The demand for accounting services is growing following the number of annual reports. The market in this area is far from being saturated, especially in medium and small Russian cities.

 

In recent years, enterprises have been actively transferring accounting to outsourcing. This is being pushed by endless changes in legislation, an increase in the number of reports to the Federal Tax Service, the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation, and the transition to electronic document management. The services of specialists who keep records at home have become less in demand. Many of them would like to open their own accounting business, but do not know how and where to start.

In most cases, for an experienced accountant who is used to dealing with government agencies, including the Federal Tax Service, it is not difficult to register a company and choose a taxation regime. One way or another, they came across this at work, they know where to get advice. Another thing is the organization of the company. This is where a lot of questions come in:

1. how much accounting services are in demand, and where this niche is freer;
2. how to develop a client base, where to look for potential customers;
3. how to effectively organize the work of the company so that it generates income;

Quick Overview: Demand for Services by Region

Accounting outsourcing until 2013 developed like an avalanche (Fig. 1). During the recession, the number of organizations starting this business for the first time decreased. Nevertheless, according to the Expert RA agency, the income of the 80 largest market participants in 2015 increased by 8%. In total, during the period from 2001 to May 2015, about 20% of the newly opened firms ceased their activities, and this indicates the stable operation of the vast majority of them.

Demand decreased mainly for the preparation of financial statements in accordance with IFRS standards, as many foreign organizations left Russia. The main group of services - accounting and tax accounting are still in demand (Fig. 2). According to experts' forecasts, the demand for them will increase.

However, the number of open accounting firms in the country has greatly increased in recent years. In large cities, competition is significant, and on the periphery this niche is not filled everywhere. Entrepreneurs of small towns consider the lack of qualified services to be one of their main problems. Table 1 shows the number of companies in different regions operating in the field of accounting. Based on these data, it is possible to indirectly assess how free a niche is in a particular region.

Table 1. The number of LLCs employed in the field of accounting services by region. Information on the database of the Unified State Register of Legal Entities of the State Medical Center of Rosstat, information collected by Elitbuh.

City, region	Total number of operating enterprises, organizations	Number of firms providing accounting services	Number of enterprises per outsourcing firm	Population
Moscow region
Saint Petersburg
Leningradskaya
Altai region
Arkhangelsk
Amur region
Astrakhan
Bryansk
Belgorodskaya
Vologda
Volgogradskaya
Vladimirskaya
Voronezh
Ivanovskaya
Irkutsk
Kaluga
Kaliningradskaya
Kemerovo
Kostroma
Kirovskaya
Kurgan
Lipetsk
Magadan
Murmansk
Nizhny Novgorod
Novosibirsk
Novgorod
Orenburg
Orlovskaya
Penza
Pskovskaya
Rostov
Ryazan
Samara
Saratov
Sakhalin
Sverdlovsk
Smolensk
Tambov
Tverskaya
Tula
Tyumenskaya
Ulyanovsk
Chelyabinsk
Yaroslavskaya

An entrepreneur who is thinking about how to open an accounting firm should understand that you should not count on high incomes right away. At one of the forums of Kontur.buhgalteria, the result of a survey of participants was published, from which it can be seen that about 30% of those who voted earn from 70 to 250 thousand rubles a month (Fig. 3). New firms often start with servicing individual entrepreneurs, small businesses, however, as the potential and reputation grow, large customers appear.

Organization of work of an outsourcing company

Registration of an enterprise, as a rule, does not cause problems for a novice entrepreneur-accountant who has experience in communicating with the Federal Tax Service. It can be created both in the form of an individual entrepreneur and an LLC. The type of activity from July 11, 2016 is selected according to the new reference book OK 029-2014 (NACE Rev. 2): 69.20 - activities for the provision of accounting services, auditing, tax consulting, including maintaining, setting, restoring accounting, reporting. Usually the simplified tax regime is chosen. Entry to this market is free. To open an accounting firm, you do not need to obtain a license and join the SRO, as for auditors.

