Business Best Practices

Science fiction movies and books may portray artificial intelligence as a human-like giant brain with thousands of wires coming from it that control whole cities and their populations. The reality today is that artificial intelligence is unobtrusive, everywhere, and we are interacting with it multiple times daily without always recognizing that we are.

Artificial intelligence is being used by large corporations in a range of areas, including sales, marketing, customer service, employee training/coaching, and logistics. Small businesses can also employ artificial intelligence to improve customer service, reduce costs, and help drive revenues.

What It Is

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science that focuses on building smart machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. Essentially, it endeavors to simulate human intelligence in machines. Examples of AI applications many people are familiar with include smart assistants (such as Siri and Alexa) and virtual agents that interact with customers and guide them to possible solutions. Looking ahead, self-driving trucks and cars are in various stages of development, and some vehicles already have self-driving features.

Customer Service

AI can be deployed through the use of chatbots to handle a variety of tasks, such as directing callers to the function they want (e.g., automatic payments). On a more complex level, AI can be used online to help customers with product search and discovery and respond to requests with relevant recommendations. Businesses can use data gathered from AI chatbot customer interactions to identify where in the process problems may arise and what these problems are so that they can be eliminated in the future.

Logistics

Moving goods from one point to another requires up-to-the-minute data so that what is being shipped is shipped in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible. Certain AI programs can predict points where congestion may happen and help redirect trucks and vans so that they avoid bottlenecks and slowdowns. AI essentially streamlines the supply chain. It can do something similar when it comes to warehouse management — identifying choke points that slow the movement of goods from point A to point B.

Marketing

AI marketing sets out to leverage customer data and machine learning to anticipate a customer’s next move and to nudge that customer toward either buying something or increasing his or her average order value. Businesses are using AI to attract, nurture, and convert prospects.

By tracking a customer’s online searches, AI programs can identify what products an individual might be interested in and may be considering buying. AI can target that individual with ads highlighting products or services previously identified as being of interest to the customer. This approach essentially uses machine learning to offer personalized product recommendations.

Sales Training

AI can be used to coach salespeople to improve their sales skills and help them increase their percentage of successful sales calls. AI programs exist that can analyze a number of variables that are used by the most successful salespeople and use that data to identify strategies that can be replicated and utilized by other salespeople within the organization.

As with any technology, there are costs involved in incorporating AI into a company’s operations. A financial professional can assist you in analyzing the costs and potential financial benefits of any new technological enhancements your small business may be considering.

Comparing a business’s key financial ratios with industry standards and with its own past results can highlight trends and identify strengths and weaknesses in the business.

Financial statement information is most useful if owners and managers can use it to improve their company’s profitability, cash flow, and value. Getting the most mileage from financial statement data requires some analysis.

Ratio analysis looks at the relationships between key numbers on a company’s financial statements. After the ratios are calculated, they can be compared to industry standards — and the company’s past results, projections, and goals — to highlight trends and identify strengths and weaknesses.

The hypothetical situations that follow illustrate how ratio analysis can give company decision-makers valuable feedback.

Rising Sales, Rising Profits?

The recent increases in Company A’s sales figures have been impressive. But the owners aren’t certain that the additional revenues are being translated into profits. Net profit margin measures the proportion of each sales dollar that represents a profit after taking into account all expenses. If Company A’s margins aren’t holding up during growth periods, a hard look at overhead expenses may be in order.

Getting Paid

Company B extends credit to the majority of its customers. The firm keeps a close watch on outstanding accounts so that slow payers can be contacted. From a broader perspective, knowing the company’s average collection period would be useful. In general, the faster Company B can collect money from its customers, the better its cash flow will be. But Company B’s management should also be aware that if credit and collection policies are too restrictive, potential customers may decide to take their business elsewhere.

Inventory Management

Company C has several product lines. Inventory turnover measures the speed at which inventories are sold. A slow turnover ratio relative to industry standards may indicate that stock levels are excessive. The excess money tied up in inventories could be used for other purposes. Or it could be that inventories simply aren’t moving, and that could lead to cash problems. In contrast, a high turnover ratio is usually a good sign — unless quantities aren’t sufficient to fulfill customer orders in a timely way.

These are just examples of ratios that may be meaningful. Once key ratios are identified, they can be tracked on a regular basis.

Perhaps the number one action you can take to support the financial health of your small business is to stay on top of accounting. Make sure you’re aware of most small businesses’ accounting challenges and learn how to overcome them. We’ll tell you how here!

Banking

You’ve been banking for years, and you know how to manage the task. However, when you own a business, banking isn’t like managing personal checking and savings accounts. Unfortunately, many small business owners use their personal funds to pay for business expenses, especially when first starting out. Even small costs add up over time. This “cross contamination” of spending between personal and business accounts can lead to costly mistakes, not to mention headaches for your accounting team. Keep personal expenses, and business expenses separate all the time. Have dedicated bank accounts and credit cards only used for one or the other. If you need to track down an expenditure, you only need to look in one place.

