You should always try to get recommendations when looking for an accountant, and remember that having a piece of paper is not a certain indication of ability. A more experienced accountant, qualified or not, is a far better choice.

I have retired to writing so it’s no longer any problem to me for telling the truth. Qualifieds often tend to knock the unqualifieds, but for many I have come across over the years the difference is often little more than their prices.

Interesting points, see my post of today:

Small Business Accountants: What are they worth?

IMO, you both have a point, just depends what you want out of your small business accountant.

VB, Stefan

How Jason? When and how do you know when an Accountant is charging you too much? How do you make that visible to the fee payers, clearly? Seriously? People today want value for money. Why do Accountancy fees vary so much? Cheap accountants may not necessarily mean poorer services in my opinion, i.e. good accountants outside of city centres will have lower overheads and will be able to charge lower fees. Low cost accountants may not always mean that quality of services is lower. Is that a fair point?

I also agree with Jason that price can not be the overriding deciding factor when it comes to selecting an accountant.

You Get What You Pay For – this certainly hold true today.

While technology allows to make certain things less expensive and often even provider a better product for less money – see WinWeb OnlineOffice as an example – services like accounting are knowledge based and as such not easily provided cheaper.

With cheaper, meaning less, accounting service comes bad service.

VB, Stefan

Price may be driven down by some; however, we refuse to compromise on fees as they are set a realistic middle of the road, not the cheapest nor the most expensive rate.

Once you reduce your fee you reduce the quality of what you do which in turn attracts a lower level of client, but then I guess it depends on who you want for clients?

Recommendation still remains the best way to go, if someone has an accountant they are happy with, and if you see they have a decent business and the accountant advises them on a regular basis then that is a good start!

Also, although online quote sites have their uses they are usually aimed at the lower end and with a view to price (that is low price) rather than added value services that aid success.