Much more questions arise in terms of organization, because within a company it is very different from keeping records at home and the work of a chief accountant. Often the company starts with the fact that a high-level specialist cannot cope with the volume of orders, and begins to look for assistants. He either organizes a new enterprise or buys out an existing one. Some kind of clientele, and at least a small cash flow, usually already exists at the start. But very soon he faces two tasks:

• search for customers - employees need to be regularly paid salaries;
• building effective work - this determines the cost of services.

Several ways: where and how to look for customers

1. The search can be carried out on the open database of the Federal Tax Service among organizations and entrepreneurs who have applied for registration (https://service.nalog.ru/uwsfind.do).

During the first 3 - 4 months of work, the issue with the accountant is often not resolved yet.

It is for this reason that many outsourcing firms deal with business registration. In most cases, if the service was presented with high quality, then the client orders accounting services from a trusted company.

As a result of the search, a list appears in which the OGRN is indicated.

Further, using the service https://egrul.nalog.ru/ you can get an extract, which indicates the size of the authorized capital, the legal address of the director, and the phone number.

2. Creation of a site with a description of services.

According to marketing research, individual entrepreneurs and small businesses often resort to searching for an accounting firm on the Internet. This is their usual way of getting information. Despite the fact that many automated bookkeeping services are now offered, many are more accustomed to working with people. After all, not everyone is well versed in IT technologies, someone does not want to spend time mastering programs.

They choose the first 3-5 companies, then call them, compare prices, evaluate the quality of communication. If the results of the first visit are satisfactory, they sign a contract for services, if not, they move on. Face-to-face negotiations are very important, after which the final decision is made. Therefore, for the site, you need to carefully select the key queries for which the potential customer conducts a search. Information that matters when choosing:

• price list for services - it is better when their cost is average between the salary of an “incoming” accountant and a good full-time specialist;
• location of the company - visits usually begin with companies located in their own or neighboring area;
• availability of contact information - a valid phone number must be indicated, verification begins with a call;
• a sample contract with a commentary - this allows you to draw conclusions about the quality of work, certain guarantees from the company.

The design style of the site, the reviews given on it, practically do not matter.

Articles in specialized publications, popular local newspapers give a good effect. And it is better if this is not naked advertising, but publications on topical issues of accounting and taxes. They assess the level of competence of a specialist, they inspire confidence. The same goal is pursued by presentations with reports at various presentations, meetings, seminars - business cards are left there, the necessary acquaintances are made.

According to surveys of marketers, medium-sized enterprises, when switching to accounting outsourcing, are more likely to focus on recommendations and reviews. Therefore, it is useful to distribute advertising brochures and business cards through clients, familiar members of the local business community. It is not only commercial enterprises that are showing interest in outsourcing. State and municipal institutions have increasingly begun to place such orders on the public procurement website - this is a search method that should not be overlooked.

Typical scheme of work

The price of accounting services depends on the salary of working specialists, it is almost impossible to reduce it. At the same time, a common mistake of novice entrepreneurs is to organize work according to the principle: one accountant / one client (or several). This often results in:

1. the customer "entices" the specialist working with him;
2. the accountant quits and “takes away” clients with him.

In addition, the workload of an employee has physical limits. The distribution of functions between specialists is considered optimal so that direct communication with the customer remains only with the manager, or the responsible specialist (Fig. 4). Group organization of work does not require equally high qualifications of all specialists, and this makes it possible to save on the salary fund.

It is very important to develop a flexible price list that provides for a differentiated tariff for different customers, for example:

• "zero" - for newly created organizations with a zero balance;
• basic - for companies with a relatively small amount of documents;
• contractual — for those who order a full range of services.

The client base should be regularly replenished, as entrepreneurs who have got on their feet often prefer to hire “their” accountant. For stable operation, it should grow by 20 - 25% per year. For example, if a company serves 20 clients, it is desirable to enter into 4 - 5 new contracts annually.

