See full profile: Newton Park, Port Elizabeth Accountant - Taryn Saayman
Were you always planning to be an accountant and why?
No, but I found that I was really good at it. I grasped the concepts quickly and easily. Over the years I have developed a love for the industry.
When meeting with clients, do they mostly come to your own premises or do you mostly go to theirs?
I mostly go to my clients.
What is your preferred mode of communication with your clients?
Face to Face
Have you ever done an online video call with a client?
Yes
What do you love most about accounting?
Problem-solving
Would you recommend accounting as a career for school-leavers, and why?
Yes, if you have a passion for it.
What qualities should South African business people be looking for in their accountant?
A person with good ethics and honesty
What aspects of accounting do you focus on most?
Checking correctness, analysis and providing management reporting
Describe your average client:
Small to medium businesses
From your accounting experience, if you could cite one of the biggest reasons SMEs in SA fail, what would it be?
Mismanagement of business funds and cashflow
What accounting software do you like best?
Pastel
What other software, online services or apps do you use?
Excel, Sage Online, Xero, Zoho, VIP, CIPC, U-filing, C-Filing, SARS Efiling
Do you think the coming wave of automation in the next few years will steal some accounting jobs and why/why not?
No, while automation would make things easier and quicker, you would always need a human element to check and verify that the information is correct.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Reading, listening to music, spending time with family
What is the most interesting thing on your bucket list?
Visiting the pyramids in Egypt
See how our other local South African accountants have answered the above questions.
