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Case Studies > 50% Reduction in Write-offs and Streamlining Collections Management Process with Integrated Receivables

50% Reduction in Write-offs and Streamlining Collections Management Process with Integrated Receivables

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Predictive Analytics
Functional Applications - Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP)
Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems

Applicable Industries

Telecommunications
Consumer Goods

Applicable Functions

Business Operation
Sales & Marketing

Use Cases

Predictive Maintenance
Process Control & Optimization
Remote Asset Management

Services

Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services
System Integration
Training

The Challenge

Brightstar faced significant challenges in their collections, deductions, and invoicing processes due to their massive volume of customers and operating areas. The A/R team had to work two shifts to clear the backlog of deductions, leading to high FTE costs. The team was unable to dispute all deductions, resulting in high write-offs. Manual data aggregation and inefficient collections policies further exacerbated the situation. The lack of a standardized process and heavy IT dependence created operational bottlenecks. Specific challenges included manual collection management, unstructured correspondence, ad-hoc reminders, and call logs stored in multiple systems. The deductions process was also manual, requiring many staff and leading to high costs. Internal collaboration was inefficient, and the invoicing process was entirely manual, making it laborious and time-consuming.

About The Customer

Brightstar is the world's leading mobile services company for managing devices and accessories across the wireless ecosystem. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Brightstar serves over 50,000 carrier, retail, and enterprise customers across 100 countries. The company touches over 100,000 points of sale and participates in every stage of a device's lifecycle, from manufacturing to trade-in and re-marketing. Brightstar processes over 100 million devices annually, providing innovative end-to-end services. With a revenue of $10.5 billion, Brightstar faced significant challenges in managing its collections, deductions, and invoicing processes due to its massive volume of customers and operating areas.

The Solution

Brightstar partnered with HighRadius to automate their A/R landscape using HighRadius’ collections, deductions, and EIPP cloud management solutions. The Collections Cloud automated the fetching of invoices and customer contacts from the ERP, prioritized collections work lists, and standardized correspondence. Automated reminders and follow-ups, along with a central repository of notes, improved efficiency. The Deductions Cloud automated claims and POD information retrieval, correspondence, and internal collaboration. The EIPP Cloud automated invoicing, customized invoices, and enabled document sharing with customers. A single self-service portal provided access to previous and current invoices, facilitating easy collaboration between AR and AP teams.

Operational Impact

Brightstar achieved a 50% reduction in shortage deductions write-offs.
The A/R team size was reduced by 64%, from 28 FTEs to 10 FTEs.
There was a 97% increase in collection accounts coverage per day.

Quantitative Benefit

$1,000,000 net savings per annum post automation.
$500,000 average savings due to the efficient collection process.
$380,000 average savings due to highly efficient transformed dispute management process.