Empowering Efficiency and Visibility: Bazaarvoice’s Success with FloQast

Overcoming Operational Challenges

As the company transitioned into private equity ownership, Bazaarvoice’s accounting team sought to enhance efficiency, streamline collaboration across teams in multiple time zones, and create better visibility into workflows. However, their existing financial processes — and the solution they had in place — made achieving those goals difficult.

Many tasks, such as reconciliations and month-end closes, required manual interventions that slowed down progress. Collaboration lacked clarity, and delays in key workflows often surfaced unexpectedly. Leadership quickly recognized the need for a more effective solution to enhance efficiency and visibility.

“We were dealing with workflows that felt inconsistent, and it was clear we needed a better way to manage our operations,” said Amber Moss, Vice President, Corporate Controller.

After more than seven years of relying on BlackLine, the accounting team realized its limitations were holding them back. While the platform was initially implemented to meet the company’s SOX compliance needs, it lacked the flexibility to adapt to the dynamic and fast-paced demands of private equity-backed ownership.

“BlackLine became hard to use as we grew,” Amber explained. “Even basic updates like adjusting reconciliations took considerable effort and often required IT support. It wasn’t built to handle the speed and adaptability we needed.”

Transitioning to FloQast

Bazaarvoice initiated a search for a solution that would allow them to overhaul inefficient workflows while leveraging existing tools like Excel. FloQast quickly emerged as the ideal choice due to its flexibility and ability to minimize disruption during implementation.

“FloQast stood out because it didn’t require us to completely reinvent our processes,” Amber shared. “We could keep using Excel as our foundation for reconciliations, but now everything was more structured and efficient.”

The implementation process was fast and seamless, requiring little involvement from IT. This allowed the team to transition their workflows without added complexity, leading to immediate performance improvements.

“Instead of losing time getting up to speed, FloQast felt natural to use right away,” Amber said. “We were able to focus on working smarter almost immediately.”

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BlackLine became hard to use as we grew. Even basic updates like adjusting reconciliations took considerable effort and often required IT support. It wasn’t built to handle the speed and adaptability we needed.”

– Amber Moss, VP, Corporate Controller

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Streamlining for Private Equity Ownership

One of FloQast’s key strengths was its ability to provide better visibility into daily operations and streamline the close process. For a private equity-backed company like Bazaarvoice, meeting leadership and investor expectations required clear, reliable reporting and faster turnarounds.

“FloQast made it so much easier for us to track what was happening in every stage of our close,” Amber noted. “If something veered off track, we could identify it and fix it right away, which saves us a lot of time.”

With FloQast, the team reduced its close timeline by three days, achieving a eight-day close without needing additional headcount. This operational agility not only met investor expectations but also improved cross-team alignment.

Another area where FloQast proved invaluable was in creating a smoother, more efficient collaboration process across teams. “We no longer waste precious time tracking updates or resolving miscommunications,” Amber explained. “FloQast ensures everyone is aligned, which has made a noticeable difference in how we operate.”

Why FloQast Was the Better Fit

Compared to BlackLine, which had become increasingly complex and cumbersome for the team, FloQast offered a straightforward and adaptable solution. The platform’s Excel-friendly design allowed the accounting team to maintain familiar workflows while addressing core inefficiencies.

“BlackLine always felt like it added unnecessary steps,” Amber shared. “FloQast, on the other hand, complemented how we already worked and made our lives easier. It was a no-brainer.”

Features like variance analysis and task tracking provided the team with new levels of visibility that enhanced both productivity and confidence in their operations. Instead of spending hours fixing broken workflows, the team could focus on higher-value priorities, including strategic planning and process improvement.

“It’s intuitive and flexible, which is exactly what we needed,” Amber noted. “It empowers my team to work efficiently, whether we’re closing the books or planning for the next phase of the business.”

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FloQast stood out because it didn’t require us to completely reinvent our processes. We could keep using Excel as our foundation for reconciliations, but now everything was more structured and efficient."

– Amber Moss, VP, Corporate Controller

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FloQast’s Ongoing Impact

FloQast has become a foundational tool for Bazaarvoice, enabling the team to maintain operational excellence while supporting the fast pace of private equity-backed operations. The platform continues to drive efficiency, bringing clarity to workflows and ensuring the team stays aligned with their goals.

“FloQast enables us to deliver consistent results with fewer challenges,” Amber said. “It’s helped us organize our processes in a way that allows us to grow without missing a beat.”

With the ability to scale their financial operations and meet evolving expectations, Bazaarvoice is well-positioned for ongoing success. FloQast has allowed the team to operate confidently and focus on delivering value, rather than wasting time managing outdated processes.

“FloQast gave us the tools we needed to work smarter and stay ahead,” Amber concluded. “It’s been an invaluable partner in helping us achieve our goals.”

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