Author: Joe Iafigliola

Managing a high volume of email can be a daunting task, especially when they contain invoicing and payment details from tons of different customers and vendors.  Accidentally overlooking a message with important payment details can be costly; mistakes can happen when these emails are in the jumble of a crowded inbox.  Process-Smart offers a suite of email invoice management services that help to streamline this workflow and enhance financial operations, ensuring no important details are overlooked. 

Our email invoice management suite includes services such as email management and archiving, automated invoice processing, Acumatica integration, invoice HOLD resolution, vendor invoice handling, and more. We pride ourselves on providing customized solutions that meet the unique needs of our clients, allowing them to focus on their core business operations while we take care of the rest. 

Process-Smart’s Highly Efficient Email Invoice Management

Process-Smart provides essential services to help businesses streamline their processes and enhance productivity. One of the primary clients of Process-Smart is landscaping companies. Landscaping companies often face numerous challenges, including managing a large volume of invoices from vendors.

Landscaping companies typically receive an overwhelming number of bulk invoices from vendors on a daily basis. These invoices need to be saved and moved to a shared folder for future reference. Managing these invoices can be a tedious and time-consuming task, leading to errors and delays in payment processing.

Process-Smart comes to the rescue by providing a simple and effective solution to this problem. Our team monitors emails throughout the day and moves the invoices to the shared folder for easy access and reference. This service ensures that all the invoices are properly managed and organized, eliminating the risk of lost invoices or mismanagement.

By utilizing Process-Smart’s services, landscaping businesses are able to concentrate on their main company operations without having to worry about the time-consuming chore of managing invoices. With our efficient system in place, invoices are processed quickly and accurately, resulting in timely payments to vendors. This helps to maintain healthy relationships with the vendors and ensures that the business operations run smoothly.

Acumatica Integration for Better Invoice Management

One of the primary services offered by Process-Smart is the management of invoices. Often businesses face challenges when verifying the payment clearance of many vendors at once.  Businesses need to manually check the details of the invoices on-hold and match them with the corresponding invoice in their accounting software. It can be a time-consuming and error-prone task, which can delay payments and cause frustration for both the business and the vendors. 

The Process-Smart solution manages invoices that are on-hold on a daily basis, ensuring that details are coordinated in all invoicing software (often times Aspire and Acumatica), and upon confirmation that it is correct, releasing the invoice for payment.  

Benefits of Using Aspire Integrated Invoice Management Services

Through a relationship with Process-Smart, businesses can enjoy a smooth and hassle-free invoice management process. 

1- Efficient Invoice Management:

With an efficient system in place, invoices that are on hold in the Acumatica software are managed accurately and efficiently after being verified in Aspire, ensuring timely payments to vendors. 

2- Improved Relations with Vendors:

Any payment delays are efficiently managed, helping to maintain healthy relationships with vendors and ensuring business operations always run smoothly. 

3- Cost-Effective Invoice Management Solution:

Businesses can save time and money by outsourcing the management of on-hold invoices. This eliminates the need for businesses to invest in hiring additional staff to manage their invoices or purchase expensive software to automate the process.

Process-Smart’s services have proven to be a game-changer for businesses that face challenges in managing on-hold invoices. By taking over this tedious task, Process-Smart helps these businesses to streamline their operations, enhance productivity, and save time and money. The outcome is a smoothly running operation, happy vendors, and satisfied customers.

Process-Smart’s services are designed to cater to the specific needs of businesses, helping them to overcome their challenges and streamline their operations. Our company offers many services that help businesses manage their processes efficiently and effectively. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help drive operational efficiency within your business.

Order creation or service request creation is a crucial step in the underwriting industry. The assessment of any property to perform a risk analysis and quality check to further the process is critical.  At Process-Smart we are committed to providing seamless services to our clients to support the assessment of property in a more efficient and streamlined manner.

The Process of Order Creation

The Process-Smart team is equipped with LC360 (Loss Control 360), a software used for order creation. It can be utilized for client inspection requests that come to us via email or through client portals.  Requests are typically in PDF form and include details such as the survey type, property type, property address, and inspection type.  Any necessary forms needed to complete the inspection are also included.  In order to cater to any client-specific requirements, LC360 has an option titled “Special Attention”.  This allows our client to dictate special requests for additional information that should be gathered during the inspection.

The process also involves creating detailed files of the property. These images are high-definition photos taken through a wide-frame lens from all angles. This is done to ensure that the survey reports correspond with the property inspection.

