Eventually, the team reached a conclusion familiar to all fast-growing companies: Spreadsheets that once supported the business were now holding it back.
That’s when SRS called Accordion.
Uncovering the right vendor for the right solution
As an independent firm, SRS is not bound by corporate vendor mandates, giving it the flexibility to select the right partner for each need. This independence enables the company to prioritize solutions based solely on what best supports client service and operational excellence.
SRS also realized that a standard billing template would not be sufficient. Its agreements are far from typical, often incorporating custom structures, tiered pricing, and escalation mechanisms. While conventional billing tools rely on consistency across contracts, a one-size-fits-all approach could not support SRS’s more complex, highly tailored, client-specific processes.
“We’re a firm of exceptions. Our contracts are written in very different ways. There are always unusual scenarios.” – Christie Gullen
SRS needed a system that could accommodate the true complexity of its business, not force it into rigid workflows.
Accordion was the right vendor to lead the charge.
Reimagining revenue operations
Instead of jumping straight into implementation, Accordion’s first move was to understand how billing, invoicing, and revenue recognition actually functioned across SRS’ organization: how contracts were structured, how invoices were generated, and where manual work was slowing the team down unnecessarily. From there, the team crafted a solution centered on NetSuite, supported by ZoneBilling (from Zone&Co), a platform purpose-built to manage the operational complexity of SRS’ business, especially its complicated billing and revenue scenarios.
ZoneBilling introduced capabilities spreadsheets couldn’t provide, automating invoicing, managing contract changes, and aligning billing schedules directly with revenue recognition inside the system.
“Accordion didn’t try to force us into a template. They helped us design a custom system that could actually handle the way our contracts work.” – Christie Gullen
Accordion, with Zone&Co, constructed a reliable, centralized system that ultimately replaced fragmented spreadsheets with automated workflows and real-time visibility into revenue activity.
Launching a worldwide project
New system implementation was only half the battle. SRS also had to ensure its entire team would be fully confident using the system from day one. To help ease the transition from the very beginning, Accordion helped SRS emphasize collaboration across its finance organization: syncing system operations globally, including US, Europe, and Caribbean markets.
Finance leaders across SRS offices engaged in workshops and training to align on new workflows and build a shared approach to revenue operations. The extra support enhanced team expertise and enabled more targeted, effective risk management services as the business expanded.
“It really was a global effort. We brought together teams from different regions so everyone could learn the system together and understand how revenue operations would work going forward.” – Christie Gullen
Getting back time
Once the system was live, the impact was immediate…and significant. For SRS as well as its clients:
- Quarterly invoicing – reduced from a week of manual adjustments to one day
- Revenue recognition during close – reduced from several days to a few hours
- Automated alignment – of billing and revenue schedules based on contract terms
“Time is the biggest thing we’ve been able to get back. We can spend our time analyzing numbers instead of building them.” – Christie Gullen
The SRS finance team also gained something they didn’t have before: consistent visibility across the organization. With revenue schedules, contracts, and invoicing all managed in one environment, reporting would now be faster, more dependable, and much easier to audit.
“We would not be where we are now, or have had the success we’ve had, without the team at Accordion. Sometimes consultants come in, throw data at you, and move on. But the Accordion team gets in the trenches with you.” – Christie Gullen
Growing from project to partnership
The project was a highly successful system roll-out, but it was also the start of a true strategic partnership between SRS, Accordion, and Zone&Co. Representatives from all three partners worked together throughout the journey, from discovery and system design through to implementation, training, and ongoing optimization.
“The Accordion team is constantly bringing ideas to us: things they’ve seen, tools we should consider, ways we could improve. It feels like a true partnership.” – Christie Gullen
Zone&Co’s billing capabilities provided the technological foundation, and we ensured seamless integration within SRS’ broader finance operations.
Today, SRS has the financial infrastructure to match the scale and scope of the business it’s built. Billing is automated. Revenue recognition aligns directly with contract terms. And the finance team can focus less on constructing spreadsheets and more on analyzing and enhancing the business.
SRS has always helped insurers underwrite risk with confidence. And with this new partnership, the systems that support SRS’s growth are built on a more confident foundation.