Finance and Automation: Empowering Trust, Innovation, and Professional Growth at BlueBridge One

At BlueBridge One, innovation and professional growth are cornerstones of our culture.We have established a Centre of Excellence within our Global  services business to take a strategic approach to our clients, gaining deep industry-specific insights to position ourselves as market leaders. 

 A prime example of this commitment is our Finance Automation Center of Excellence (COE), led by Roy Groenendyk, who currently serves as the Principal Consultant – Customer Success and the COE lead for Finance Automation. Roy’s journey and vision for the COE illustrate how we’re empowering our team and driving business success through knowledge, automation, and mentorship.This initiative empowers our consultants to engage in solution-driven discussions, enhance their understanding of finance automation, and deliver greater value to our clients.

The Purpose of the Finance Center of Excellence

The Finance Center of Excellence was established to create a strong knowledge base and clarify complex accounting and finance concepts with non-finance professionals in mind. Initially envisioned as a broader finance-focused entity, it shifted to emphasise automation, recognising its transformative potential in the consulting field. Roy, selected to lead this initiative, stresses the importance of providing fundamental financial knowledge to consultants, enabling them to better serve clients and navigate intricate financial scenarios.

For instance, a consultant working on a NetSuite implementation might encounter questions about revenue recognition or lease accounting standards. The Center of Excellence provides resources and training to help the consultant understand these concepts and apply them correctly within the system. This ensures accurate and compliant financial processes for the client.

COE Impact on Work Processes

The Center of Excellence has played a significant role in “demystifying” complex accounting and finance concepts for non-finance team members at BlueBridge One. Roy acknowledges BlueBridge One’s Talent Manager, Vanessa Boucher’s contributions to the Center of Excellence’s initial ideas and implementation strategies. Their approach involves a multi-faceted strategy which includes focus groups, a Q&A forum and webinars to disseminate knowledge both internally and to existing and potential customers.

For example, a focus group might discuss common challenges in financial reporting within NetSuite. The COE then creates a webinar addressing these challenges, providing step-by-step guidance and best practices. The question forum serves as a platform for consultants to ask specific questions and receive timely answers from experts within the Center of Excellence. This continuous learning and knowledge sharing enhance the overall skill level of the team.

COE’s Impact on Competitive Advantage

While directly comparing the impact of the Finance Center of Excellence to BlueBridge One’s experience with client vs our competitors’ experience is difficult due to confidentiality, Roy believes that the COE’s initiatives, such as webinars, and internal information sessions to further equip all our consultants provides BlueBridge One with a competitive advantage. These webinars increase the business’ visibility and offer valuable resources to both current and potential clients. 

Imagine a potential client evaluating different consulting firms for a NetSuite implementation. BlueBridge One’s readily available webinars on advanced financial reporting and automation techniques could sway their decision. This demonstrates expertise and commitment to client success, setting BlueBridge One apart from competitors.

Mentorship and Team Development

Roy has mentored team members l, tailoring his approach to their individual strengths and needs. He emphasises that the Finance Center of Excellence is a collaborative effort and aims to expand its membership to include other team members, like -one of our associate consultants who recently completed his graduate training and is currently.

For example, when mentoring a mentee  who excels in Finance aspects, Roy might focus on refining his client consulting skills which are already pretty good. Whilst another mentee , who has a strong consulting background, Roy might delve deeper into advanced NetSuite functionalities. This personalised mentorship ensures each team member grows in their specific areas of development without repetitive mentoring on areas that the consultants have already grasped.

Early Impact on Client Interactions

While still operating in its early stages, the Finance Automation Center of Excellence in general has already seen positive client responses to its webinars. Roy recognises the need to provide readily accessible specialist financial knowledge to consultants to better serve clients. One instance involved a large client expressing frustration with a lack of specialist knowledge, highlighting an area for improvement.

This feedback prompted the Finance automation  Center of Excellence leaders to develop more targeted training materials and resources on specific financial topics. By addressing these knowledge gaps, BlueBridge One consultants can provide more effective and tailored solutions to clients, enhancing satisfaction and building stronger relationships.

Explaining Finance Value to Clients

Roy emphasises the need to be able to better explain the value of financial expertise to clients who may not be deeply familiar with professional services. He advised that there is a COE framework document that helps all stakeholders involved in relevant roles to provide a broader context of business transformation that goes beyond basic implementation.

From Roy’s perspective, instead of just saying, “We’ll implement NetSuite,” BlueBridge One can now, in addition to other frameworks, use the Finance Automation  COE framework to explain how the implementation will streamline financial processes, improve data accuracy and provide real-time insights for better decision-making. This broader perspective helps clients understand the full value of the services provided.

Future of Finance in Consulting

Because the Finance and accounting function is based on set principles with little room for much evolution t, Roy predicts that automation will play a significant role in the evolution of finance in consulting. He highlights the importance of leveraging technology, such as AI, to enhance efficiency and simplify tasks for accountants and financial managers. This involves staying at the forefront of NetSuite’s capabilities and developing tools and accelerators.

For example, AI-powered tools could automate reconciliation processes, detect anomalies in financial data and generate predictive reports. By taking advantage of the emergence of these technologies, BlueBridge One can offer more efficient and insightful services to clients and,as a result, drive greater value and success.

Career Trajectory and Advice

Roy’s career path from traditional accounting to consulting serves as an example for those considering a similar transition. He emphasises that consulting offers broader business management experience in his opinion. In turn as advice to potential clients, Roy advises businesses to view consulting firms as solution providers, not just product vendors. This perspective shift empowers both employees and clients to see the bigger picture and the transformative potential of consulting services.

Employee Empowerment Initiative: Roy’s Advice

Someone considering a move from an accounting role to consulting might initially focus on the technical aspects of accounting software. However, Roy’s experience highlights that consulting also involves project management, client relationship building, and strategic business advising. This broader skill set makes consulting a more dynamic and rewarding career path while also adopting a solutions oriented approach. For instance, instead of simply implementing a software solution, consultants should focus on how that solution will address the client’s specific business challenges and drive long-term success. This solution-oriented approach empowers consultants to take ownership of projects and deliver greater value to clients.

In conclusion, the Finance Automation Center of Excellence, under Roy Groenendyk’s leadership, is a testament to BlueBridge One’s commitment to innovation, professional growth and client success. By fostering a culture of knowledge sharing, mentorship, and forward-thinking automation, we’re empowering our team and driving business excellence.