Importance of Order Creation in the Underwriting Industry

The importance of order creation in the underwriting industry can be summarized as follows:

1- Accurate risk evaluation: 

The service request provides underwriters with all the necessary information about the risk, including its nature, location, and potential impact. This information helps underwriters to accurately evaluate the risk and determine the appropriate coverage and premium.

2- Streamlined underwriting process

Process-Smart helps to streamline the underwriting process by ensuring that all the necessary information is available at the outset. This reduces the need for additional information requests and improves the speed and efficiency of the underwriting process.

3- Risk mitigation

By providing comprehensive information about the risk, the order creation process helps underwriters to identify potential risks and take appropriate measures to mitigate them. This reduces the likelihood of claims and losses and ensures that the underwriting process is sustainable over the long term.

Importance of Creating a Service Request at a Property

Creating service requests is a crucial process in the underwriting industry for a few reasons, especially for a property that is about to undergo a loss control inspection:

1. Ensuring accuracy: We ensure that the information about the order is accurate and up-to-date. This includes details about the items being ordered, the quantity, and any special instructions or requests. This information is crucial to ensure that the request is fulfilled correctly and that there are no errors or discrepancies.
2. Streamlining the process: Instead of having to place orders through multiple channels, such as over the phone or online, orders can be placed directly at the property. This can save time and reduce the risk of miscommunication.

Importance of Order Creation for Multiple Clients with Multiple Requirements

Process-Smart can smoothly handle multiple service requests by multiple clients. The details along with high-definition images of the loss inspection process are added in the User Interface along with the report. Through our streamlined process, creating service requests for multiple clients with multiple requirements benefits the insurance underwriting industry in the following ways:

1. Centralized process: Creating service requests for multiple clients and requirements in a centralized manner allows underwriters to manage and prioritize their workload efficiently. By using a centralized system, they can track the status of each order, ensure that it is being processed within the expected timeframes, and monitor for any bottlenecks in the process.
2. Consistency: A centralized process also helps to ensure consistency in the underwriting process. By following the same process for each order, regardless of the client or requirements, underwriters can ensure that all orders are being handled fairly and efficiently.
3. Automation: Automating the process can further streamline underwriting processes. By using software tools that can generate orders automatically based on predefined criteria, underwriters can reduce the time and effort needed to create and process orders manually.
4. Improved communication: When multiple clients and requirements are involved, clear communication is crucial. A centralized system can help to ensure that all parties are aware of the status of each order, any issues that arise, and any updates or changes that need to be made. This can help to prevent misunderstandings or delays in the process.
5. Data analytics: A centralized process can also provide valuable data insights into the underwriting process. By tracking and analyzing order data, underwriters can identify trends and patterns that can inform future decision-making and process improvements.

In conclusion, the service request creation with Process-Smart provides numerous benefits such as streamlined efficiency both in insurance underwriting and other various industries. Contact Process-Smart today for more information on how we can work with your business to do the same.

Landscaping and snow removal companies can receive work orders for hundreds of different properties at a time, all requesting different services.  Each of these properties require a separate invoice for the work performed.  Because of this, they need an organized system to process their invoices in a detailed manner, eliminating any kind of inconvenience.  Process-Smart works with clients to build a solution to efficiently handle all invoicing and ensure they receive timely and accurate payments from their customers. 

Efficiency Drives the Process-Smart Process

The Process-Smart team is fully integrated to utilize Aspire Software to process invoices for our clients.  Below, we break down the steps we follow to ensure invoices are processed accurately and efficiently.

• Invoices are sent to Process-Smart via a shared folder. Our team accepts them in bulk form in many different formats; PDF, scanned copies, EFTs, etc. 
• We create an invoice batch to segregate the different types of documents. 
• We review each document and create a purchase receipt using Aspire based on the locations mentioned on the invoice. The newly created purchase receipt includes all customer information (address, city, zip code, etc.). 
• For each location, a work ticket is chosen with respect to the scheduled or completion date of the work.  This includes the amount due.  Work tickets are coded by location using the area code the property is located within.
• A receipt number is generated for our reference.
• Our team then reviews the invoices in Aspire to ensure they are accurate before sending them to the client. 
• Detailed invoices are then sent back to the client for validation and approval.
• Once the client has approved, the invoices are sent to the customer for payment.

The Benefits of Partnering with Process-Smart

Partnering your landscaping or snow removal company with Process-Smart allows you to implement best business solutions that drive operations efficiency within your business in the following ways:

• Save Time

The traditional method of invoice processing can be extremely tedious and is prone to the possibility of discrepancies.  Partnering with Process-Smart provides you with full visibility of cash flow, faster processing times, and increased on-time customer payments.

