A day in the life of a Charnwood Accountant!

Have you ever wondered what your accountant does all day? We caught up with our Client Manager Chris to see what a he gets up to on a ‘normal day’ at Charnwood Accountants, here is what he had to say: 

“It’s a running joke with my children that all I do is play with numbers all day. In their minds, I’m sure that they think I resemble something like The Count in Sesame Street! 

The truth is a day in the life of an accountant can involve a lot of different things. No two days are ever the same, especially in a day at Charnwood Accountants! 

A standard Monday will start, as I’m sure it will for most, with a caffeine fix. Whilst the caffeine works its magic, I have a look through my inbox and reply to any queries that can be quickly answered. Anything that requires additional thought or review is added to my “to-do” list, in order of priority. 

Our internal systems are second to none and highlight anything that needs to be dealt with that week, such as if a client has a year end approaching and whether we have discussed tax planning opportunities with them. Deadline reminders will also show to make sure the accounts, tax returns and confirmation statements are filed on time. 

If we have a client meeting approaching, I will spend time preparing and reviewing their accounts for analysis within the meeting, as well as looking through previous meeting notes to ensue any actions were picked up and completed. Prior to the meeting, we also prepare and review all personal tax returns and where possible, we will look to project future liabilities to enable our clients to plan accordingly. Unique agendas will be created for each meeting with key topics to discuss, such as planning opportunities, tips to save tax in future and general business advice, including how to enhance their business and profits. 

These discussions can lead to further items, such as EMI schemes to help bring key members of staff through the ranks in order to aid the exit plan of the directors. Following the meeting, all discussion points are actioned and any changes to the accounts and tax returns are made so that they can be uploaded to our client portal for their approval. 

We have an open plan office here, so the sound of a phone ringing is a constant background noise, as clients take advantage of our in-house knowledge with any and all queries that they may have. There is also the sound of general chatter amongst the team as we pick each other’s brains on different scenarios that have been put to us by our clients. The key and most important thing about being a business advisor is not to give the wrong advice. We are human and we will be the first to admit that we don’t know every answer off the top of our head, but there is a good chance that someone in the office will have experience of your problem or query so sharing knowledge is essential! 

From phone calls and e-mails to client meetings, communication is a key part of what we’re about at Charnwood Accountants and we want to be able to assist with any problems our client’s face and help them to achieve their goals. 

Yes, the stereotype does have some truth in that I do play with numbers and have worn away the keys on my calculator, but my job is so much more than that. It’s an opportunity to work with and help business owners achieve what they want from their businesses. So, kids when Daddy gets home from work, and is tired, it’s not just because I’ve managed to count past ten that day. Afterall, accountancy isn’t as simple as 1….2….3!”

If you would like to find out more about our work at Charnwood Accountants, for information on how to become part of the team, or how we can support your business please get in touch with us – we’re happy to help!