Are you feeling frustrated by efficiency failures?

Do you ever feel frustrated that parts of your practice are not as efficient as you would like?

Most of us get irritated at some stage with tasks that take too long and bog you down. We just want to work as effectively as we can and to not waste time.

But do you ever give yourself time to think about how you could achieve greater efficiency?

No? Take five minutes now and consider these ideas.

Let someone else do it

It’s often quite hard, especially if you’re running a small practice, to let go and pass on important work to others. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you’re the only one who’s going to get this particular thing done as quickly as you need it.

But, why not start trying to move about from this mindset? What we’re getting at is delegating.

Yes, initially at least, it may take some time to pass on and explain a client or administrative task to a junior staff member. But that time invested should pay off in the long-run when they learn to complete the task just as competently as you can.

The plus sides? You are free focus on higher priority tasks, so you can get more meaningful work done.

If you need to keep track of the tasks you’ve delegated, there are programmes out there to help. Taxfiler’s practice management software, for example, lets you assign team members to different client tasks, so you know which jobs are being handled and which require attention.

The scourge of email

Do you have a tried and trusted system for managing your emails? Do you try to follow one of the many pieces of advice handed out over the years about how often you should check your emails during the day?

Emails can undoubtedly become a time wasting distraction. Most practice owners and indeed senior staff will have more than they’d wish for every day.

Whether you go to your inbox just twice a day or more regularly, there’s no magic answer for the most efficient method. Some messages need responses quicker than others.

Yet, there is a lot to be said for limiting how much  time you spend on it. Inbox checking can be a significant time drain.

You could try a different way. For example, why not  only answer emails when you’re on the go – perhaps while on the train on your way to see a client?

How about setting dedicated times during the day when you’ll answer emails? That way, you can spend the rest of your day focussing on other, more valuable, tasks.

Trust in technology

Already, you’ll be using various tech to make your firm run more effectively. But are you making the most of what’s available?

There are a number of software solutions that can make an accountant’s life easier. In particular, cloud-based software, for example, can be a cost-effective way to keep track of and work on your clients’ financials.

Taxfiler’s award-winning cloud-based solution can help your firm when preparing and filing your clients’ accounts and tax returns. It is also connected with popular bookkeeping software QuickBooks.

One of the various plus points is that it allows your team to collaborate on a client file, wherever those team members are.

Keeping on top of client deadlines

How could you stay on top of your vital deadlines?

This is what Taxfiler’s practice management software is all about. It lets you keep track of your clients and the services you provide for them (from the administrative to accounts production and beyond), while also giving you an overview of your workload via the dashboard.

This tool helps to ensure you don’t miss key dates and you have a simple way to see which jobs and tasks need to be prioritised.

Taxfiler’s practice management software is included free with all Taxfiler packages. So, there’s no reason not to give it a go!

You’re not going to change your habits over night but once you try some of the ideas we’ve discussed above, you may find you’re on a better path towards a more efficient practice.

Want to learn more and get extra information about how Taxfiler could help you? Contact us at info@taxfiler.co.uk.