Outsourcing companies mainly compete on prices, but dumping is limited. The strategies of successful firms are distinguished by some kind of “zest”. This may be a narrow specialization: credit services, work with individual entrepreneurs, or, conversely, a wide range of services, including legal ones: registration, liquidation of organizations.

You can open an accounting services firm and start a franchise business, there are such offers on the market (Billprof and others). The biggest success: access to the "blue ocean", that is, a new untapped niche. One of these areas: aggregators in various sectors of the market, working with a large number of individual entrepreneurs, and accumulating a significant amount of documents: online taxi services, insurance companies, Internet advertising sites. Below is an example of a non-standard approach: a business on accounting services was launched by a programmer and a bank employee.

Button LLC, Yekaterinburg, initial investment 1.5 million rubles.

The firm was organized in 2013 by former employees of Bank24.ru and SKB Kontour, headed by Eduard Panteleev. They created a mobile office for entrepreneurs, which takes care of all administrative, accounting and legal issues, working online. By mid-2015, almost 600 entrepreneurs had joined it, and the company already had 130 employees. The cost of the minimum package of services is 24 thousand per month.

Summing up, we note: there will always be a need for accounting services. At the same time, during periods of crisis, there is a tendency: large companies lose customers, and small ones acquire them. The focus on savings makes customers look for cheaper, “cleaner” services, without frills.

How to build a profitable accounting business?

With the development of small businesses in our country, qualified accountants have become in demand. A small enterprise can rarely afford to maintain a full-time specialist, and accounting and reporting must be kept by everyone.

The first step in the process of starting an accounting services business is to assess the market situation and create a business plan. With a lot of competition in this segment, it is necessary to provide a pricing policy that would be more beneficial for customers than the pricing policy of competitors.

Who needs accounting services

This service attracts mainly small enterprises, which are characterized by small volumes of work, or enterprises of a narrow profile. All of them are trying to somehow optimize costs, and the arrangement of the workplace and the salary of a full-time accountant is expensive. Hiring a third-party specialist also has a certain cost, but it is much lower.

In a small business, the manager often performs the duties of an accountant. Combining the functions of two specialists rarely benefits the enterprise. Most of the time is still occupied by the organization of management and control, accounting is given too little time. There comes a time when it becomes clear that an experienced specialist is required who is able to create full-fledged accounting and reporting.

It is important that the cost of a freelance accountant is lower than the cost of a full-time one. Only in this case, the head will refuse the services of a full-time specialist.

What is needed to get started

accounting services business, like any other, it requires certain knowledge, skills and means. For this type of activity, a person with an education as an economist or accountant is best suited. But this is optional. More important is the entrepreneurial spirit and the ability to choose the right staff.

In any case, to start a business based on accounting services, you will need:
- start-up capital;
- registration;
- room;
- equipment and furniture;
- employees.

Before registering, you should decide what services the new company will provide. It is quite obvious that legal entities will become the main clients, but there may be exceptions. It's best to start with a small amount of work.

It could be:
- registration of new enterprises;
- development of accounting policy;
- work with primary documents;
- Restoration and maintenance of accounting records;
- maintaining only certain areas of accounting (for example, personnel, warehouse, sales);
- submission of reports;
- zero reporting, etc.

The choice of the direction of activity depends entirely on the market situation in a certain region and the availability of personnel with the appropriate specialization.

Development of a business plan for accounting services

When developing a business plan, it is important to accurately calculate the amount of initial capital, operating costs and expected profit. The more accurate this document, the easier it will be for the new enterprise to develop.

To calculate the initial capital, you should find out how much it costs to register, rent premises, office equipment, furniture, software, stationery. The main activity costs include advertising, salaries, utility bills, maintenance of a cash register and a bank account, maintenance of office equipment, services of a lawyer, programmer, courier.

Based on the amount of expenses, you can roughly determine the cost of the service. But we should not forget that it must necessarily be lower than the cost of maintaining a full-time accountant and a workplace for him.

If for organizing business accounting services a loan is needed, it is important to provide the bank with an accurate calculation of the expected profit and a plan for the development of a new enterprise. You can't do without such calculations even if you plan to attract someone as a participant. Indeed, in addition to a bank loan, there is an opportunity to attract investors to create the necessary amount of initial capital.

