DHL
Accountis Case Study: DHL e-Billing
Accountis Enterprise AR used as the platform for European e-Billing project
A Flexible, Reliable E-Invoicing Solution
There are many reasons for a large multinational organisation to introduce an automated Accounts Receivable (AR) system to send e-invoices to customers online. Benefits for suppliers such as paper elimination, reduced errors and quicker settlement can cut costs dramatically and improve overall efficiencies. Quicker delivery and a faster dispute process are just two customer benefits that can lead to a more rewarding business relationship with suppliers. That is why Accountis was approached by DHL, the global market leader of the international express and logistics industry, to replace their paper-based invoicing process with an electronic billing system. The company has organised non-core services into a separate division: Global Business Services. This includes Finance Operations - our client.
Their vision was to be able to generate and send electronic invoices directly from multiple back-office systems across Europe and present them online for customers in any location. DHL sends tens of millions of invoices each year and making the switch from paper to electronic would offer significant efficiency and cost savings throughout the receivables process. The organisation was keen to source a flexible, reliable solution from a vendor that would not let them down. Following a Europe-wide search the company chose the Accountis Core Platform with Enterprise AR, Workflow and ebPrinter® as their preferred solution.
Accountis Fulfils Challenging Requirements
Accountis worked closely with the DHL’s project team to identify their key requirements. As the company needed a quick implementation it was essential that all their needs were identified early and that any potential problems were singled-out and dealt with. Being such a large organisation with offices in all EU member states and Switzerland amongst others, the client’s list of key requirements was challenging:
- Compliancy – DHL wished to eliminate paper altogether and operate an electronic only system, but still ensure that all fiscal legislation was satisfied.
- Invoice Format – Large customers that dealt with DHL in several European offices were receiving invoices in contrasting formats with no single view of all invoice activity. DHL wished to present all larger customers with a more standardised invoice format, which they were able to access online 24/7 from any location via a DHL-branded customer portal.
- Different Finance Systems – Having acquired many businesses over the years, DHL operates a number of finance systems across its European offices. They wished to somehow consolidate all this data into one system to improve efficiency.
- Customer Pressure – There was also pressure from customers to implement a more efficient and unified invoicing process. Receiving large volumes of bulky paper invoices in different formats was time consuming and slow to process. Therefore customers wanted to receive data quickly, securely and in one format. DHL could also not ignore the fact that many of their key competitors were already offering e-invoicing to their customers.
ebPrinter Technology Enables Rapid Implementation
One of the distinguishing features of the Accountis Enterprise AR system is its ability to easily collect data from disparate accounting systems. The unique Accountis ebPrinter makes capturing invoice data simple. It enables any printable document to be authentically converted into electronic data, without the need to change legacy systems or business processes. This dramatically speeds up implementation and minimises expenditure. Accountis Enterprise AR can also integrate with other internal systems to provide value-added information such as data tracking and proof of delivery.
Accountis then provided the company with a branded internet portal for use by employees and customers alike. Accessible 24/7 from any location, this secure website provided DHL with a management reporting tool with one-view of all new and archived invoices and customer transactions. Via the portal, account managers have the ability to search and view all documents relating to their accounts across Europe, enabling them to mange their accounts more effectively. Finance Operations staff have instant access to all present and archived customer documents, and can resolve issues quickly via an online query management module. A powerful permissions programme ensures that only those with direct authorisation are able to view account information.
Customers also benefit immensely from accessing the online portal. Following a simple, self-sign online registration process, customers can login to view all their invoices electronically. As the rollout progresses, no matter which European office they deal with, all invoices will be presented in similar formats and will therefore be easier to understand and quicker to process. Customers can currently access the portal in French, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish or English, (other languages will be made available as new countries adopt the solution) and have the ability to search through archived documents and download data in multiple formats. Gone are the days of bulky, paper invoices in confusing formats – customers now enjoy a simplified invoicing process in their preferred language. Finally both DHL and their customers alike can rest assured that all documents delivered using the Accountis system are fully compliant. The Accountis system is configured so that all e-invoices, no matter which country they originate from, automatically comply with local legislation. Accountis also guarantees VAT compliant delivery and archiving for 10 years.
Improved Efficiency and Reduced Costs
By introducing European-wide electronic invoicing DHL has unified and streamlined their invoicing process. There is no doubt that improving invoice and account visibility has enabled both account managers and finance operations staff to control AR processes much more effectively to save time and reduce costs. Using the Accountis system with the ebPrinter technology has enabled DHL to keep implementation costs to a minimum and enjoy a quicker return on investment (ROI).
The key benefits for both DHL and their customers are:
Benefits to DHL (Supplier):
• Eliminating paper and postage with associated costs
• A unified interface for all transactions
• Reduced cost of integration with back-office systems
• Up-to-date reporting with advanced management tools
• Document search and archive functions
• Improved visibility for Account Managers
• Ability to manage and resolve customer queries
• Rapid implementation via the ebPrinter technology
• Integrated with other systems for better customer service
• Secure and VAT compliant processing
• Introduce a greener, more sustainable technology
Benefits to DHL Customers:
• Simple, online registration process
• Instant document delivery with no manual data entry
• No more bulky paper invoices
• Instant online access to all documents in one location
• All country invoices in a more standardised format
• Portal access in the language of their choice
• Improved communication with suppliers
• Secure and VAT compliant processing
