David M Robinson doubles revenue and financial efficiency with accounting built on Salesforce

How a single source of truth enables the high-end jewellery brand to provide a luxurious shopping experience you’ll never forget
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In the heart of Northwest England, a family-owned business with over 50 years of history embarked on a journey that would redefine its growth. David M Robinson (DMR), a luxury jewellery and watch retailer known for its exceptional client service, faced a critical moment. The company’s archaic accounting system was holding back its growth potential and ability to gain real-time insights, threatening to limit the “DMR Difference” that had made them a beloved institution across the UK.

Enter Amy Johnson, DMR’s Head of Finance and a seasoned accounting professional. Ahead of Amy joining DMR six years ago, the company made the decision that a new solution was necessary. DMR recognized they needed more than just incremental improvements—they needed a complete reimagining of their financial systems. Leadership decided to make the move to Accounting Seed and Salesforce, and Amy was extremely supportive and a major part of the implementation.

Amy describes their old system as a relic of the past. “It was like being back in the 90s,” she explains. Printouts that looked like they came from a typewriter, manual processes that consumed endless hours, and a complete lack of cloud-based capabilities were strangling the company’s profitability. Revenue reporting was a monthly ordeal, with data and insights hidden behind stacks of paper.

“Before Accounting Seed, our management reporting wasn’t useful,” Amy candidly shares. “The system wasn’t giving people what they needed to make good business decisions.”

Achieving growth goals during the Global Pandemic

The turning point truly came in January 2020. Ironically, just before the world would be forced into remote work by the global pandemic. DMR implemented Salesforce and Accounting Seed, a decision that would prove extremely necessary during this time.

The team faced the obstacle of adjusting to remote work. Yet, this very challenge became their greatest opportunity. Accounting Seed and Salesforce became the thread that kept DMR teams connected during the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the systems’ cloud-based nature and native integration with one another. Amy describes Accounting Seed in three powerful words: “Flexible, customizable, and efficient. You don’t even know when you’re in Accounting Seed or Salesforce. The fact it’s all in one place…Everything speaks to each other.”

Without moving to Accounting Seed and Salesforce, there’s no way that DMR would have achieved the same level of growth that we have done.”

What seemed like just a systems upgrade revealed itself to be a fundamental reimagining of how DMR could do business. The most remarkable change happened in the finance department. Despite the company’s revenue doubling, the team remained the same size, and they haven’t added headcount in that department since. “We’ve seen significant growth,” Amy notes, “but our accounting function hasn’t changed. If anything, we have slightly less ‘man days’ in the finance team, which goes to show the efficiencies it’s brought us.”

For a family-owned business, this change could have been daunting. Instead, DMR embraced it with the same spirit that had sustained them for decades. “Prior to COVID, we traveled around to all the different showrooms,” Amy explains of their implementation strategy. “We did workshops with everybody to get them to see the benefit of how much quicker everything would be. When people did go into the new system [Accounting Seed], they could see the benefits.”

Automated revenue recognition enables real-time analysis

The move to Accounting Seed wasn’t necessarily about cutting costs. And while the change has saved them operational overhead, more than anything else, it has liberated the finance team to focus on more strategic work. Amy found herself spending less time on administrative tasks and more time on strategic planning. “I’m much more able to focus on value-add things,” she explains. “Looking at cash flow, future planning, and improving cost savings.”

Data became a powerful ally versus an operational burden, especially with their billing process. Before Accounting Seed, it took at least two weeks post-month end to see the revenue figures. Now, everything is automated. Amy explains, “The moment somebody collects an item from one of our showrooms, the revenue gets recognized. The billing posts straight away, the cash receipts all apply to the billings in Accounting Seed. You can, without any human intervention, ensure that revenue is recognized.”

The overall results are nothing short of remarkable:

• Revenue Growth: The company has doubled its revenue since going live with Accounting Seed.
• Operational Efficiency: Despite doubling their sales and purchase volume, the finance team has maintained the same size team, effectively becoming twice as efficient as they were with the old system.
• Streamlined Processes: The team can now handle increased business volume without adding additional staff, with processes like live revenue recognition and automated billing (custom to their unique business).
• Strategic Focus: The efficiency gains have allowed the finance team to spend more time on strategic planning and reporting, cash flow analysis and value-added activities instead of administrative tasks.

The “DMR Difference” continues to thrive

Amy reflects on the progress made, “Without moving to Accounting Seed and Salesforce, there’s no way that DMR would have achieved the same level of growth that we have done.”

The impact extends far beyond the finance department. DMR’s core mission to deliver exceptional client service remains at the core of every decision. “Our clients are at the heart of what we do,” Amy emphasizes. Accounting Seed hasn’t replaced human connection and oversight, but instead, has enhanced it.

Meaningful results and necessary change, yet the “DMR Difference” remains the foundation. “My role is fundamentally about enabling our showroom ambassadors to be able to give that high level of service to our clients. It’s a really lovely place to work.”

To learn more about DMR and to find a showroom near you, visit https://davidmrobinson.co.uk/.