Business plan for accounting services should also contain a sample contract with future clients. To develop it in accordance with the law, you may need the help of a lawyer.

Choice of location and specialists

At the initial stage, a large room is not required - about fifty square meters is enough. This area can easily accommodate 5-6 jobs. As for the location of the office, it is best to rent a room close to potential clients.

Small Business Accounting Services are impossible if there are no qualified specialists and high-quality, licensed software. All these aspects should be considered before registration. You should not open a business if you are not sure that it will be possible to hire specialists with the appropriate education and sufficient work experience.

Do not forget that entrepreneurs who remember the need for accounting and reporting only at the end of the year can act as clients. Therefore, it may be necessary to temporarily attract additional staff. It is important to know in advance that such specialists exist and there will be no problems with their involvement.

Registration

Before registering an enterprise for the provision of accounting services for small businesses, you should decide on:
- type of ownership (preferably LLC);
- volume of authorized capital;
- tax regime;
- name;
- legal address;
- activity code.

If an LLC is registered, the authorized capital must be divided into shares (if there are more than one founders) and a charter should be developed. The authorized capital cannot be less than 10,000 rubles. You can make it not only with money, but also with securities and things (for example, a computer).

As for the tax regime, simplified taxation is preferable for the service sector. You can choose the name yourself, but it is not advisable to use the word "Russian" or "Moscow". The Tax Inspectorate will require the full and abbreviated name in Russian (written in Cyrillic).

When choosing an activity code, it should be borne in mind that it is better to choose one that consists of three or four digits and includes several types. If you need an extension during work, there will be no need to pay for re-registration. For the provision of accounting services, code 74.1 (activities in the field of law, accounting) is suitable.

Before submitting documents, you must pay a state duty in the amount of 4,000 rubles.

All prepared documents and an application certified by a notary must be submitted to the Tax Inspectorate. The company will be registered within five working days. Then you can order a print and open a bank account.

The total cost of registration varies from 5,400 to 35,000 rubles and can last from 10 days to a month.

But an LLC is not the only way to start a business. If there are not enough funds, and investors in the form of participants could not be found, you can register as an individual entrepreneur (IP). For this form of ownership, there is no need for a certain amount of authorized capital, the state duty and the cost of registration are lower. An application is submitted to the tax office, a copy of the passport, a copy of the TIN, an application for the transition to the simplified tax system and a receipt for payment of the fee.

IP has certain advantages. There is no need to rent premises for an office - you can work in an apartment if you have a computer with Internet access. When customers and profits appear, you can expand the enterprise - rent an office and hire employees.

promotional activities

Regardless of the form of ownership, immediately after the start of activity, it is necessary to conduct an advertising campaign in order to attract customers. For the competent organization of this event, you may need the help of a specialist.

If this is not possible (for example, there are not enough funds), then something can be done independently:

Place ads in specialized publications;
- use the opportunities of local media;
- create billboards;
- distribute flyers in public places;
- create an official website of your company

On the site you can place the maximum amount of information and all contact details.

The amount of profit does not always correspond to that calculated in the business plan for accounting services- A lot depends on the number and solvency of customers. However, experts say that the initial costs in this type of entrepreneurial activity pay off in about a year, since the profitability reaches 30%.

This means that after a while you can think about expanding the list of services provided and the business as a whole. In two or three years, you can earn money to rent an office, equip jobs and pay salaries for employees.

Define your direction in accounting. Very often independent accountants work in very small firms, including themselves, some partners and one or two managers. These firms often offer tax preparation services for individuals and basic accounting, auditing, and tax filing services for small businesses. However, your own level of training and experience in accounting may help you pursue a different profile in accounting.