Budget

When bank accounts are separated, budgeting becomes exponentially easier. You can even use an accounting software program to help you keep up with money coming and going to and from your business. However, recognize that simply entering information into a software program is not the end of the work when balancing a budget. Thinking that is true ends up being the downfall of many small businesses. Budgeting for a business means forecasting to ensure that unexpected expenses can be covered, managing inventory, taxes, and more. A shift in any direction can throw off any budget. That’s why many small businesses opt to outsource their accounting. The known upfront expense of doing so can far offset costly budgeting errors down the road.

Unexpected expenses

As mentioned above, you must consider the unexpected as part of your budget. Additional (new) taxes, payment delays from customers, rising costs of materials and supplies, new employee training, etc., are all possibilities. A qualified accountant is aware of these unexpected expenses and others that your business could face and knows how to prepare you for them. Awareness of what could financially happen in business is crucial to long-term profitability.

Payroll

While unexpected expenses are likely the most daunting for a small business, payroll is almost always the most significant. Payroll entails more than what you pay employees. New employee classification, if incorrect, could cost you a bundle in penalties. Other payroll-related accounting challenges are pay accuracy, proper tax filing, compliance, and paid time off tracking.

Unless you’re an HR professional, and chances are you’re not if you’re the business owner, consider recruiting a qualified accountant to help you manage payroll. It will save you headaches in the short term and money in the long term.

Taxes

A conversation about accounting and small business isn’t complete without discussing taxes. The tax struggle can be daunting, from filing to making sure you pay enough but that you don’t overpay. A significant challenge regarding taxes is merely keeping up with the ever-changing tax laws. A qualified accountant or CPA will be up-to-date on new regulations and guidelines so that you don’t have to be.

Overcoming accounting challenges like these is easy with a qualified accounting team on your side. Consider outsourcing your accounting needs so that your focus remains where it should – on running your business your way.

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Contact our accounting professionals now for help managing your small business finances.

Cash is critical to the functioning of every business. Maintaining a healthy cash flow not only allows a company to meet its financial obligations but also gives it the flexibility to take advantage of emerging opportunities.

All too often, however, small businesses find themselves in a cash crunch, struggling to pay the bills and stay afloat. The good news is that businesses can take various measures to manage cash flow more effectively.

Controlling Expenses

A good place to start is by reviewing expenses to determine if there are areas where you can shave costs by contracting with another vendor or renegotiating existing contracts. Costs for ongoing goods and services, such as utilities, shipping, and telecommunications, should be reviewed frequently to see if expenses can be reduced. And when paying suppliers, consider whether it makes financial sense to take advantage of any early payment incentives that may be offered.

Keeping Debt in Check

Debt can be a useful tool if used properly, so be sure to keep it at a manageable level. Before your business takes on a new loan, reach out to multiple lenders and compare the terms they offer. When acquiring equipment, consider whether leasing may be a better option than borrowing money to finance its purchase. For short-term financing needs, a line of credit is a helpful tool. The lender will base interest charges only on the amount your business draws from the credit line.

Managing Inventory

Maintaining excessive inventory can tie up cash unnecessarily. If your business carries inventory, avoid overstocking. Your inventory management system should be able to indicate the minimum quantities that you need to keep on hand in order to meet your customers’ needs.

Simplifying Billing and Collections

Employees who handle billing and collections should have specific, clear guidelines. By standardizing the process, you help ensure your business will be paid promptly. You can speed up payments by offering discounts for early payment or by encouraging your customers to pay using electronic funds transfer. To help minimize the problem of unpaid accounts, consider making follow-up calls or sending email or text message reminders within a set period after you have provided goods or services or when a bill’s due date passes. Minimizing Taxes When Possible

Deductions and credits can help your business limit its tax burden and boost its cash flow. A knowledgeable tax professional can keep you informed of any special tax breaks that may be of value to your business, such as the energy credit for the acquisition of various types of alternative energy property.

Make Planning a Priority

Identifying the causes of reduced cash flow and taking steps to rectify a cash flow crunch is critical to the ongoing success of your business. Proper cash flow planning can help you make better use of budgets and employ financing and capital more effectively to increase revenues as well as boost profits. If erratic cash flow is a recurring issue for your business, it can be helpful to gain the insights and the input from an experienced financial professional.

A bookkeeper for your small business is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. You must always be aware of what is happening to your business on a basic financial level. Lacking that knowledge could hinder your business’s growth and success. Read more to learn what a bookkeeper does and how outsourcing your company’s bookkeeping tasks could help your business succeed.

What Bookkeepers Do

Bookkeepers are responsible for a businesses’ accounts. At the most basic level, a bookkeeper keeps the general ledger by recording cash flow. However, bookkeepers can also create valuable reports such as financial statements, prepare bank deposits, oversee payroll, approve a purchase, create invoices, and monitor delinquent accounts.

