Welcome to the Q3 State of Play Survey Report!
Each quarter, we survey Bookkeepers to gather insights into the health and trends of the bookkeeping profession in New Zealand.
This quarter’s report covers business demographics, services offered, client base changes, employee challenges, and professional development.
Below is a brief summary of each section, with key highlights from the data.
Business Demographics
- In Q3, more than half of the Bookkeepers (52%) operated as sole traders, with 19% working as employees or contractors.
- Business size reflected client numbers, with 23% handling 1-5 clients and 15% serving over 100 clients.
- Turnover data varied, with 23% earning over $50,000, though 20% earned less than $10,000.
- Managing workloads remained the biggest challenge (51%).
Services Offered
- Accounts Payable/Receivable and GST returns were the most common services offered (95%).
- Payroll and End-of-Month Reporting followed closely (82%).
- Only 28% of Bookkeepers added new services in Q3, focusing on current offerings.
Client Demographics
- Most Bookkeepers (56%) reported a client increase during Q3, with SMEs making up the largest client group (90%).
- Construction and professional services were the most common industries served.
- Client challenges included cash flow issues (69%) and rising operational costs (64%).
Bookkeeping Employees/Contractors
- Of employees or contractors, 33% had over five years of experience, while 44% had one to five years.
- Most found their workload manageable (89%), though communication with clients and meeting deadlines posed challenges for some (33%).
Professional Development
- Professional development remained a priority, with 83% attending webinars and 60% taking online courses.
- 65% of respondents expressed a desire to develop further skills, with a focus on best practices, software, and marketing.
Want to Dive Deeper?
For a complete breakdown of the Q3 survey results and deeper insights into the state of the bookkeeping profession, download the full report below.