Why We Need Bookkeepers and What They Need in Return

At Thankyou Payroll, we’re privileged to work alongside a number of fantastic bookkeepers every day through our Partner Service.

We understand the immense value that they provide to kiwi businesses. We also understand that in order for this value to be preserved, our bookkeepers need to feel supported.

That’s why we’ve partnered up with the New Zealand Qualified Bookkeepers Association (NZQBA). NZQBA provides support to bookkeepers all over the country, helping them to gain confidence and understand their value to achieve their bookkeeping goals.

Meet Kenn.

Kenn is NZQBA’s amazing Membership Coordinator, landing the role after discovering a talent for event management and professional development. 

“This passion gave me the opportunity to work with NZQBA and help our members build their networks and resources to gain more confidence and support in their bookkeeping journey,” she explains.

Recently, we had a chat with Kenn about all things bookkeeping – from the importance of bookkeeping, to the challenges bookkeepers face, to how the NZQBA is helping bookkeepers to overcome these challenges.

The importance of bookkeeping

Bookkeeping has been around for centuries. In fact, the act of keeping financial records is thought to date back to as early as 6000 BC.

Admittedly, the job description has evolved over the years – how could it not when the rate of digitalisation has been accelerating at such a fast pace? But although the books have been switched out for screens and financial software, the role that bookkeepers play in making informed financial decisions remains just as essential for businesses.

“At the end of the day, dealing with numbers and understanding financial reports is still a valuable skill and even a passion for some,” Kenn says. “A lot of business owners would rather focus on what they are good at than dealing with the headaches of their accounts.”

“That’s why bookkeepers are so important and relevant,” Kenn emphasises. “They take out the stress of dealing with accounts from business owners so they can continue to focus on what they love most!”

And bookkeeping is so much more than just being able to understand the numbers. It’s about being able to put them into context in a way which is individually suited to the needs of the business.

“The personal and transparent relationship that bookkeepers establish with their clients enables them to build trust and understand their needs,” Kenn explains. “It’s this relationship, combined with the financial knowledge and experience, which makes bookkeepers so instrumental in helping businesses to achieve their goals.”

Now there’s something software can’t replicate.

The challenges of bookkeeping

While the trust and understanding between bookkeepers and their clients is essential, understanding financial software is equally as essential to maintaining and advancing a bookkeeping career.

“Bookkeepers need to keep up with all the digital changes and latest software so they can continue to be innovative and find ways to work with their clients effectively,” Kenn says.

However, following these trends can prove difficult when you’re working solo a lot of the time. Yes, you’re dealing with clients on a day to day basis but who do you talk to when you need a helping hand?

Kenn explains, “I think a lot of bookkeepers doubt themselves in the beginning. They are afraid to fail and don’t know how to grow their business. “This is normal,” she says, “that’s why it is important that we help them understand their value as bookkeepers, gain confidence and feel supported.”

But how do we help bookkeepers to overcome this hurdle? Look no further than NZQBA…

Creating an environment for bookkeepers to thrive

NZQBA exists to help aspiring and established bookkeepers to advance their careers by providing them with access to valuable resources and connections.

“Our goal is to let bookkeepers know that they are not alone in this journey,” Kenn says. “We connect them with other bookkeepers so that they can grow their network and come up with collaborative solutions for the issues they’re facing.”

NZQBA foster these connections through regular networking meetings and webinars for their members – focused on making sure they understand their value and how to harness it. Thankyou Payroll has also been lucky enough to attend their Annual Bookkeeper’s Conference; an incredible opportunity for New Zealand bookkeepers to come together and learn alongside industry leaders.

In addition to these events, NZQBA offers its members a spot on their Find a Bookkeeper listing. Each listing is targeted towards the bookkeeper’s desired market, allowing them to build up a customer base which matches their unique offering.

We’re in admiration of the transformative work that Kenn and the team at NZQBA are doing to help bookkeepers all over to the country. Bookkeepers are a huge part of what we do and we’re excited to play more of an active role in helping bookkeepers excel.

“Just like bookkeepers take out the stress of dealing with accounts from business owners, Thankyou Payroll takes out the stress of payroll from its users through their automated process and Inland Revenue PAYE Intermediary accreditation,” Kenn says.

Thankyou Payroll hopes that through this partnership, we can offer not just secure and efficient software, but a secondary support network too.

Feeling inspired? Head over to www.nzqba.co.nz and download their info pack to discover more about the benefits and services they offer. Or, give them a call at 0800 119 266 to speak to one of their lovely membership advisors.