Outsourcing helps streamline contract and billing processes Business Challenge
The client is one of the global leaders in integrated information and technology applications renowned for its high quality, reliable and easy of use products for the financial services industry.
Having grown through acquisitions, the firm lacked a streamlined contract database and suffered from poorly defined links between contracts and billing. It was unclear whether it was billing clients correctly for contracted services and whether they had contracts to support the bills being raised or revenue being recognized. This issue was particularly critical because it's high internal standards for contract documentation and revenue recognition.
It approached AR Systems, to assess the situation and propose a solution. Solution
AR Systems identified several areas of concern (for example multiple sets of contract documents; lack of a checklist that has a list of documents required from a contractor; incorrect customer details, multiple billing systems etc.), which were responsible for the existing problems. It set up a temporary scanning center at the client's facility through its business partner and carefully scanned, catalogued, and uploaded all the documents through the internet to the Center of Excellence (CoE) of AR Systems.
In parallel, AR Systems developed a database with appropriate business rules and user interface screens to allow capture of all important contractual information and reconciliation with invoices, identified and trained a team on the reconciliation rules that had been developed, and began the process of reconciling contracts with invoices. Key Benefits
AR Systems was able to complete initial capture of information on all documents ahead of schedule. Importantly, intelligent research by the team at AR Systems resulted in 97% of client names being correctly identified without any assistance from the client. Test reconciliations were also satisfactorily completed and Phase II is currently in process. Outsourcing provides competitive advantage and service flexibility in HR Benefits Administration Business Challenge
A leading US based company, is in the business of providing services to employers who need expert information management and/or record keeping of employee benefits plans in the following areas:
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Defined Benefit plans (e.g. pension plans) |
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Health & Welfare plans |
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Human Resource / Payroll administration |
The client provides integrated HR outsourcing and benefits administration services to a wide array of companies using state of the art technology delivery capabilities. Already established as a leader in the industry and with the intent of continuing its leadership status, client launched an International Service Center initiative with the vision of providing highest quality services to its customers from cost competitive geographical locations. In order to realize this vision, AR Systems was selected as the strategic partner. Solution
AR Systems, in consultation with client senior management, agreed on a transition plan to be executed on a pilot basis within a challenging turnaround time. Pilot transition was aimed at demonstrating successful off shoring and involved migration of processes across 4 business units.
AR Systems successfully program managed and transitioned the pilot effort on an end-to-end basis right from process identification to delivery of training, infrastructure set up and operations stabilization.
With a view to having a truly significant learning experience from the pilot program, AR Systems adopted a flexible transition and training approach across business practices. This proved to be a valuable learning experience for both AR Systems and the client to decide the future course of action.
Key Benefits
With the recent successful completion of pilots, the client is already seeing early signs of envisaged benefits realization, which include:
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Service flexibility with mix of onsite and offshore resources |
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Cost advantage for competitive pricing |
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Productivity gains and Higher quality of service |
Following a highly successful pilot program, plans are currently afoot to achieve time bound results from International Service Center initiative at a significant scale. |