Reducing Retail Tax Burden: CSH’s Cost-Saving Approach
The finance team of a large, nationwide retailer with hundreds of locations and an extensive online presence were increasingly distracted by indirect tax tasks. The company was filing thousands of sales tax returns annually, and even though a compliance software vendor was filing the returns, the data preparation, recurring state notices, and endless related issues (such as audits and new acquisitions) consumed the finance team’s time.
Due to a lack of guidance from the software vendor, the company was unknowingly filing (and paying for) hundreds of unnecessary filings, and there were also several returns the software vendor wouldn’t agree to file.
The finance team’s burden wasn’t great enough to justify a full-time position, and part-time employees with the knowledge and experience necessary were difficult to find and impossible to keep. Leadership needed an on-call indirect tax expert to fill the knowledge gap and unburden the finance team.
Streamlining Compliance Through Expert Guidance
CSH filled that role. Our team reduced costs by eliminating hundreds of unnecessary filings through jurisdictional consolidation, and it saved time by taking on the data processing task. Beyond filings, CSH provided ongoing support for notices, audits, and unexpected state and local level issues. We also acted as an intermediary between the client and software provider.
Saving Time, Cutting Costs, and Reducing Risk
Reduced annual tax filings by over one-third.
Saved the client tens of thousands in unnecessary compliance fees.
Injected indirect tax expertise, lowering dependency on single individuals.
Provided responsive support on audits and notices, reducing stress for the finance team.
Impact Statement: This national retailer gained peace of mind knowing that indirect tax compliance no longer consumed their finance team’s time or budget. By combining compliance execution with proactive problem-solving, CSH delivered lasting financial and operational efficiency.