• If you have experience in providing advice, you could start an accounting consulting company. In this case, your business will offer customers the choice of the optimal organization of accounting and internal control. This may include training in accounting programs and providing advice to staff members.
• Specializing in a particular type of accounting can define your firm's core competencies and set you apart from the competition. However, entering a niche that is too narrow can scare away a certain number of customers from another area from you. In your early years in the accounting business, try to remain open to all new clients.

Choose a strategy for entering the market of accounting services. Entering the market of accounting services can be different. Starting from scratch is a good option, but choosing clients who need part-time services, as well as partnering with an already working accountant, buying an existing firm are also good options.

• Starting from scratch providing accounting services, you get full control. You don't have to deal with the burden of outdated software, existing pricing, and other issues. However, the tasks of attracting initial capital and finding the first customers are becoming more complicated.
• Working part-time as an accountant in the beginning is a good way to not be on the losing side. Working with clients in your free time from your main job will allow you to “test the soil” of the accounting business without huge financial risk. Building relationships with these clients will also smooth out the shift in your employment as you move from your main job to self-employment.
• Partnering with a recognized accounting professional can help you get started. Working with a partner means more connections, more capital, and more potential customer relationships.
• Buying a ready-made accounting firm will save you a lot of the questions that beginners have to deal with, but it will also reduce your level of control, which can cost you a fortune. In addition, it takes time to study the market for services in your area.

Write a business plan for your accounting practice. A business plan is a formal document that displays the entire mechanics of your business, the vision, as well as the mission and core values. A business plan is key if you are looking to take out a development loan, and it will also help you make sure you plan everything right.

• Determining the vision, mission, and values ​​is key when choosing a niche and development path. The vision defines your firm's place in the world, while the mission represents the more specific method you are going to use to bring that vision to life.
• The business structure is another important part of the business plan. Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) and Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) are very popular among smaller accounting firms. C-corporations and S-corporations are ideal if you are planning to expand your business, and sole proprietorship is a good option in the accounting business because taxes and overheads tend to be lower.
• The business plan should also cover major areas such as: marketing strategy and cost and revenue projections. In general, the plan should demonstrate that you understand your target market and that you have a work plan in place to manage the administrative and financial aspects of your accounting firm.

Creation and launch of an accounting company. Once you've put together a business plan and selected an exit strategy, business structure, and marketing strategy, you're ready to take action. Bringing your story to life, purchasing materials, and renting office space are relatively easy tasks. Attracting your first clients is often the most difficult aspect of starting an accounting business.

• Use your latest contacts to attract customers. If you have established strong customer relationships with your previous employer, you may be able to attract those customers to your new business.
• Marketing is largely about building a network and an image. It is now becoming important for a firm to have a website, as most of the time potential clients look for information on the internet. Also, list your business in the local telephone directory, consider placing an ad in print and on TV.

The accounting industry is a fairly popular business area. It is unprofitable for many entrepreneurs to pay for the work of a full-time accountant, so they prefer to work with firms engaged in accounting support for enterprises. The employees of such companies are usually highly qualified specialists, each of whom specializes in a particular section of accounting.

What to Consider in a Business Plan

When compiling a business plan for an accounting firm, it is necessary to study the market for these services in your region. This will make it easier for you to develop a pricing strategy. If it turns out that the competition is high, then the business plan will have to work more carefully. Your company needs to do an excellent job and keep prices at an average level.

The accounting firm is engaged in the following activities:

• development of accounting policy;
• filling in accounting registers;
• submission of reports;
• taking into account primary documents;
• restoration of accounting records.

In your business plan, list all the services your business is going to provide. Describe how you are going to develop your business, improve it, while increasing your income.

Placement of the future company

Since the scope of your activity will be accounting services, and not the sale of goods, it is not at all necessary to rent an office space in the city center or on a busy street. The rent in such a place will be quite high, which is completely unprofitable for a new small company.

In an office of 40-50 sq.m. 4-6 people can work comfortably. The workplace of each employee must be equipped with everything necessary for productive work: purchase comfortable chairs or armchairs, tables, computers and office equipment. Accountants often work long hours without rest, so they need to feel comfortable in their jobs.