Outsourcing Bookkeeping is a Practical Choice

While bookkeeping was once a tedious and grueling task due to manually recording every transaction by hand, technology has advanced the process to make bookkeeping much more straightforward and streamlined. It is now possible to outsource your business’s bookkeeping to an online bookkeeper. This approach is a cost-effective alternative to hiring an in-house bookkeeper.

Why Outsourcing Bookkeeping is Important for a Small Business

Bookkeeping is a critical part of any business for legal and financial management reasons. Accurate records allow you to assess the financial health of your business at a glance. It also assists your accountant when it is time to analyze financial data and recommendations for spending and strategize for future growth. Additionally, it’s vital to have accurate bookkeeping practices in place if you ever need to respond to the IRS regarding inquiries or audits.

The following are some of the benefits of outsourcing bookkeeping for your small business:

1. All financial transactions are accurately recorded.

Every small business owner must know where cash comes from and where it goes. Bookkeeping makes this crystal clear. For example, you can quickly determine how much your business spent on office supplies or how lucrative a given client or customer is for your business. And don’t overlook the importance of accurate records when it comes to resolving discrepancies like those that can occur between employees, vendors, or customers.

2. Spending analysis helps streamline budgeting for your business.

Expense analysis allows you to adjust your businesses’ budget quickly and easily. You can examine financial statements to determine the products, services, and industries that help you generate maximum revenue. You can also identify expenses that were once justifiable but no longer serve your business plan. Perhaps your marketing in the local newspaper generated income at one point, but online advertising is more profitable for your company in today’s market.

3. Filing taxes is easier.

Tax time is stressful for any business. However, bookkeeping eliminates the need to sift through piles of receipts, invoices, and documents to gather information. Proper bookkeeping ensures that information is organized all year long.

4. Your records are accurate in the event of an IRS audit.

While the chances of an audit for a small business are low, there’s always the chance of an audit no matter how compliant your business is with current tax laws. Thorough bookkeeping is your first line of defense when and if the IRS decides to audit your company. Organized bookkeeping records allow you to answer the IRS’s questions about any financial aspect of your business.

5. Cash flow is managed correctly and accurately.

The top concern of any small business is cash flow. By outsourcing your businesses’ bookkeeping, you mitigate the challenge of monitoring cash flow because you keep track of cash moving in and out of your business. At a glance, your bookkeeper can tell you how much profit your business generates and if it’s sufficient for paying your business expenses. This benefit can save you headaches in the long run because it allows you to be proactive, not reactive, by garnering a line of credit or seeking other assistance if needed.

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Realizing the importance of bookkeeping in running your business can provide peace of mind that allows you to do what is most important – manage the day-to-day operation of your business. Contact us now for reliable bookkeeping services.

If you’re one of the many people working from home this year, you may have questions about the home office tax deduction and whether you can qualify for it. Here’s a rundown of the rules.

Employees

Unfortunately, home office expenses incurred while working as an employee are not currently deductible. The reason: the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act temporarily suspended the itemized deduction for unreimbursed employee business expenses (and various other miscellaneous expenses). Unless lawmakers make a change, the deduction won’t become available again until 2026.

Self-Employed Individuals

The news is better if you are self-employed. You will be eligible for a home office deduction provided you can satisfy certain requirements. If you do, you can deduct all direct expenses and part of the indirect expenses involved in working from home. The deduction is generally limited to income from the business, and excess expenses may be carried over to the next year.

Direct expenses are costs that apply only to your home office. The cost of painting your home office is an example of a direct expense. Indirect expenses include expenses such as rent, mortgage interest, real estate taxes, maintenance, and homeowners insurance. You can deduct only the business portion of your indirect expenses. These expenses are typically allocated between business and personal use based on square footage.

IRS Requirements

To qualify, a home office — a room or another separately identifiable space — generally has to be used regularly and exclusively for business purposes. The home office also must be (1) your principal place of business; (2) a place where you meet patients, clients, or customers; (3) a separate unattached structure that you use in connection with your business; or (4) a space within your residence that you regularly use to store inventory or product samples in connection with the business, if the residence is the only fixed location of your business (in this situation, the space doesn’t have to be used exclusively for storage).

You don’t necessarily have to spend most of your work hours in your home office for it to meet the principal place of business requirement. A home office can qualify if you use it for administrative or management activities and it is the only fixed location where you conduct those activities. Some examples of administrative or management activities include: billing customers, clients, or patients; keeping books and records; ordering supplies; setting up appointments; forwarding orders or writing reports.

Simplified Option

If you prefer not to keep track of your expenses, there’s a simplified method that allows qualifying taxpayers to deduct $5 for each square foot of office space, up to a maximum of 300 square feet. When the simplified method is used, qualified mortgage interest and property taxes are separately deductible as itemized deductions.

Your tax professional can help you determine whether you qualify for a deduction and what you may need to do to take advantage of it.