Disruptive shifts in consumer business
Retail with the consumer has evolved significantly. It is a world of multiple channels and retailer segments – online, mass merchants, dollar stores, department stores and specialty retail – competing for consumers. Consumers and technology have morphed rapidly, and retail has long ceased to be a “one-size-fits-all” proposition.
The impact of online retail and the retail story continues to unfold. We are witnessing a dramatically altered retail landscape, littered with the remains of well-known and historical retail brands.
Consumers and technology continue to change, creating a moving target and endless stream of challenges for even the best retailers. Now more than ever, retail survival is a journey of disruption and not a destination.
Efficiency is the name of the game in consumer business. In today’s markets, achieving that efficiency demands innovative approaches to core business functions, including shared services, supply chain, operational finance, accounting, IT, risk management and compliance.
Who we are, what we do
CFGI provides extensive industry expertise combined with data-driven, objective and innovative approaches to the most complex retail challenges. Our significant experience working with companies at critical inflection points in their lifecycles has informed our approach and instilled a sense of urgency in solving problems.
Our consumer business experts bring a hands-on approach to retail and consumer product business improvement, highlighted by:
- Highly experienced senior teams – Our seasoned professionals collaborate efficiently with management to identify necessary business needs and manage difficult situations.
- Specialized industry knowledge – Our experts have a deep knowledge of the retail and consumer products landscape, with a detailed understanding of managing the inner workings of a business and relevant key performance indicators.
- Broad range of comprehensive solution offerings – We bring a wide array of skillsets to quickly identify challenges and offer solutions to drive sales and profitability, reduce costs, and improve planning and forecasting.
- Objectivity – Our experts are independent drivers of quick results. We understand that time is of the essence. In critical situations, we move work within your teams and leverage available data to provide actionable solutions.
If it pertains to finance, accounting, IT, shared services, supply chain, risk, compliance or any core business operation, we do it.
Some examples of how we deliver strategic support for retailers, distributors, wholesalers and consumer product manufacturers include:
Digital transformation
CFGI helps consumer business executives assess the performance of their current operating models, including those associated with shared services, supply chain management and finance. We also provide recommendations for digital processes and technologies that maximize efficiency, retention and reduce costs.
Our consultants are especially experienced with robotic process automation implementations (RPA). We develop, test and deploy software robots over existing IT infrastructure that automate data-handling chores and unify disjointed processes. RPA and other innovative technologies at our command improve the employee experience, expedite productivity, reduce risk, cut costs and generate new revenue opportunities.
IFRS advisory
Getting through the IFRS conversion process and initial reporting period is a great challenge. Companies converting to new accounting standards tend to underestimate what is involved, particularly in terms of time and resources.
Conversion to IFRS is much more than a technical accounting issue. IFRS may significantly affect any number of a company’s day-to-day operations or even impact the reported profitability of the business itself. Companies that have benefited most from the transition are those that looked at this as a chance to make improvements to their systems and processes and have used it as a focus for more efficient, timely and meaningful internal and external financial information.
CFGI helps companies to successfully complete the transition to IFRS and maintain compliance. The deep and relevant expertise of our advisors enables us to provide complex services to assist our clients with all areas of IFRS. We also have a range of specialists to assist your company in effective transition methodology, technical accounting expertise, treasury, tax, interim resources, M&A, valuations and project management.
Interim management and staffing
We deploy CFO services and interim management staff immediately and with a relatively short ramp-up period. The personnel resources we deliver include but aren’t limited to CFOs, interim accounting managers, SEC reporting directors, controllers and revenue recognition managers. Our interim managers can partner with your organization for short-term functions, for long-term finance-transformation initiatives and everything in between.
IPO readiness
Going public is a crucial phase of an innovative company’s development. Our experts are ready to assist every step of the way, starting with pre-submission preparations and carrying all the way over into post-submission assistance such as aftermarket trading support.
Internal audit
CFGI performs thorough internal audits of operational-finance functions such as procure to pay, order to cash, record to report and more. Our experts work closely with your internal stakeholders to assess the operating model, including policies and controls. We can then provide management with a report highlighting our findings and recommendations for improvement and work with them to develop a roadmap for resolving report findings.
More
We also assist with acquisition support including purchase accounting, purchase price allocation valuations, integrations and transitional resources, divestiture support including carve-out financial statements, pro-forma financial statements, held-for-sale accounting and financial reporting analysis, transaction advisory, buy/sell due diligence, asset valuations, corporate-tax solutions, risk advisory, audit readiness and much more.
Why CFGI?
Our cross-functional specialists simultaneously approach every project from the lens of the accountant, auditor, technologist and consultant. This blend of expertise lets us provide tailored, strategic guidance that yields immediate and lasting business benefits. We also have the resources to cost-effectively execute on our recommendations, and we deliver a service experience that is second to none to the consumer business industry.