Software

The work of a modern accounting firm is impossible without special programs. All software must be licensed, so you should not count on savings. In order not to hire a programmer, you can sign a cooperation agreement with a company that specializes in providing accounting software services.

Recruitment

It is best if the employees of your company will specialize in different sections of accounting. The main thing is that they all have sufficient work experience and high qualifications.

Be prepared for the fact that many businessmen think about accounting only immediately before reporting, or at the very end of the year. In this case, it is good to have contacts of accountants who are ready to work in such "urgent" periods for piecework. Not bad if you hire a courier. His duties will include visiting various authorities, as well as delivering documents to clients.

Before you open an accounting firm, you need to create a standard contract that you will use when working with clients. And do not rush to hire a lawyer for these purposes - everything can be ordered from a special law firm. But if your plans include working with large enterprises, consider inviting such a specialist for a permanent job.

Advertising campaign

When opening a new firm, think about advertising. At the beginning of work, it is simply necessary. Place ads in specialized magazines for economists and accountants, as well as in local media. It does not hurt to create a company website. Place on it contact information and a list of services provided. So you can attract the maximum number of customers.

New businesses that may need your services open every month, so you need to keep your ads up to date.

Expenses, income and investments

Opening an accounting firm does not require huge investments, but it will pay off within a year. If you manage to develop a permanent client base, as well as receive large orders, this period will be significantly reduced.

Proper management will allow in the future to expand the scope of activities: to provide services for the selection of personnel, registration of companies, as well as advising entrepreneurs on doing business in various fields of activity.

So, in the company's monthly expenses there will be the following items:

• advertising - from $250;
• room rental - from $ 800;
• salary of employees - from $ 2500;
• contingencies - $150;
• stationery - from $100.

Total: $3800.

Also, at the start, you may experience the following one-time expenses:

• purchase of furniture, computer equipment, office equipment, phones - about $2200;
• cosmetic repairs of the premises - about $ 1000;
• purchase of licensed software - about $2000.

Total: $5200.

If you add up monthly and one-time expenses, you get $9,000. Add to this amount another $1,000 for contingencies and get the minimum entry threshold for this business is $10,000.

If we talk about income, then the numbers may differ. On average, one client spends about $550 to pay for the services of an accounting firm. That is, in order to recover all monthly expenses, it is necessary to work with seven companies. A further increase in the number of customers will allow you to make a profit.

Accounting reports are submitted monthly, quarterly and annually. Thus, a company providing accounting services will always find its customers. The most important thing is that truly talented and professional employees work in it. Then the receipt of income will not be long in coming.

It will take about $10,000 to open a small travel agency, and therefore the competition in this business is quite high.

An interesting business option with relatively small investments is a real estate agency - it is enough to invest about $10,000 in opening it.

Before you open a firm to provide accounting services, you must unequivocally determine at least two important points. This is the level of professionalism and competence of employees, as well as a niche in the market to be occupied.

What do you need to open a company

Today, nothing but the desire to work in this area is needed to open. Even specialized education and licenses. It is enough to form a legal entity in the form of an individual entrepreneur and hire relatives who have completed a three-month accounting course. And they are carried out even by employment centers.

With a similar approach to opening a service company, your clients will be the same individual entrepreneurs. Perhaps even small LLCs, for which the maintenance of their own accounting is unprofitable. All that will need to be done is to prepare mandatory reporting according to the customer's documents. Today, such a service costs from 5,000 rubles. You won’t earn much on this, but you won’t remain at a loss either.

Audit and restoration of accounting

Serious people, before opening a company for services in the field of financial support for business, are determined with the staff. By the way, the opposite usually happens - a very high-class professional with an authoritative name goes into an independent business. Receives a license, registers a company and recruits competent assistants. Its niche is audit and accounting services:

• mandatory and proactive audit;
• analysis of economic activity;
• setting, maintaining and restoring accounting;
• other types of specific services.

Many companies are faced with the need to restore financial statements. This can be caused by the loss of important documents or gross errors in maintenance. The cost of such work is a trade secret.