The closing process has gotten so much more simple because of Bookkeep. We now have real-time numbers that I’m confident are right, giving us the ability to do a lot more higher-level analysis, which is better decision-making for the business.
– Brian Thalman, Financial Controller, Wigs.com
Summary
After implementing Bookkeep’s ecommerce accounting automation solution, Brian Thalman of Wigs.com has significantly streamlined the company’s revenue accounting and monthly close process, cutting workload by 80% and boosting decision-making accuracy with real-time data. This collaboration has facilitated strategic growth and a seamless shift from manual to automated bookkeeping.
Meet Brian Thalman
Brian Thalman, the Financial Controller at Wigs.com, oversees the financial health of the largest online retailer of wigs and wig accessories, with five stores generating $50 million in annual sales.
We caught up with Brian in the same week that his audit firm was conducting their annual audit. Rather than being stressed out by the audit, Brian was more than happy to share how moving to Bookkeep to automate the daily sales and payment journal entries has contributed to clarity, accuracy and efficiency in his busy finance department, and even to help him actually enjoy the audit process overall.
The Problem: Navigating the Tangle of Manual Entries
When Brian joined Wigs.com, he and the financial team found themselves entangled in the laborious task of manually collecting and transferring revenue data into QuickBooks for each of the company’s online stores. This time-consuming process hindered the company’s ability to close the books efficiently each month. The need for an automated, accurate solution to streamline these operations was identified in order to support Wigs.com’s continued growth and eliminate the bottleneck of manual entries.
The Decision to Partner with Bookkeep
After exploring various services, Brian was drawn to Bookkeep’s personalized approach, recognizing in them a technology platform that would take the time to understand Wigs.com’s unique needs. Unlike the previous CFO’s patchwork of apps, the Bookkeep automation platform offered Brian easy integration and accuracy, ensuring that each financial figure was exact and verifiable. Best of all, the automation updates the company’s QuickBooks Online accounts daily.
But it was the Bookkeep team’s proactive approach to problem-solving and commitment to treating Wigs.com as a valued client, not just a number, that was a refreshing change. This level of attention and the ability to tailor solutions that fit the company’s specific challenges, including helping Wigs.com to onboard quickly, solidified Brian’s decision to transition to Bookkeep.
“I was impressed that the Bookkeep team took the time to actually sit down and talk to me about our specific situation rather than just saying, ‘Hey, this is our cookie-cutter solution, it either fits you or it doesn’t.’”
The Solution: Reducing 80% of the Workload
In only two months after onboarding, Bookkeep’s platform has significantly improved
Wigs.com’s efficiency by automating the daily transfer of sales, payments, fees, and sales tax
data from their Shopify ecommerce stores directly into QuickBooks. This automation has cut down 80% of the closing workload, delivered daily financials that are up to date, and removed the need for countless hours of manual documentation preparation each month.
By automating the booking of daily accurate revenue data, the platform has facilitated more timely decisions by Brian and the Wigs.com management team, allowing them to focus more on strategic analysis and less on the minutiae of bookkeeping.
Outcomes and Business Growth
With Bookkeep, Brian has gained full confidence in the accuracy of Wigs.com’s financial data, enabling a shift from manual accounting tasks to strategic, high-level analysis. He believes this newfound confidence in the numbers allows for better decision-making and insights that will drive the business forward. And he envisions Bookkeep as an adaptable ally, poised to support their evolving requirements through every phase of growth.
“What I like about Bookkeep is that it’s exactly like accounting should be… but also the commitment of the team, both from a customer service standpoint and to the product. They want to continue to improve it and work with us.”
Ultimately, the efficiency and accuracy provided by Bookkeep’s ecommerce accounting automation platform has not only streamlined operations but also contributed to a more robust and informed growth strategy for Wigs.com. And it made the financial audit process a snap!