The 7 Red Flags in Bookkeeping Proposals
Why Ours Looks Different
Bookkeeping proposals can look polished on the surface—but dig deeper, and you’ll often find vague promises, hidden fees, and a lack of real accountability. If you’re evaluating providers, knowing what not to accept is just as important as knowing what to look for.
Here are seven red flags to watch for—and how our approach flips the script.
1. “Custom Pricing” Without Any Transparency
If a firm can’t explain how they price their services, it’s a sign they’re either winging it or hiding something.
Our difference: We use fixed, value-based pricing tied to scope and outcomes—no surprises, no hourly creep.
2. No Mention of Onboarding
A proposal that jumps straight to monthly deliverables without outlining onboarding is skipping the most critical phase.
Our difference: We’ve engineered a structured onboarding process that builds trust, aligns expectations, and gets you results faster.
3. Vague Deliverables Like “Monthly Reports”
What kind of reports? When? In what format? Who explains them? If it’s not spelled out, assume it’s minimal.
Our difference: We provide a sample reporting package upfront and tailor dashboards to your KPIs—not just generic P&Ls.
4. No Mention of Communication Cadence
If the proposal doesn’t say how often you’ll hear from your bookkeeper, you probably won’t hear from them much.
Our difference: We define communication frequency, channels, and response time in every engagement.
5. They Don’t Ask About Your Business Model
A one-size-fits-all proposal is a red flag. Your business isn’t generic—your bookkeeping shouldn’t be either.
Our difference: We ask deep discovery questions before we ever send a proposal. That’s how we tailor our scope to your operations.
6. No Tech Stack Alignment
If they don’t ask what tools you use—or worse, they insist on their own without explanation—you’re in for friction.
Our difference: We integrate with your existing stack or recommend improvements based on your workflows, not ours.
7. No Exit Plan or Offboarding Clause
A firm that doesn’t mention how they’ll offboard you (if needed) is hoping you won’t ask. That’s not partnership—it’s entrapment.
Our difference: We include offboarding protocols in every agreement. Transparency builds trust, even if we part ways.
Conclusion
A great bookkeeping proposal should feel like a blueprint for partnership—not a sales pitch. If you’re seeing red flags, trust your gut. And if you want a proposal that’s built around your business, not boilerplate, we’d love to show you how we do things differently.
