So you’ve decided to take your love of numbers to the next level. That’s great. Maybe you’re a Phoenix, AZ native and you want to bring your accounting knowledge to your hometown. Or maybe you just love the desert climate and want to be the best CPA AZ has ever seen. Either way, taking the plunge and opening your own AZ-based accounting firm is a great move. Your calendar should always be full of appointments that excite you, and if helping people manage their finances is your passion, don’t hesitate.
With that being said, there are plenty of potential blind spots that you need to keep your eye on as you go about opening your calendars up to new appointments and starting your own accounting firm. Whether it’s getting a water dispenser for your office, personalized envelopes for your 1099-MISC forms, or taking care of your firm’s safety by installing fisheye cameras, keep reading to learn about the most important tips for starting your own accounting firm in Phoenix, AZ.
1. Keep your employees and customers hydrated.
Water can’t be underestimated as a key ingredient for a healthy office. Especially in a hot place like Phoenix, AZ—you need to have a water dispenser in a convenient place in your office. Not only is it healthy, but it’s also good business practice, too. Customers who feel taken care of and have access to cold water for refreshment and hot water to make tea or coffee will likely become return customers who invite their friends to use your services as well.
When you’re looking at various options for your water dispenser needs, make sure that you’re getting the best water out there. You’ll want your water dispenser to dispense spring water or pure water. Don’t skimp on the cold water/hot water needs of your customers—buying from the best company will set your firm apart from the crowd on day one.
2. Streamline the hiring process.
You’re surely not planning on dealing with all the 1099-MISC forms that get sent your way by yourself. This means that you’ll need to work with a recruiter and delve into the hiring process. There will be plenty of applicants, so make sure that your hiring team isn’t overwhelmed with the interview schedule. In fact, you might consider whether or not it makes sense for your recruiting team to use an automated interview scheduling platform, like the kind offered gy GoodTime, to streamline the whole hiring process. The less time it takes for your hiring manager and the whole hiring team to located and hire the best applicants in Phoenix, AZ for the positions you’re looking to fill, the sooner you can get to work sifting through 1099-MISC, W2, and other forms.
3. Get a storage unit for your extra belongings.
Maybe you already live in Phoenix, AZ, or maybe you’re moving from another great city. Either way, when you open a new firm that means you’re probably moving furniture (desks, chairs, computers, water coolers, and more) into a new space you’re going to rent. Bear in mind that this may take some time, which is why it’s wise to consider getting a storage unit for any extra belongings that can’t be moved in right away.
A self-storage unit with easy access and security cameras around the premises will be great for keeping your belongings nearby, but not cluttering up your new space. Using a storage facility will also allow you to scale your business. The more applicants you hire, the more desks you can bring into the space. It’s doesn’t have to be in the city either, you can find plenty of storage units in the greater Phoenix, AZ area (for example, there are a lot of great, cheap storage units in Chandler, and Chandler is right nearby) so it’s a good idea to make a phone call and find out about your storage facility options.
4. Keep everyone safe—from the office to the parking lot.
Any office that respects itself needs to take security seriously. It’s not enough to have great customer service, a water cooler in the waiting room, and an interview process that’s ideal for job seekers. You need to keep everyone safe, too. You can do this with video surveillance that provides you with a panoramic view of everything going on in the vicinity. If your office is located in a building with a large area around it, say a parking lot, you’re going to need a fisheye security camera. A fisheye is the only way to really get the full detail and panoramic image you’re looking for to make sure that every inch of the open areas is being watched for miscreants. Whether your office is a rental or a space that you own, a fisheye surveillance camera is a panoramic camera that will keep you and your customers safest. That’s taking customer service to the next level.
5. Personalized envelopes are the way to go.
All vendors have a lot of paperwork to deal with—from order forms to W-2 forms—and accounting firms are no different. Sure, a lot of the paperwork you need to handle is online, but some things still need to arrive in the snail mail. Tax forms are better sent by traditional post—this personal information shouldn’t ever be leaked or hacked into by bad folks online. The best practices say that vendors should send 1099-MISC forms and W-2 forms in the regular mail, which means that you’ll need envelopes.
You could opt for just regular envelopes, but the truth is that a double-window envelope embossed with your logo really screams professionalism. You’re not just some family member sending mail—you’re these people’s accountant. Make sure you have outstanding, durable 1099 envelopes (maybe with a security tint) so that the W-2 forms and 1099-MISC forms you’re sending out make an impression immediately. It’s so much nicer to receive a really, double-window envelope than is to send back and forth emails. Knowing that your envelopes are durable will also send you a headache—you’ll know that their personal information or sensitive information will get to its destination safe and sound.
These are just a few tips to help you out as you get on your way to opening your accounting firm in Phoenix, AZ. Hiring the right applicants, getting a water cooler for the office, installing fisheye cameras, finding a storage solution, and ordering envelopes is just the start. Make sure to take as much time as you need to get your firm up and running, start to finish, exactly as you want it to be.
After all, this is your passion. Whatever direction you end up going in, if you do your job with excitement and rigor you’ll always provide superior customer service than your competitor is. It’s that better experience that will make the difference to your corner of AZ—whether it’s Chandler or Phoenix—and will make dealing with tax forms a delight for each and every one of your customers. Above all, that’s what you should keep in mind as you begin to dream about realizing your passion for accounting. Those are the reminders that this is the correct direction to travel in. With that in mind, you can’t go wrong no matter what envelope or water bottle you choose.