• Reduce Cost

Process-Smart assigns an experienced team dedicated to our client’s needs at lower labor rates, allowing our clients to significantly reduce the amount of money they spend on hiring, training, and maintaining their office staff.  Businesses can allocate these funds to restructuring, training, hiring, or creating customer discount opportunities.

• Optimize Performance

Partnering with our team allows for internal employees to focus on tasks that benefit from their skill set, such as building customer relationships and driving sales growth.  

• Drive Efficiency

Process-Smart will work to streamline your company’s invoicing by identifying challenges within your current workflow and creating a uniform process that fits all aspects of your business, providing accurate and consistent invoices to both you and your customers.  We achieve this through accountability and transparency within process control, reporting and archiving. 

At Process-Smart, our team has the capability to handle all bulk invoicing, ensuring that every transaction is processed quickly and accurately, saving your business time and eliminating potential losses.  Partnering with us is a simple solution with big impacts to the growth of your business.  Contact us today to discuss how Process-Smart can work for you.

Handling invoices from hundreds of vendors and customers is a cumbersome process.  Just maintaining excel sheets and updating them regularly may not be enough to keep organized as your business continues to grow.  Process-Smart allows you to outsource these types of tasks by taking advantage of our Invoice Processing Services.

Tasks such as tallying internal invoices to ensure they match receipts, tracking due dates of clients upcoming bill payments, and sending reminders to clients who have outstanding invoices with a decided payment cycle can all be handled by the Process-Smart team.  Through technological advancements, our professionals are able to provide data tracking and invoice compilation, monitor pending invoices, and work as your accounts receivable department.  By relying on Process-Smart for these time consuming tasks, you can focus the energy of your internal staff on higher-value responsibilities throughout your company.

Utilizing Process-Smart for Accounts Receivable

Process-Smart works directly with many landscaping companies to handle their invoice compilations and payment tracking.  Our team is fluent in Aspire software, allowing us to integrate fully with your current system.  Below is an overview of our Accounts Receivable process:

• After a job is completed in the field, a work ticket is generated. Aspire software is used to estimate the costs associated with the services that were completed.
• A Process-Smart invoicing assistant sends a recommendation to the client detailing the invoice that will be sent to the customer and provides the time frame of the payment cycle.
• Once the client approves of the invoice, the customization is completed and the invoice is sent to the customer for payment.
• After the client receives payment, the invoicing assistant makes sure that it matches the amount of the invoice.
• After the verification, these receipts are recorded as deposits to the bank.

By following the above steps, the Process-Smart team ensures that all accounts receivable are cleared by their due date for our clients.  

Typical Difficulties with Invoice Processing

Many businesses face challenges with regard to invoice compilation and payment receipt tracking.  Some of the most common are:

• Keeping track of different payment due dates with corresponding customers or vendors 
• Sending a second or third reminder to customers or vendors when an invoice isn’t paid on-time
• Miscalculation such as double data entry when handling invoice payments from multiple payment gateways
• Delayed payments from customers due to time constraints in compiling all invoice transactions 

These problems have a simple solution – Process-Smart. Our team of professionals are available to help you process invoices efficiently in order to reduce payment delays. 

Efficient Invoice Processing with Process-Smart 

Let’s look at the top three ways invoicing via Process-Smart benefits your business:

1- No Manual Invoicing

Our job is to make invoice compilation and time tracking seamless for you. We can help you simplify these tasks so that there is no room for mistakes. With our streamlined invoicing process, you do not have to cross-check multiple times. This is because each invoice can have a corresponding cheque or receipt, making it very easy to maintain your records.

2- Increased Visibility of All Invoices

One of the most difficult aspects of invoice processing when it is done manually is the number of receivables and payment receipts which are difficult to keep track of simultaneously. We can help you streamline all invoices in such a way that you get a bird’s eye view of all your transactions. 

3- Quick and Easy Reconciliation

Invoice processing services can assist you by reconciling invoices with purchase orders, memos with delivery receipts and more, like identifying duplicate orders and discrepancies. 

Invoice Processing tracks each account from its invoicing to the payment stage to ensure there are no backlogs, delays in payments, or fraudulent transactions. This can help the business to reconcile all their bank statements and transactions efficiently without any inconsistency.

Systematic Invoice Processing with Process-Smart

With Process-Smart invoice processing services, we can bundle and send bulk invoices, send auto-reminders of due or past-due payments, provide instant updates of paid invoices, and overall manage all accounts receivables easily. We can make your accounts receivable efforts efficient and straight-forward; contact us today for information on how Process-Smart can work for you.

