You arrive at the doctor’s office. What’s the first thing they say (besides hello)? Normally, they’ll ask you about your symptoms. This may seem simple but what the doc is really doing is using a specific set of questions known as diagnostic questions.
The doctor goes on to ask you more questions (what is referred to as 'history taking'), asking things like ‘how often have you had this allergic reaction?', 'When was the last time you felt this way?', 'Have you been taking your meds?' and so on. By searching for the problem with these types of diagnostic questions, the doctor gets a better idea of how to solve it.
Diagnose and then prescribe.
Accounting can be a similar process. When we first look at our accounting, we see a bunch of numbers. But those numbers—if analyzed correctly—can tell a story. And they can allow us to become aware of a problem. The issue most people have, however, is asking the right diagnostic questions to discover the problem(s).
What if your accounting software was able to ask diagnostic questions—like a doctor—and help uncover the causes of your business’s symptoms? You would then be able to provide a prognosis for a cure and operate in a surgical fashion, searching for problems head on and eliminating them at the source.
Often times, we aren't aware—or try to avoid—the problems in our lives. But as uncomfortable as they make us feel, we are better when we search them out. By having the ability to ask industry-specific, diagnostic questions, you are able to not only find your problems, but also, do something about them.
