If you are thinking of replacing a bookkeeper, think again!

If you find a competent bookkeeper and are satisfied with a 'good' job you may be miss an opportunity to improve the financial controls in you business for the next 5-10 years while your competition moves on.

You are now able to get professional accounting services for less than half the cost of a bookkeeper.

The future of bookkeepers will be more focused on managing data flow, not data entry.

Everything is available to allow businesses to log on to a service. All business transactions are done by computers today and it only remains to stop producing paper and start moving data.

Remote Accounting services. How remote?

More and more office workers are working from home but it will not be long before they are replaced by 'contractors'. You only pay when a service is provided. No payroll, employee liabilties, down time etc. Services will be available 24/7. There is no reason someone in Ontario cannot provide accounting services to a business in British Columbia. But why not California? The provider just has to learn local laws.

That leads to the next logical, and controversial step, why not overseas? In fact, services are already offered in India at a rate of $8-$15/hour for a professional accountant.

There will be skepticism from organizations such as Accounting Firms, Colleges and other institutions that have a vested interest in continuing with time proven methodology. In truth, not all clients will embrace the new technology quickly. In fact, some people will downright refuse and resist the changes that are already upon us. There will be more resistance and outrage at the loss of local jobs, and with it, tax dollars. Companies will continue their loyalty to long term employees and refuse to outsource thes jobs. They will lose their edge to companies that have superior accounting information at less that half the cost. Business that stands still is dead.

Eventually, like Dell, Intuit, the airlines, Hershey, Heinz and other companies the bottom line will prevail. Service and production are moved to wherever costs are lower. Big business make this decisions with a certain detachment, in a board room based on numbers. Smaller businesses have to determine the fate of a loyal bookkeeper as well as take the time to learn and understand a new process that is alien to them. It is easier to procrastinate. The business will suffer along with all the other employees in a tight economy. Stress levels will rise.

Once attrition takes place with your local bookkeeper it would be a mistake to find a replacement that you might be stuck with for another 10-15 years.