Over the past five years, a wide variety of operational challenges, ranging from market volatility to technological advancement have caused many financial industries to consider, or in some cases reconsider, outsourcing.  Credit unions in particular are finding that the range and quality of services provided by outsourcing companies meet or exceed their in-house capabilities while driving efficiency and lower overhead cost.  

An article in Credit Union Times titled Is Operational Outsourcing Worth a Second Look? lists the following five ways outsourcing companies are helping credit unions succeed in today’s new landscape of financial services.

1. Business Process Outsourcing (or BPO) can provide immediate and long-term staffing solutions.

2. BPO can deliver technical expertise that is expensive or in short supply in the U.S.

3. BPO can maintain data security and privacy standards more securely than most remote work environments.

4. BPO can help to streamline key operational processes.

5. BPO can enable greater focus on customer service, such as member engagement and loyalty. 

At Process-Smart we can help you build an outsourcing strategy that works for your company.  Please reach out to us by phone or email to discuss a free pilot to help you recognize the benefits of partnering with us.

At Process-Smart, our team focuses on providing valuable support to our clients through high-level quality analysis of loss control insurance inspections.  After receiving a request for an inspection, we assign an inspector to complete a thorough assessment of the facility.  Our QA team then completes a full review of the results, delivering a complete survey back to our client generally within 24 hours.  By doing so, Process-Smart is able to drive efficiency while simplifying the loss control inspection process for your business.

Who Are Our Clients?

Process-Smart collaborates with multiple businesses, offering insurance inspection services to both commercial and personal lines.  Our VIITA (Virtual Insurance Inspection Training Academy) certification has allowed our team to become experts in helping clients to avoid the probability of loss by using our backend support.  The completed survey you receive to provide to your insurance underwriter is detailed and systematic, allowing for a comprehensive analysis.

The Process-Smart Process

When a client reaches out through email to order a loss control or physical loss control inspection, we log the request in our system.  Our team is fully trained in LC360 (Loss Control 360), which is used to create orders that include all details requested using PDF documentation sent by our clients.

Additionally, we are well-versed in RAKEIO, AmTrust and SKYWARD.  These programs allow us to review the inspection details at the time of order creation, as well as upload finished reports after quality assurance is completed.

Once an order is logged into our system, an inspector is assigned to complete the loss control survey.  The order creation date and due date are clearly noted on the script for the inspector to view.

During a loss control survey, the inspector is required to:

• Meet with a knowledgeable individual (e.g. a manager or risk manager) who is required to be present for the inspection
• Walk through all buildings, including manufacturing facilities, storage areas, etc. when necessary
• Provide images of the interior and exterior of the facility
• Answer questions regarding safety measures and the scope of any construction or extraction activities.

Once the survey results are returned, the Process-Smart team will verify the inspector’s report and complete a Quality Analysis (QA).  The QA comprises the company guidelines related to the inspection, the call requirements along with the opinion of risk, and transparent feedback on potential hazards with recommendations for modifications to prevent significant loss and/or claims.

After the QA process is complete, the results are sent to the underwriter to evaluate the report and the risks involved.  The underwriter then grants the insurance, rejects it, or grants it with modifications.

What are Common Challenges Faced by the Insurance Underwriting Industry?

Insurance underwriters are being challenged to reevaluate their present strategy and operating models due to evolving market trends and consumer behavior, digital disruption, regulatory uncertainty, and a competitive market.

Some of the common challenges for insurance underwriters involve the following:

• Advances in Technology – Enhancing operational efficiency and lowering risk exposures require investing in digital platforms and solutions.
• Infrastructure with Outdated Technology – Insurance underwriting companies have the opportunity to optimize developments in technology as they relate to key operations by outsourcing to companies like Process-Smart.
• Increasing Operations Costs – The rising cost of operations continues to negatively impact the insurance sector.
• Competitive Analysis – Proper management of data can provide a competitive advantage.
• Customer Interactions – Reevaluate business strategy with a stronger focus on the customer experience and a tailored value proposition driven by an ever-evolving digital world.

How Process-Smart Can Help Your Business?

At Process-Smart, we are extremely aware of the importance of aiding underwriting in determining policyholder exposures and risk acceptability.  To reduce the likelihood of mishaps, injuries, and property loss, we collaborate with experts in the insurance field to ensure all needs are met.

Our extensive knowledge helps clients gain important insight into incidents that can cause claims as well as necessary recommendations for preventing them.  Loss Control Services can customize reports to support corporate loss by working with the carrier or policyholder.

