checkedandbalancedaccounting.com/