Benefits:

• Achieved data accuracy: Thanks to Cube's audit trail and controls, Smart City has gone from questioning their data to gaining complete confidence in their numbers.
  
  
• Scaled accounting function: With the dependability and scalability Cube provides, Smart City plans to add a digital marketing agency to the business without needing to reinvent their accounting processes.
  
  
• Earned trust from leadership: Dustin's first task from Smart City's leadership was to create structure, controls, and an FP&A function to regain confidence in their numbers. With Cube, Smart City's CEO can trust the numbers. 
  
  

Challenge:

Disorganized, untrustworthy data

Smart City, a firm dedicated to helping clients in eight major U.S. cities find great places to live at the best possible prices, faced internal struggles. As efficient and reliable as they were in serving clients, they grappled with a chaotic internal landscape regarding their own financial management.

“When I joined, we were operating out of Google Sheets with no FP&A, no structure, and no controls,” explained Dustin Walsted, VP of Finance and Data Strategy.

The team frequently wrestled with multiple versions of spreadsheets, with no clear way to trace changes or understand number fluctuations.

“There were too many people with their multiple spreadsheet updates,” said Dustin. “At one point, there was even a GL account for a holiday party in our QuickBooks instance and even worse, a formula typo once led to a half-million dollar mistake."

Dustin recalls Smart City’s CEO telling him, "I don't trust my numbers, and I have to trust my numbers." 

As the company aimed to scale and grow, Dustin and his team were aware of the potential complications and inconsistencies that could arise from relying heavily on fragmented spreadsheet systems.

Smart City needed a solution with tighter controls, cleaner forecasting, and greater flexibility and scalability.

Solution:

Enhanced financial operations with Cube

In their quest for the right fit, Smart City evaluated various market solutions—but only one left a significant impression.

"Cube emerged as the perfect solution,” said Dustin. “It ticked all the boxes: right pricing, essential features, and a balanced approach.”

Here's why Cube stood out:

• Customized dashboards: Cube empowered Smart City with tailored dashboards specifically designed to reflect their operational nuances.
• Seamless integrations: Cube's interfacing capabilities integrated effortlessly with Smart City's pre-existing systems.
• Value-driven pricing: Cube's transparent pricing model, devoid of hidden costs, resonated with Smart City’s ethos of transparency.
• Quality onboarding and support: Cube’s customer support team was available to help with any issues before, during, and after the implementation process.

“With Cube, we transitioned from chaos to clarity.” 

Results:

Cost savings, efficiency gains, and trust in the numbers

Since Smart City implemented Cube, trust in their data has surged, and their finances are now meticulously organized.

Dustin shared: “We wanted clear distinctions between brainstormed projections and actual financial data. Cube delivers that. Everything is clear, organized, and we no longer question where our numbers come from. In terms of value, the time and energy savings have translated to thousands of dollars.”

Cube has given Dustin's team clarity, but more than that, it's set the foundation for smoother workflows. The platform’s tailored features cater to diverse business needs, from billing to collections, and role-based permissions ensure the data's integrity. Freed from sifting through data or correcting mistakes, Smart City is now laser-focused on driving growth.

"Before Cube, managing data was a headache, especially with multiple P&Ls. Cube simplified our financial reporting, transforming how we approached our P&L statements,” said Dustin. “Now, our forecasting, sales metrics, and budgeting all tie together smoothly.”

Dustin was also impressed by Cube's seamless integration. “It was a breeze,” he recalled. This reduced ramp-up time, ensured uninterrupted operations, and allowed the company to maintain a more organized, accessible financial overview.

"There was a lot of hands-on support to ensure that it was working as we all needed it to, and it was less than a week turnaround time to get us back up and running,” said Dustin. “I was really happy with the support we received.”

As for the future, Smart City is rapidly expanding their full-service digital marketing agency for multifamily clients. With the dependability and scalability Cube provides, they’re successfully growing their business with confidence.

“Trustworthy data is vital for every business—and ensuring that trust is Cube’s biggest strength.”