Process-Smart works by restructuring processes to allow for maximum output and efficiency of insurance loss control inspections.  By providing daily reports to our clients, we can ensure that our team of professionals with market-specific experience provide high-quality reporting and QA services without discrepancy, all while adhering to industry policies and procedures.  We will help to increase your profit growth by collaborating with your business to build out best practices in a streamlined process.  Reach out to us today to learn more about how we can help drive your expansion and growth.

Business Process Outsourcing, or BPO, is rapidly growing as a solution for organizations to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their daily tasks by contracting with a third-party service provider.  In most cases, non-core activities are transferred to specialized talent to drive down cost and improve quality.

Core services such as payroll management, customer service, and general back office support are some of the most popular tasks that organizations choose to outsource.  However, there are also lesser thought of processes where BPO services can be utilized – marketing, social media management, lead generation for sales or recruiting, and technical support are just a few.

The benefits of business process outsourcing are plentiful, driving efficiency and cost reduction in companies who choose to take advantage of the opportunity.  An article by Day.io lists the following as the top four advantages to business process outsourcing:

• Reduced Operating Costs
• Improved Efficiency and Margins
• Increased Agility/Adaptability
• Enhanced Customer Service/Experience

At Process-Smart, we believe that businesses of every size can use outsourcing to grow and expand while controlling operational costs and driving efficiency.  We are excited to offer a free pilot program to help you experience the advantages of outsourcing with us.  Please contact us at the below email and phone number to discuss a solution tailored to your business.

Business process outsourcing, or BPO, is the act of hiring an external provider to handle a set of business functions necessary to run your company.  BPO can address both front-office and back-office tasks depending on the need your company faces.

Once you have determined the business functions that you will most benefit from outsourcing, you can then work with a company such as Process-Smart to draw up an agreement that tailors to your specific business needs.  

While outsourcing does sometimes hold an adverse stigma, there are many benefits that generally outweigh the negative.  Operational flexibility, access to innovative technologies, and lower overhead costs are some of the most common benefits that companies report after choosing to outsource business functions.  Outsourcing also allows for specialized risk management from skilled individuals who are experts in their field.  Together, the benefits of outsourcing can provide companies with a greater competitive edge in the market.

At Process-Smart, we believe that working together to tailor a program that fits your specific business needs can be the answer to an efficiency within your company.  Let us help you develop your competitive edge in today’s market.  Contact us today – we will work with you to determine where BPO can be most advantageous to your business.

By now, you are aware that there are numerous benefits to outsourcing certain business processes within your company.  At Process-Smart, our goal is to help our customers drive operational efficiency through cost-effective business solutions.  According to an article published by Jon Guess at Above the Fray, here are the most vital reasons why you should consider outsourcing in 2022.

• Your Staff is Overloaded – with your team working at max capacity, and the labor shortage contributing to hiring difficulties, outsourcing is a cost-effective solution to continue to grow your business while avoiding burnout.
• You have a New Project – perhaps you have created a new business element, but don’t have employees with a skillset to match.  Outsourcing allows for the quick implementation of highly trained individuals to handle your new venture.
• The Labor Shortage has Affected Hiring – the current condition of the labor market has made it increasingly difficult to find qualified employees at an affordable rate.  Outsourcing allows you to hire talented individuals who are ready to go to work for you.
• You have Expanded to Different Countries or Time Zones – providing customer support during normal business hours in different countries and time zones is imperative to growth.  Outsourcing allows you to accomplish this without additional stress on your current work force; asking staff to adjust hours or work overnight may not always be feasible.
• You are in Danger of Missing a Deadline – outsourcing some or all of the labor when a project is falling behind can help you to stay on task, mitigating the risk to your company’s reputation.
• You have Staffing Needs that Change – maybe your company is seasonal, or your needs fluctuate for a different reason.  Outsourcing allows you to utilize labor during your busy season without keeping employees on the payroll during slower times.
• You Require a Special Skill Set – it’s possible that you don’t have staff that includes someone with a highly trained skill set necessary for certain projects or business functions, whether those skills are technical or otherwise.  Outsourcing gives you immediate access to individuals that possess these skillsets and can help to implement them for projects on an as-needed basis.

If you are considering outsourcing a set of business processes, please reach out to us at Process-Smart.  We are excited to offer a free pilot program to help you experience the benefits we can provide to your company.  We are available to discuss a tailored experience specific to your needs at the below email and phone number.  We hope to hear from you soon.